How to get started with Scenic for an IoT project?

Begin with the getting started guide on HexDocs to install Scenic and set up basic scenes. Since it targets fixed-screen devices, focus on OTP supervision and defining UI components using Elixir patterns.

Scenic vs Phoenix LiveView for Elixir UI development?

Scenic is for native client applications with minimal dependencies, ideal for IoT and offline-capable devices. Phoenix LiveView is for web applications using server-rendered HTML over WebSockets. Choose Scenic for embedded systems; LiveView for web interfaces.

Can Scenic be used for mobile apps?

Scenic primarily supports operating systems like MacOS, Ubuntu, and Nerves/Linux, but it's not optimized for mobile platforms like iOS or Android. For mobile development, consider cross-platform frameworks with Elixir bindings instead.

How does state management work in Scenic?

State is managed within OTP processes and supervision trees, using Elixir's concurrency model. UI scenes hold their own state, and changes propagate through the scene graph, similar to game development architectures.

Is Scenic suitable for real-time data visualization?

Yes, Scenic's flexible transform matrices and retained mode graphics make it good for dynamic 2D visualizations. However, for complex 3D charts or immediate mode needs, you may need to extend it or look elsewhere.

What are the performance benchmarks for Scenic?

Scenic is designed to be small and fast with minimal dependencies, but as a retained mode system, it may have higher memory overhead for complex UIs. Performance testing on target hardware is recommended for specific use cases.

How to package UI components as Hex packages in Scenic?

Structure your UI components as Elixir modules and follow the contributing guides to publish them on Hex.pm. This allows reuse across applications, though the ecosystem is still growing.

scenic — Elixir IoT Application Library

What is scenic?

Scenic is a client application library built directly on the Elixir/Erlang/OTP stack for creating cross-platform applications that run identically on operating systems like MacOS, Ubuntu, and Nerves/Linux. It solves the problem of building reliable, self-contained applications for fixed-screen IoT devices and portable use cases by leveraging OTP's fault-tolerance and simplicity.

Target Audience

Elixir/Erlang developers building applications for IoT devices, embedded systems, or portable applications that require consistent operation across multiple platforms without browser dependencies.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Scenic for its minimal dependencies, built-in fault tolerance via OTP supervision trees, and focus on security and maintainability, making it ideal for resource-constrained or reliability-critical environments.

Core Scenic library

Use Cases

Best For

Building user interfaces for IoT devices with fixed screens
Creating portable applications that run identically across MacOS, Ubuntu, and Nerves/Linux
Developing embedded systems applications with high availability requirements
Implementing self-contained device logic that operates independently of external services
Designing reusable UI components for Elixir-based applications
Building secure applications by avoiding browser and JavaScript vulnerabilities

Not Ideal For

Applications requiring 3D graphics or immersive visual experiences
Web development teams needing browser-based interfaces or HTML/CSS integration
Projects where immediate mode graphics are critical, such as certain simulations or games
Teams looking for a UI framework with extensive third-party libraries and mature community support

Pros & Cons

Pros

Fault-Tolerant Design

Leverages OTP supervision trees to create self-healing applications that maintain high availability under adverse conditions, as highlighted in the Goals section.

Minimal Overhead

Core dependencies are only Erlang/OTP and OpenGL, ensuring the library is small and fast with low resource usage, ideal for constrained environments.

Self-Contained Operation

Device logic runs locally, allowing applications to operate independently of external services, which is crucial for IoT reliability.

Flexible UI Matrices

Uses transform matrices similar to game development for easy positioning, scaling, and reuse of UI elements, enabling dynamic layouts.

Security-First Approach

Avoids browsers and JavaScript to reduce attack surfaces, focusing on simplicity and security in design, as noted in the Philosophy.

Cons

Breaking Changes

Version 0.11 is a major upgrade with numerous breaking changes, requiring careful migration and indicating potential instability for production use.

Limited 3D Support

Explicitly a 2D UI framework with no plans for 3D drawing, restricting its use for graphics-intensive or immersive applications.

New and Evolving

Being fairly new, the ecosystem has fewer reusable components and community resources, with strict contribution guidelines that may slow adoption.

Retained Mode Only

Does not support immediate mode graphics, which could be a limitation for real-time or performance-critical applications needing low-level control.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is scenic?

Target Audience

Elixir/Erlang developers building applications for IoT devices, embedded systems, or portable applications that require consistent operation across multiple platforms without browser dependencies.

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Building user interfaces for IoT devices with fixed screens
Creating portable applications that run identically across MacOS, Ubuntu, and Nerves/Linux
Developing embedded systems applications with high availability requirements
Implementing self-contained device logic that operates independently of external services
Designing reusable UI components for Elixir-based applications
Building secure applications by avoiding browser and JavaScript vulnerabilities

Not Ideal For

Applications requiring 3D graphics or immersive visual experiences
Web development teams needing browser-based interfaces or HTML/CSS integration
Projects where immediate mode graphics are critical, such as certain simulations or games
Teams looking for a UI framework with extensive third-party libraries and mature community support

Pros & Cons

Pros

Fault-Tolerant Design

Leverages OTP supervision trees to create self-healing applications that maintain high availability under adverse conditions, as highlighted in the Goals section.

Minimal Overhead

Core dependencies are only Erlang/OTP and OpenGL, ensuring the library is small and fast with low resource usage, ideal for constrained environments.

Self-Contained Operation

Device logic runs locally, allowing applications to operate independently of external services, which is crucial for IoT reliability.

Flexible UI Matrices

Uses transform matrices similar to game development for easy positioning, scaling, and reuse of UI elements, enabling dynamic layouts.

Security-First Approach

Avoids browsers and JavaScript to reduce attack surfaces, focusing on simplicity and security in design, as noted in the Philosophy.

Cons

Breaking Changes

Version 0.11 is a major upgrade with numerous breaking changes, requiring careful migration and indicating potential instability for production use.

Limited 3D Support

Explicitly a 2D UI framework with no plans for 3D drawing, restricting its use for graphics-intensive or immersive applications.

New and Evolving

Being fairly new, the ecosystem has fewer reusable components and community resources, with strict contribution guidelines that may slow adoption.

Retained Mode Only

Does not support immediate mode graphics, which could be a limitation for real-time or performance-critical applications needing low-level control.

Frequently Asked Questions

scenic

What is scenic?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Found a gem we're missing?

scenic

What is scenic?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Found a gem we're missing?