Billy Ceskavich: Is Elixir Just Lisp?

Metaprogramming is a powerful tool that many Elixir developers use every day. Via macros, we can write concise, reusable code, and even extend the language itself. But, metaprogramming in Elixir can be hard to grok, especially for newcomers. So in this talk, we’re going to review the inner workings of Elixir’s metaprogramming environment. We’ll start with a quick syntax review, and discuss in plain terms what the core components do for you. Then, we’ll talk about the essence of macros: modifying Elixir’s Abstract Syntax Tree to reshape your code at compile time. And finally, we’ll compare Elixir’s macros to metaprogramming approaches taken in other languages. Whether you’re new to Elixir or a seasoned developer, you should leave this talk with a clearer understanding of how this powerful set of Elixir abstractions works and how you can use it all confidently in your next project.