Erlang is strictly better in all ways for my use-case due to its purity, rigorous simplicity, and direct closeness to the BEAM VM. I also wrote a library 10 years ago to do python->elixir and back. https://github.com/stochastic-thread/snek.ex
When building foundational libraries, especially for large-scale distributed systems or agent-based architectures - I find Erlang’s minimalism, mature toolset (like `observer:start` for visual supervision trees), and battle-tested concurrency model invaluable. I also liked Prolog, so I guess if these preferences are strange, that explains them!
That said, Elixir definitely has enhanced the developer experience significantly. The improved syntax, great macros, `mix`, Hex package management, and community-driven tooling are impressive and inviting for newcomers. Interoperability is excellent, so writing foundational libraries in Erlang makes them readily accessible to Elixir applications without hassle.
A few examples highlighting Erlang’s advantages:
* *Minimalism & Predictability*: Erlang's restricted syntax and clear semantics make large-scale codebases easier to maintain and reason about, crucial when debugging complex distributed agent interactions.
* *Tooling & Debugging*: Tools like `observer:start`, built-in tracing with `dbg`, and mature profiling support give unparalleled visibility into running systems.
* *Closer to BEAM*: By writing directly in Erlang, I have tighter control and deeper understanding of how my code interacts with BEAM’s scheduling, garbage collection, and process handling.
Still—I love Elixir’s conveniences and often reach for it for web-facing layers, prototyping, or anything user-facing. Both languages complement each other well.
And yes, given my project's name (`Agents.erl`), maybe Elixir needs to rename its `Agent` module now.
When building foundational libraries, especially for large-scale distributed systems or agent-based architectures - I find Erlang’s minimalism, mature toolset (like `observer:start` for visual supervision trees), and battle-tested concurrency model invaluable. I also liked Prolog, so I guess if these preferences are strange, that explains them!
That said, Elixir definitely has enhanced the developer experience significantly. The improved syntax, great macros, `mix`, Hex package management, and community-driven tooling are impressive and inviting for newcomers. Interoperability is excellent, so writing foundational libraries in Erlang makes them readily accessible to Elixir applications without hassle.
A few examples highlighting Erlang’s advantages:
* *Minimalism & Predictability*: Erlang's restricted syntax and clear semantics make large-scale codebases easier to maintain and reason about, crucial when debugging complex distributed agent interactions. * *Tooling & Debugging*: Tools like `observer:start`, built-in tracing with `dbg`, and mature profiling support give unparalleled visibility into running systems. * *Closer to BEAM*: By writing directly in Erlang, I have tighter control and deeper understanding of how my code interacts with BEAM’s scheduling, garbage collection, and process handling.
Still—I love Elixir’s conveniences and often reach for it for web-facing layers, prototyping, or anything user-facing. Both languages complement each other well.
And yes, given my project's name (`Agents.erl`), maybe Elixir needs to rename its `Agent` module now.