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Elixir EEx, or Embedded Elixir, is a metaprogramming language developed by José Valim as part of the larger Elixir programming language in 2011. Its primary function is to embed Elixir code within strings for dynamic execution, making it particularly useful in web development for generating HTML templates. The language was designed specifically to work with the Erlang virtual machine (BEAM), leveraging its features for building scalable and maintainable applications. It's open-source and maintained by Plataformatec, a Brazilian software company co-founded by Valim himself. As an integral part of the broader Elixir ecosystem, it contributes to the robustness and flexibility that have made Elixir a popular choice among developers worldwide.

Ask the right questions secure the right Elixir EEx talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General Elixir EEx app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in Elixir EEx application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

How would you define Elixir EEx?

Elixir EEx, or Embedded Elixir, is a templating language that allows you to embed Elixir code inside strings. It's commonly used in web development to generate dynamic HTML pages.

What are the different types of EEx tags?

There are three types of EEx tags: <% %> which evaluates the Elixir expression inside, <%= %> which evaluates and inserts the result, and <%# %> which is used for comments.

Describe the difference between <% %> and <%= %> in EEx.

<% %> evaluates the Elixir expression inside but does not insert the result into the template, while <%= %> evaluates and inserts the result.

How would you use EEx to generate a dynamic HTML page?

You can use EEx to generate a dynamic HTML page by embedding Elixir code inside the HTML using EEx tags. For example, you can use <%= %> to insert the result of an Elixir expression into the HTML.

What is the purpose of the EEx.compile_string function?

The EEx.compile_string function is used to compile a string containing EEx code into an Elixir function that can be called to generate the final output.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of Elixir EEx syntax and semantics?

Can the candidate demonstrate experience with building scalable applications using Elixir EEx?

How well does the candidate understand and apply best practices in Elixir EEx development?

Is the candidate able to troubleshoot and solve problems in Elixir EEx?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Elixir EEx development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should focus on the candidate's expertise with specific backend frameworks, their understanding of RESTful APIs, and their experience in handling data storage and retrieval efficiently.

How would you use EEx to generate a dynamic XML document?

You can use EEx to generate a dynamic XML document in a similar way to generating a dynamic HTML page. You would embed Elixir code inside the XML using EEx tags to generate the dynamic parts of the document.

What is the purpose of the EEx.compile_file function?

The EEx.compile_file function is used to compile a file containing EEx code into an Elixir function. This is useful when you have a large EEx template stored in a file.

How would you handle errors in EEx?

Errors in EEx can be handled using the standard Elixir error handling mechanisms. For example, you can use try/rescue to catch and handle exceptions that occur during the evaluation of EEx code.

What are the benefits of using EEx over other templating languages?

EEx has several benefits over other templating languages. It's built into Elixir, so there's no need for additional dependencies. It allows you to use all the features of Elixir, including pattern matching, control structures, and function calls. And it's very efficient, as it compiles templates into Elixir functions.

How would you use EEx to generate a dynamic JSON document?

You can use EEx to generate a dynamic JSON document by embedding Elixir code inside the JSON using EEx tags. This allows you to generate dynamic parts of the JSON based on data or calculations.

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At this point, a skilled Elixir EEx engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in Elixir EEx programming language, and knowledge of software development methodologies. Red flags include lack of hands-on experience, inability to articulate complex concepts, or unfamiliarity with standard coding practices.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with Elixir EEx.

What does this simple Elixir code do?
IO.puts "Hello, World!"
This code outputs the string 'Hello, World!' to the standard output.
What will be the output of this Elixir code?
IO.inspect(Enum.map([1, 2, 3, 4], fn x -> x * 2 end))
This code will output the list [2, 4, 6, 8]. It uses the Enum.map function to multiply each element in the list by 2.
What does this Elixir code do?
IO.inspect(Enum.reduce([1, 2, 3, 4], 0, fn(x, acc) -> x + acc end))
This code will output the number 10. It uses the Enum.reduce function to sum all the elements in the list.
What does this Elixir code do?
spawn(fn -> IO.puts("Hello from process #{inspect(self())}") end)
This code spawns a new process that outputs a string containing its process identifier. It demonstrates the basic concept of concurrency in Elixir.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for Elixir EEx Developer role questions

The final few questions should evaluate the candidate's teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, assess their knowledge of microservices architecture, serverless computing, and how they handle Elixir EEx application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

What is the purpose of the EEx.eval_string function?

The EEx.eval_string function is used to evaluate a string containing EEx code and return the result. This is useful when you want to evaluate a small piece of EEx code without compiling it into a function.

How would you use EEx to generate a dynamic CSS file?

You can use EEx to generate a dynamic CSS file by embedding Elixir code inside the CSS using EEx tags. This allows you to generate dynamic parts of the CSS based on data or calculations.

What is the purpose of the EEx.eval_file function?

The EEx.eval_file function is used to evaluate a file containing EEx code and return the result. This is useful when you want to evaluate a large piece of EEx code stored in a file.

Elixir EEx application related

Product Perfect's Elixir EEx development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your Elixir EEx engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in Elixir EEx projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.

Elixir EEx Consultive assessments

Elixir EEx Application Conversion Assessment Elixir EEx Application Integration Assessment Elixir EEx Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom Elixir EEx development projects

Custom Elixir EEx App Conversion Elixir EEx Custom App Development Process App UI Design for Elixir EEx Facelifts

Hiring guide for Elixir EEx Engineers

Elixir EEx Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the Elixir EEx engineer at this point.

Elixir EEx Consultive assessments

Custom Elixir EEx development projects