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Elixir is a concurrent functional programming language designed by José Valim, first released in 2012. It is built on top of the Erlang VM and shares many of its features, including hot code reloading, pattern matching, and a powerful metaprogramming system. Elixir is designed to be a modern, flexible language that is both easy to learn and powerful enough for large-scale applications. Sources: * [Elixir's official website](https://elixir-lang.org/) * [José Valim's blog post announcing Elixir](https://elixir-lang.org/blog/2012/08/18/elixir-is-born/) * [The Elixir Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elixir_(programming_language))

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

First 20 minutes

General Elixir escript app knowledge and experience

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

What is the purpose of Elixir escript?

Elixir escript is used to build standalone executables that can be run on any machine that has Erlang installed. It is useful for creating scripts in Elixir that can be distributed and run without requiring the Elixir runtime to be installed.

How would you compile an Elixir script into an escript?

You can compile an Elixir script into an escript using the 'escript.build' mix task. You would need to define a main method in your script that serves as the entry point for the escript.

What are the limitations of escripts in Elixir?

Escripts in Elixir do not support hot code swapping and they cannot be distributed as escripts. They also do not support applications that need to be started, such as a web server.

Describe the difference between Elixir scripts and escripts.

Elixir scripts are simple scripts that can be run using the 'elixir' command. Escripts, on the other hand, are standalone executables that can be run on any machine that has Erlang installed.

How would you handle command line arguments in an Elixir escript?

Command line arguments in an Elixir escript can be handled using the 'System.argv' function, which returns a list of command line arguments.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a solid understanding of Elixir language?

How well does the candidate understand OTP (Open Telecom Platform)?

Can the candidate write clean, maintainable, and efficient code?

Does the candidate have experience with test-driven development?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Elixir escript 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.

What are the steps to create an escript in Elixir?

To create an escript in Elixir, you would first write your script, then define a main method that serves as the entry point for the escript. After that, you would compile the script into an escript using the 'escript.build' mix task.

How would you debug an Elixir escript?

Debugging an Elixir escript can be done using the 'IO.inspect' function to print out values at different points in the script. You can also use the Erlang debugger, but it is more complex and less commonly used.

Describe the difference between Elixir escripts and Erlang escripts.

Elixir escripts and Erlang escripts are similar in that they both create standalone executables. However, Elixir escripts are written in Elixir and require the Elixir runtime to be installed on the machine, while Erlang escripts are written in Erlang and only require the Erlang runtime.

What are the advantages of using Elixir escripts over other scripting languages?

Elixir escripts have several advantages over other scripting languages. They can be run on any machine that has Erlang installed, they are compiled and therefore run faster, and they can take advantage of Elixir's features such as pattern matching and concurrency.

How would you test an Elixir escript?

Testing an Elixir escript can be done by writing test cases using Elixir's built-in testing framework, ExUnit. You would write tests that call the main method of the escript with different arguments and check the output.

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At this point, a skilled Elixir escript engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in Elixir escript 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 escript.

What does this simple Elixir code do?
IO.puts "Hello, Elixir!"
This code prints the string 'Hello, Elixir!' to the standard output.
What will be the output of this Elixir code?
IO.inspect(Enum.reduce([1, 2, 3], 0, &+/2))
This code sums up the numbers in the list [1, 2, 3] starting with an initial value of 0. The output will be 6.
What does this Elixir code do?
IO.inspect(Enum.map([1, 2, 3], fn x -> x * 2 end))
This code multiplies each element in the list [1, 2, 3] by 2. The output will be the new list [2, 4, 6].
What does this Elixir code do?
spawn(fn -> 1 + 2 end)
This code spawns a new process that executes the function, which adds 1 and 2 together. However, the result is not returned or used anywhere.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for Elixir escript 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 escript application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

Describe the difference between Elixir escripts and Elixir releases.

Elixir escripts are standalone executables that are used for creating scripts, while Elixir releases are a packaging format for applications and their dependencies. Releases also include the Erlang runtime, so they can be run on any machine, while escripts require Erlang to be installed.

How would you handle errors in an Elixir escript?

Errors in an Elixir escript can be handled using Elixir's built-in error handling mechanisms. This includes using 'try/rescue' to catch and handle exceptions, and 'case' statements to handle different return values.

What are the best practices for writing Elixir escripts?

Best practices for writing Elixir escripts include defining a clear entry point with a main method, handling command line arguments properly, handling errors and exceptions, and writing tests for the escript.

Elixir escript application related

Product Perfect's Elixir escript development capabilities

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

Elixir escript Consultive assessments

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

Custom Elixir escript development projects

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

Hiring guide for Elixir escript Engineers

Elixir escript 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 escript engineer at this point.

Elixir escript Consultive assessments

Custom Elixir escript development projects