Is Erlang Still Worth Learning in 2024?

Popular programming languages ​​change from year to year. The main reason is the constant emergence of new programming languages. However, some programming languages, such as Erglang, have been challenging for years. If you are also thinking of learning a programming language, don’t worry, because you don’t need any previous programming experience. All you need to do is first decide what type of programming you want to do. Until then, find out more about Erlang, maybe get some ideas.

Development of Erlagn

Source: erlang-ls.github.io

The development of this programming language has been influenced by many other languages ​​such as Lisp, Prolog, etc. However, Erlang originated many years ago, which means that it had an equal influence on some other languages. Great explanation of Erlang basics can be found here and you can start from there. Today, there are several thousand programming languages ​​and there are more and more of them every year and some of them are even useful for consulting about blockchain and fintech development. The reason is the need to improve the various concepts that are already present in some languages. They arise under the influence of their predecessors or their characteristics. The end result is new programming languages ​​that are a combination of the features of the predecessor and are more efficient for solving certain types of problems. That is why it is important to choose the appropriate language. Fortunately, Erlang is very applicable.

It is used in telecommunication systems and is very stable and secure. It also has a wider use. Used for application development, if you want your application to meet the following requirements. First of all, the application has to process a lot of activities at the same time. It is equally important that it is easily distributed over a computer network, and it would be good if the application is tolerant of software and hardware errors. In addition, the application must be scalable, ie it must be extended to multiple servers if possible without changes. Erlang is a good option if you need an application that is easy to upgrade and reconfigure, without having to stop it beforehand. Many users want the app to respond within certain strict time frames.

What sets Erlang apart from other programming languages?

Source: jetbrains.com

Erlang has one very important feature that sets it apart from all other programming languages. It is process-oriented, ie more isolated processes that communicate with each other via messages. The result of this operation is the creation of new messages, changes in the state of messages and similar actions. The system is very flexible when it comes to adding more machines to the network. Pure functions, higher order functions, and pattern matching are often used. That’s why we say that this language is used to create a system that manages a third-party gateway. For example, millions of messages are exchanged daily between different users.

A networked system needs to meet requirements such as scaling, competitiveness and reliability, and this is difficult when it comes to a large number of users sending different requests at the same time. Thanks to Erlang, the system is able to use reason and logic. It is guided by parameters when routing messages. If you still don’t understand why this language is so popular, understand Erlang as a tool that achieves a higher level of abstraction in communication. This means that behind such a system is functional, logical and simultaneous programming. The result is a very clear expression and avoidance of common problems.

Advantages of Erlang

Source: slant.co

It is probably already clear to you that Erlang can hardly be compared to any other programming language. It is unique in its mini operating system that works incredibly well. It is used to work on applications with multiple servers, distributed nodes and thus controls a network with multiple nodes. This is exactly one of his biggest advantages – he performs his role perfectly. The next benefit you will experience is the ability to monitor and coordinate a large number of virtual machines using this programming language.

He is known as a beast among his colleagues, because he performs even the most difficult tasks very easily. You probably won’t find another programming language that will work just as well. Regardless of its strength, Erlang is very easy to use. All you need is an idea for programming, because writing extremely simple code. We must mention that Erlang has a high degree of tolerance to mistakes and the ability to continue working even if one process breaks down.

Tips for beginners

Source: speakerdeck.com

If you’re learning from a book, try to adopt as much information as possible by not skipping paragraphs. You need to read from the first to the last cover. It is recommended to use several different sources. Don’t forget to find the Erlang project after the acquired knowledge, on which you will try to apply that acquired knowledge. Regardless of the amount of knowledge, try to find out what this open project is about and contribute to solving an easy or difficult problem. We have another important tip for you. Don’t be afraid of syntax. In fact, the more you delve into the matter, the faster you will love it. The same goes for recursion. Slow down when needed.

So don’t move too fast and learn by heart. For example, you study constantly for a certain period of time, and then play by finding a way to apply everything you have learned so far. Only then can you take the next step. Don’t forget to relax. Even if you have knowledge of another programming language that interferes with learning Erlang, it won’t take long. It will soon become natural for you to learn a new programming language and you will get rid of bad habits that you have acquired from other languages.

Conclusion:

With the development of programming, programming languages ​​are also evolving. They are used for various programming purposes, and one of the most used is Erlang. He has been in this position for many years, and we have given you enough reason to think so.