Despite not being as widely used as some modern programming languages, Erlang quietly powers applications like WhatsApp and WeChat that serve massive amounts of users every day. Erlang originated in Sweden several years ago and was initially created to handle telephone exchanges and network devices for Ericsson, hence its name. Although it has a specific niche and may not be a general-purpose language, it set high standards in its intended domain. It was a valuable tool for programming in this field, as it provided great support without downtime.
Erlang is particularly useful for multi-server distributed applications and controlling multi-node networks. However, with the advent of the internet, the rise of mobile applications connected to devices, and the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), Erlang’s applications have expanded beyond their original domain.
These are the top 5 online resources for learning Erlang. The level of detail and pace varies from novice to expert, but since you have to get into the Erlang mindset, it is better to start from scratch.
- How to Begin:
A fantastic website that explains what Erlang is and the benefits and practicalities of using it, geared for total beginners.
2 – Stuff Goes Wrong: Erlang Furious
Several seasoned Erlang programmers have contributed to this compilation of tips and techniques, which both newcomers and seasoned coders may find helpful. Yes, reading it will help you avoid a lot of troubles and problems down the road.
3 – Learn Some Erlang for Excellent Purpose!
This fantastic free online tutorial is designed for programmers with some expertise but little background in functional programming.
4 – A Concise Guide to Erlang: This short, to-the-point guide is designed to give experienced programmers information in a way that they can quickly understand, given their presumptive background knowledge.
5 – The v1.0 of The Erlang Cheat Sheet:
In that even seasoned programmers occasionally should go back to an useful cheat sheet, Erlang is similar to every other programming language. Your browser should be saved!
While there are many programming languages available today, there are several reasons why someone might want to learn Erlang in 2023:
- Scalability and fault tolerance: Erlang is designed to handle highly concurrent and distributed systems, making it well-suited for large-scale applications. It has built-in mechanisms for fault tolerance and can handle system failures without causing downtime or data loss.
- High-performance computing: Erlang is highly efficient, enabling it to process large amounts of data quickly and with low latency. This makes it an excellent choice for high-performance computing applications, such as real-time data analysis and machine learning.
- Community support: Erlang has an active community of developers who contribute to its ongoing development and support. As a result, there are many resources available to learn Erlang, including books, tutorials, and online communities.
- Industry demand: Erlang is used by companies such as WhatsApp, Ericsson, and AdRoll, among others. As more companies look to build highly scalable and fault-tolerant systems, the demand for Erlang developers may increase.
Overall, learning Erlang in 2023 can be a valuable investment for those interested in developing high-performance, scalable, and fault-tolerant applications.
