I want to know if we can implement flow based programming using a graph. Where each node is a process by itself, and the graph can be dynamic in nature. I’m not sure how I can achieve this in elixir. Please let me know your thoughts.

Take a look at the flow library. It might provide the tools you are looking for :slight_smile:.

flow isn’t related to the FBP paradigm

I still don’t quite get it. Are you intending each graph node as a state ? The edges as transitions to that state ?

I want to create something like this Each node being a function

Yes that looks very possible. If each node is a function you have the choice of having an Elixir process handle one function or you can mimic all of these within a FSM. Unfortunately Elixir doesn’t have a corresponding Erlang gen_fsm / gen_statem and will have to use the Erlang behaviours.

I think state machines aren’t the answer to this. As we might me dealing with a function which requires more than one input argument, and they are waiting for the output from a different node, which can be of asynchronous nature.

Ok. Go with GenServer to begin with and model a simple system. It looks very doable.

There is an Elixir wrapper for gen_statem here… GenStateMachine — gen_state_machine v3.0.0

Here’s a FBP library: https://github.com/antonmi/flowex

Take a look at this talk about the topic [ElixirConf 2018 - Architecting Flow in Elixir From Leveraging Pipes... - René Föhring]

Elixir Programming Language Forum

Flow based programming in elixir

Questions & Help Questions

sarat1669 May 11, 2019, 8:40pm 23

@zsolt001 I’ve seen your project recently. Thanks for the post.