Elixir plugin

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Elixir plugin

Elixir plugin

This is a plugin that adds support for Elixir to JetBrains IDEs.

The plugin works both in the rich IDEs that allow alternative language SDK selection and small IDEs that are language specific. The rich IDEs work best for IntelliJ Elixir because only in the rich IDEs can have an Elixir SDK set as the Project SDK. In all small IDEs, the native language SDK is always there, which makes anything that uses the SDK, such as running elixir, erl, or mix more complicated both internally and externally in the configuration you have to setup.

IDEs

The plugin is free to use in all JetBrains IDEs. The Cost column in the below table is what JetBrains charges for the IDE itself. IntelliJ Elixir is maintained by @KronicDeth who does not get any of the subscription money. If you want to support the plugin itself, make a donation.

IDE	Rich/Small	Languages	Cost	Trial	License	Source
IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition	Rich	Java	Free	N/A	Apache 2.0	JetBrains/intellij-community
IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate Edition	Rich	Java	Subscription	30-days	Commercial	N/A
AppCode	Small	Objective-C	Subscription	30-days	Commercial	N/A
CLion	Small	C/C++	Subscription	30-days	Commercial	N/A
DataGrip	Small	SQL	Subscription	30-days	Commercial	N/A
Gogland	Small	Go	Free	N/A	Early Access Preview	N/A
PHPStorm	Small	PHP	Subscription	30-days	Commercial	N/A
PyCharm Community Edition	Small	Python	Free	N/A	Apache 2.0	JetBrains/intellij-community subdirectory
PyCharm Professional Edition	Small	Python	Subscription	N/A	Commercial	N/A
Rider	Small	.NET	Subcription	N/A	Commercial	N/A
RubyMine	Small	Ruby	Subscription	30-days (90-day for whole team)	Commercial	N/A
WebStorm	Small	JavaScript	Subscription	30-days	Commercial	N/A

Once you have your IDE of choice installed, you can install this plugin

Features

Feature	Rich	Small	Alternative
Project	Yes	No	1. Open directory 2. Elixir SDK Path in External Elixir Tools
Project Structure	Automatic	Manual
Project Settings	Yes	No
Module Settings	Yes	No
New Elixir File	Yes	Yes
Syntax Highlighting and Semantic Annotation	Yes	Yes
Grammar Parsing	Yes	Yes
Inspections	Yes	Yes
Quick Fixes	Yes	Yes
Code Folding	Yes	Yes
Commenter	Yes	Yes
Debugger	Yes	Yes
Delimiters	Yes	Yes
Building/Compiling	Yes	No	Build/compile as part `mix` run configurations only
Live Templates	Yes	Yes
Run Configurations	Yes	Yes
Completion	Yes	Yes
Decompilation	Yes	Yes
Go To Declaration	Yes	Yes
Formatting	Yes	Yes
Go To Symbol	Yes	Yes
Go To Test	Yes	Yes
Go To Test Subject	Yes	Yes
Find Usage	Yes	Yes
Refactor	Yes	Yes
SDK	Yes	No	Elixir SDK Path in External Elixir Tools
Structure	Yes	Yes

Project

NOTE: This feature only works in Rich IDEs as it depends on an extension point unavailable in Small IDEs. To setup a project in a Small IDE

Open Directory of the project

Setup the Elixir SDK Path in External Elixir Tools

From Existing Sources

Import project from external model

If you've already created a mix project, you can load it as an Elixir project into the plugin.

File > New > Project From Existing Sources...
Select the root directory of your project.
Select "Import project from external model"
Select Mix
Click Next
The "Mix project root" will be filled in with the selected directory.
(Optional) Uncheck "Fetch dependencies with mix" if you don't want to run mix deps.get when importing the project
- If "Fetch dependencies with mix" is checked both mix hex.local --force and mix deps.get will be run.
Ensure the correct "Mix Path" is detected. On Windows, the mix.bat, such as C:\Program Files (x86)\Elixir\bin\mix.bat should be used instead of the mix file without the extension.
Ensure the "Mix Version" is as expected. The number in parentheses should match the Elixir version.
Click Next
All directories with mix.exs files will be selected as "Mix projects to import". To import just the main project and not its dependencies, click Unselect All.
Check the box next to the project root to use only its mix.exs. (It will likely be the first checkbox at the top.)
Click Next
Select a Project SDK directory by clicking Configure.
The plugin will automatically find the newest version of Elixir installed. (NOTE: SDK detection only works for Linux, homebrew installs on OSX, and Windows. Open an issue with information about Elixir install locations on your operating system and package manager to have SDK detection added for it.)
If the automatic detection doesn't find your Elixir SDK or you want to use an older version, manually select select the directory above the bin directory containing elixir, elixirc, iex, and mix. (On Windows it is the directory containing elixir.bat, elixirc.bat, iex.bat, and mix.bat.)
Click Finish after you select SDK name from the Project SDK list.

Create project from existing sources

If you've already created a (non-mix) project, you can load it as an Elixir project into the plugin.

File > New > Project From Existing Sources...
Select the root directory of your project.
Leave the default selection, "Create project from existing sources"
Click Next
Project name will be filled with the basename of the root directory. Customize it if you like.
Project location will be the root directory.
Click Next.
If you previously opened the directory in IntelliJ or another JetBrains IDE, you'll be prompted to overwrite the .idea directory. Click Yes.
You'll be prompted with a list of detected Elixir project roots to add to the project. Each root contains a mix.exs. Uncheck any project roots that you don't want added.
Click Next.
Select a Project SDK directory by clicking Configure.
The plugin will automatically find the newest version of Elixir installed. (NOTE: SDK detection only works for Linux, homebrew installs on OSX, and Windows. Open an issue with information about Elixir install locations on your operating system and package manager to have SDK detection added for it.)
If the automatic detection doesn't find your Elixir SDK or you want to use an older version, manually select select the directory above the bin directory containing elixir, elixirc, iex, and mix.
Click Next after you select SDK name from the Project SDK list.
Click Finish on the framework page. (No framework detection is implemented yet for Elixir.)
Choose whether to open in a New Window or in This Window.

New

If you want to create a basic (non-mix) Elixir project with a lib directory, perform the following steps.

File > New > Project
Select Elixir from the project type menu on the left
Click Next
Select a Project SDK directory by clicking Configure.
Select a Project SDK directory by clicking Configure.
The plugin will automatically find the newest version of Elixir installed.
- macOS / OSX
  - Homebrew (/usr/local/Cellar/elixir)
  - Nix (/nix/store)
- Linux
  - /usr/local/lib/elixir
  - Nix and NixOS (/nix/store)
- Windows
  - 32-bit (C:\Program Files\Elixir)
  - 64-bit (C:\Program Files (x86)\Elixir)
  - (NOTE: SDK detection only works for Open an issue with information about Elixir install locations on your operating system and package manager to have SDK detection added for it.)
If the automatic detection doesn't find your Elixir SDK or you want to use an older version, manually select select the directory above the bin directory containing elixir, elixirc, iex, and mix. If the bin, lib, or src directory is incorrectly selected, it will be corrected to the parent directory.
Click Next after you select SDK name from the Project SDK list.
Change the Project name to the name your want for the project
(Optionally) change the Project location if the directory does not match what you want
(Optionally) expand More Settings to change the Module name, Content root, Module file location, and/or Project format. The defaults derived from the Project name and Project location should work for most projects.
Click Finish
Choose whether to open in a New Window or in This Window.

Project Structure

Excluded
- _build (Output from mix)
- rel (Output from exrm)
Sources
- lib
Test Sources
- test

Project Settings

The Project Settings include

Project Name
Project SDK

Module Settings

Sources

The Module Settings include Marking directories as

Excluded
Sources
Tests

Paths

Module paths list the output directories when compiling code in the module. There is a an "Output path" for dev MIX_ENV and "Test output path" for the test MIX_ENV.

Dependencies

Module dependencies are currently just the SDK and the sources for the module. Dependencies in deps are not automatically detected at this time.

New Elixir File

Right-click a directory (such as lib or test in the standard mix new layout)
Select New > Elixir File.
Enter an Alias for the Module name, such as MyModule or MyNamespace.MyModule.
Select a Kind of Elixir File to use a different template.

Empty module

An underscored file will be created in an underscored directory lib/my_namespace/my_module.ex) with the given module name with be created:

defmodule MyNamespace.MyModule do
  @moduledoc false

end

Elixir Application

An underscored file will be created in an underscored directory lib/my_namespace/my_module.ex) with the given module name with be created. It will have a start/2 function that calls MyNamespace.MyModule.Supervisor.start_link/0.

defmodule MyNamespace.MyModule do
  @moduledoc false

  use Application

  def start(_type, _args) do
    MyNamespace.MyModule.Supervisor.start_link()
  end
end

Elixir Supervisor

An underscored file will be created in an underscored directory lib/my_namespace/my_module.ex) with the given module name with be created. It will have a start_link/1 function that calls Supervisor.start_link/0 and init/1 that sets up the child specs. It assumes a MyWorker child that should be supervised :one_for_one.

defmodule MyNamespace.MyModule.Supervisor do
  @moduledoc false

  use Supervisor

  def start_link(arg) do
    Supervisor.start_link(__MODULE__, arg)
  end

  def init(arg) do
    children = [
      worker(MyWorker, [arg], restart: :temporary)
    ]

    supervise(children, strategy: :one_for_one)
  end
end

Elixir GenServer

An underscored file will be created in an underscored directory lib/my_namespace/my_module.ex) with the given module name with be created. It will have a start_link/2 function that calls GenServer.start_link/3 and the minimal callback implementations for init/1, handle_call/3, and handle_cast/2.

The Elixir use GenServer supplies these callbacks, so this template is for when you want to change the callbacks, but would like the stubs to get started without having to look them up in the documentation.

defmodule MyNamespace.MyModule do
  @moduledoc false

  use GenServer

  def start_link(state, opts) do
    GenServer.start_link(__MODULE__, state, opts)
  end

  def init(_opts) do
    {:ok, %{}}
  end

  def handle_call(_msg, _from, state) do
    {:reply, :ok, state}
  end

  def handle_cast(_msg, state) do
    {:noreply, state}
  end
end

Elixir GenEvent

An underscored file will be created in an underscored directory lib/my_namespace/my_module.ex) with the given module name with be created. The minimal callback implementations for init/1, handle_event/2, and handle_call/2, handle_info/2.

The Elixir use GenEvent supplies these callbacks, so this template is for when you want to change the callbacks, but would like the stubs to get started without having to look them up in the documentation.

defmodule MyNamespace.MyModule do
  @moduledoc false

  use GenEvent

  # Callbacks

  def init(_opts) do
    {:ok, %{}}
  end

  def handle_event(_msg, state) do
    {:ok, state}
  end

  def handle_call(_msg, state) do
    {:ok, :ok, state}
  end

  def handle_info(_msg, state) do
    {:ok, state}
  end
end

Syntax Highlighting and Semantic Annotation

Syntax highlighting of lexer tokens and semantic annotating of parser elements can be customized in in the Color Settings page for Elixir (Preferences > Editor > Color & Fonts > Elixir).

Text Attribute Key Display Name			Tokens/Elements	Scheme
Text Attribute Key Display Name			Tokens/Elements	Default	Darcula
Alias			`String`
Atom			`:one` `<<>>:`
Braces and Operators	Bit		`<<` `>>`
Braces and Operators	Braces		`{` `}`
Braces and Operators	Brackets		`[` `]`
Braces and Operators	Character Token		`?`
Braces and Operators	Comma		`,`
Braces and Operators	Dot		`.`
Braces and Operators	Interpolation		`#{` `}`
Braces and Operators	Maps and Structs	Maps	`%{` `}`
Braces and Operators	Maps and Structs	Maps	`%` `{` `}`
Braces and Operators	Operation Sign		`=` `+` `*` `==` `!` `&&` `\|\|` `\|>` `^`
Braces and Operators	Parentheses		`(` `)`
Braces and Operators	Semicolon		`;`
Calls	Function		`inspect`	*Only the Italic attribute	*Only the Italic attribute
Calls	Macro		`inspect`	*Only the Bold and Italic attributes	*Only the Bold and Italic attributes
Calls	Predefined		`Kernel` functions macros `Kernel.SpecialForms` macros	*Only the Foreground attribute	*Only the Foreground attribute
Comment			`# Numbers`
Keywords			`end`
Module Attributes			`@custom_attr`
Module Attributes	Documentation		`@doc`
Module Attributes	Documentation	Text	`Simple module docstring`
Module Attributes	Types	Callback	`func`
Module Attributes	Types	Specification	`func`
Module Attributes	Types	Type	`parameterized`
Module Attributes	Types	Type Parameter	`type_parameter`
Numbers	Base Prefix	Non-Decimal	`0b` `0x` `0o`
Numbers	Base Prefix	Obsolete Non-Decimal	`0B` `0X`
Numbers	Decimal Exponent, Mark, and Separator		`e` `.` `_`
Numbers	Digits	Invalid	`2` `o` `r` `888`
Numbers	Digits	Valid	`1234` `1A` `beef` `123`
Textual	Character List		`'This is a list'`
Textual	Escape Sequence		`\x{12}`
Textual	Sigil		`~r//` `~R''` `~w()` `~W()`
Textual	String		`"Hello world"`
Variables	Ignored		`_`
Variables	Parameter		`a` `b` </td> <td> <img src="screenshots/preferences/editor/colors_and_fonts/default/Variables/Parameter.png?raw=true"/> </td> <td> <img src="screenshots/preferences/editor/colors_and_fonts/darcula/Variables/Parameter.png?raw=true"/> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Variables</td> <td>Variable</td> <td></td> <td> <code>pid</code> </td> <td> <img src="screenshots/preferences/editor/colors_and_fonts/default/Variables/Variable.png?raw=true"/> </td> <td> <img src="screenshots/preferences/editor/colors_and_fonts/darcula/Variables/Variable.png?raw=true"/> </td> </tr>

External Annotators

In addition to the built-in syntax highlighting and annotations above, various mix tasks will be run to gather annotations from Elixir status analysis tools.

Credo

If credo is not installed as a project dependency, nothing will happen, but if it is installed, mix credo PATH will be called on any files after updates have quieted. Any credo check failures will show up as warning annotations

Individual check failures will show the explanation (from mix credo PATH:LINE(:COLUMN)) if you hover over the annotation

You can hover over the explanation and click the embedded links to jump to the line (and column) where the failure occurred.

Grammar parsing

Built on top of highlighted tokens above, the parser understands the following parts of Elixir grammar as valid or allows the grammar because they contain correctable errors:

Empty Parentheses (())
Keyword Lists
- Keyword Keys - Aliases, identifiers, quotes, or operators when followed immediately by a colon and horizontal or vertical space.
- Keyword Values - Empty parentheses (()) and matched expressions.
Matched Expressions, in other words, unary and binary operations on variable, function, and macro names and values (numbers, strings, char lists, sigils, heredocs, true, false, and nil).
No Parentheses expressions, which are function calls with neither parentheses nor do blocks that have either (1) a positional argument and keyword arguments OR (2) two or more positional arguments with optional keyword arguments.
Anonymous function calls .() with either no arguments; a no parentheses arguments expression as an argument; keywords as an argument; positional argument(s); or positional arguments followed by keywords as arguments.
Remote function calls (Alias.function, :atom.function, etc) and local function calls (function) with...
- No Parentheses with...
  - No Arguments (Alias.function)
  - Keywords (Alias.function key: value)
  - Nested No Parentheses Call (Alias.function Inner.function positional, key: value)
  - Positional and Keyword arguments (Alias.function positional, key: value)
  - Matched Expression (Alias.function 1 + 2)
- Parentheses with...
  - No arguments (Alias.function())
  - No Parentheses Call (Alias.function(Inner.function positional, key: value)
  - Keywords (Alias.function(key: value))
  - Positional and Keyword arguments (Alias.function(positional, key: value))
  - Trailing parentheses for quoting (def unquote(variable)(positional))
Bracket expression (variable[key])
Block expressions (function do end)
Unmatched expressions, in other words combinations of block expressions and matched expressions.

Inspections

Inspections mark sections of code with warnings and errors. They can be customized from the Preferences > Inspections > Elixir.

Ambiguous nested calls

Detects when compiler will throw unexpected comma. Parentheses are required to solve ambiguity in nested calls. Function calls with multiple arguments without parentheses cannot take as arguments functions with multiple arguments without parentheses because which functional gets which arguments is unclear as in the following example:

outer_function first_outer_argument,
               # second argument is another function call without parentheses, but with multiple arguments
               inner_function first_inner_argument,
               ambiguous_keyword_key: ambiguous_keyword_value

To fix the ambiguity if first_inner_keyword_key: first_inner_keyword_value should be associated, add parentheses around the inner function's arguments:

# keywords are for inner function
outer_function first_outer_argument
               inner_function(
                 first_inner_argument
                 ambiguous_keyword_key: ambiguous_keyword_value
               )

# keywords are for outer function
outer_function first_outer_argument
               inner_function(
                 first_inner_argument
               ),
               ambiguous_keyword_key: ambiguous_keyword_value

Preferences > Inspections > Elixir > Ambiguous nested calls

Ambiguous nested call inspection marks the error on the comma that causes the ambiguity.

Mousing over the comma marked as an error in red (or over the red square in the right gutter) will show the inspection describing the error.

Ambiguous parentheses

Detects when compiler will throw unexpected parenthesis. If you are making a function call, do not insert spaces in between the function name and the opening parentheses. Function calls with space between the function name and the parentheses cannot distinguish between function calls with parentheses, but with an accidental space before the ( and function calls without parentheses where the first positional argument is in parentheses.

Empty Parentheses

function ()

To fix the ambiguity remove the space or add outer parentheses without the space if the first argument should be ():

# extra space, no arguments to function
function()

# first argument is `()`
function(())

Keywords in Parentheses

function (key: value)

Keywords inside parentheses is not valid, so the only way to fix this is to remove the space

function(key: value)

Positional arguments in Parentheses

function (first_positional, second_positional)

A list of positional arguments in parenthenses is not valid, so the only way to fix this is to remove the space

function(first_positional, second_positional)

Preferences > Inspections > Elixir > Ambiguous parentheses

Ambiguous parentheses inspection marks the error on the parenthetical group surrounded by the parentheses that are ambiguous due to the preceding space.

Mousing over the parenthetical group marked as an error in red (or over the red square in the right gutter) will show the inspection describing the error.

Keyword pair colon (`:`) used in type spec instead of type operator (`::`)

Type specifications separate the name from the definition using ::.

@type name: definition

Replace the : with ::

@type name :: definition

Keywords appear before the end of list.

one.(
  one,
  two positional, key: value,
  three
)

Keywords can only appear at the end of an argument list, so either surround the no parentheses expression argument with parentheses, or move the the keywords to the end of the list if it wasn't meant to be a no parentheses expression.

one.(
  one
  two(positional, key: value),
  three
)

OR

one.(
  one,
  two,
  three,
  key: value
)

Preferences > Inspections > Elixir > Keywords Not At End

Keywords Not At End inspection marks the error over the keywords that need to be surrounded by parentheses or moved to the end of the list.

Mousing over the keywords marked as an error in red (or over the red square in the right gutter) will show the inspection describing the error.

Match operator (`=`) used in type spec instead of type operator (`::`)

Type specifications separate the name from the definition using ::.

@type name = definition

Replace the = with ::

@type name :: definition

Quick Fixes

Quick Fixes are actions IntelliJ can take to change your code to correct errors (accessed with Alt+Enter by default).

Convert `:` to `::` in type specs

If a type specification uses a single : instead of ::, then hit Alt+Enter on the : to change it to :: and fix the type spec.

Convert `=` to `::` in type specs

If a type specification uses = instead of ::, then hit Alt+Enter on the = to change it to :: and fix the type spec.

Remove space in front of ambiguous parentheses

If a set of parentheses is marked as ambiguous then the space before it can be removed to disambiguate the parentheses with Alt+Enter. (Will vary based on keymap.)

Hitting Alt+Enter on ambiguous parentheses error will bring up the Local Quick Fix, "Remove spaces between function name and parentheses". Hit Enter to accept and remove the space.

Code Folding

You can collapse (fold) pre-defined regions of your Elixir code to make it easier to quickly scroll through files or hide details you don't care about right now.

Controls

Collapsing

Position cursor between lines with with downward facing - arrow and upward facing - arrow.
Cmd+-

Expanding

Position cursor on the collapsed line with the square +
Cmd++

Regions

Expanded	Collapsed	Folded By Default?
`do end`	`do: ...`	No
`->` and right operand	`-> ...`	No
`@doc VALUE`	`@doc "..."`	No
`@moduledoc VALUE`	`@moduledoc "..."`	No
`@typedoc VALUE`	`@typedoc "..."`	No
alias ALIAS1 alias ALIAS1	`alias ...`	Yes
import ALIAS1 import ALIAS2	`import ...`	Yes
require ALIAS1 require ALIAS2	`require ...`	Yes
use ALIAS1 use ALIAS2	`use ALIAS1`	Yes
`@for`	`FOR` in `defimpl PROTOCOL, for: FOR`	Yes
`@protocol`	`PROTOCOL` in `defimpl PROTOCOL, for: FOR`	Yes
@MODULE_ATTRIBUTE	VALUE in `@MODULE_ATTRIBUTE VALUE`	No

Commenter

You can comment or uncomment the current line or selected block of source. By selecting a block of source first you can quickly comment out and entire function if you're trying to track down a compiling or testing error that's not giving a helpful line number.

Using the menus

Highlight one or more lines
Comment (or Uncomment) with one of the following: a. Code > Comment with Line Comment b. On OSX the key binding is normally Cmd+/.

Debugger

IntelliJ Elixir allows for graphical debugging of *.ex files using line breakpoints.

Line breakpoints can added by clicking in the left-hand gutter of an editor tab. A red dot will appear marking the breakpoint. When a Run Configuration is Run with the Debug (bug) instead of Run (arrow) button, execution will stop at the breakpoint and you can view the local variables (with Erlang names) and the stackframes.

Steps

Define a run/debug configuration
Create breakpoints in the *.ex files
Launch a debugging session
During the debugger session, step through the breakpoints, examine suspended program, and explore frames.

Basics

After you have configured a run configuration for your project, you can launch it in debug mode by pressing Ctrl+D.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Keyword Shortcut
Toggle Breakpoint	`Cmd+F8`
Resume Program	`Alt+Cmd+R`
Step Over	`F8`
Step Into	`F7`
View breakpoint details/all breakpoints	`Shift+Cmd+F8`

Environment Variables

Variable	Example	Description
INTELLIJ_ELIXIR_DEBUG_BLACKLIST	iconv,some	Excluding modules from debugger

Notice: If you want non Elixir. module in blacklist, write it with: :. This rule applies only to module atoms.

Breakpoints

When a breakpoint is set, the editor displays a breakpoint icon in the gutter area to the left of the affected source code. A breakpoint icon denotes status of a breakpoint, and provides useful information about its type, location, and action.

The icons serve as convenient shortcuts for managing breakpoints. Clicking an icon removes the breakpoint. Successive use of Alt - click on an icon toggles its state between enabled and disabled. The settings of a breakpoint are shown in a tooltip when a mouse pointer hovers over a breakpoint icon in the gutter area of the editor.

Status	Icon	Description
Enabled		Indicates the debugger will stop at this line when the breakpoint is hit.
Disabled		Indicates that nothing happens when the breakpoint is hit.
Conditionally Disabled		This state is assigned to breakpoints when they depend on another breakpoint to be activated.

When the button is pressed in the toolbar of the Debug tool window, all the breakpoints in a project are muted, and their icons become grey: .

Accessing Breakpoint Properties

Viewing all breakpoints

To view the list of all breakpoints and their properties, do one of the following:

Run > View Breakpoints
Shift+Cmd+F8
Click the
Breakpoints are visible in the Favorites tool window.

Viewing a single breakpoint

To view properties of a single breakpoint

Right-Click a breakpoint icon in the left gutter of the editor.

Configuring Breakpoints

To configure actions, suspend policy and dependencies of a breakpoint

Open the Breakpoint Properties
- Right-click a breakpoint in the left gutter, then click the More link or press Shift+Cmd+F8
- Open the Breakpoints dialog box and select the breakpoint from the list
- In the Favorites tool window, select the desired breakpoint, and click the pencil icon.
Define the actions to be performed by IntelliJ IDEA on hitting breakpoint:
- To notify about the reaching of a breakpoint with a text message in the debugging console, check the "Log message to console" check box. A message of the format *DBG* 'Elixir.IntellijElixir.DebugServer' got cast {breakpoint_reached, PID} will appear in the console.
- To set a breakpoint the current one depends on, select it from the "Disabled until selected breakpoint hit" drop-down list. Once dependency has been set, the current breakpoint is disabled until selected one is hit.
  - Choose the "Disable again" radio button to disable the current breakpoint after selected breakpoint was hit.
  - Choose the "Leave enabled" radio button to keep the current breakpoint enabled after selected breakpoint was hit.
- Enable suspending an application upon reaching a breakpoint by checking the "Suspend" check box.

Creating Line Breakpoints

A line breakpoint is a breakpoint assigned to a specific line in the source code.

Line breakpoints can be set on executable lines. Comments, declarations and empty lines are not valid locations for the line breakpoints.

Place the caret on the desired line of the source code.
Do one of the following:
- Click the left gutter area at a line where you want to toggle a breakpoint
- Run > Toggle Line Breakpoint
- Cmd+F8

Describing Line Breakpoints

Open the Breakpoints dialog
Right-click the breakpoint you want to describe
Select "Edit description" from the context menu
In the "Edit Description" dialog box, type the desired description.

Searching for Line Breakpoints

Open the Breakpoints dialog
Start typing the description of the desired breakpoint

Jump to Breakpoint Source

To view the selected breakpoint without closing the dialog box, use the preview pane.
To open the file with the selected breakpoint for editing, double-click the desired breakpoint.
To close Breakpoints dialog, press Cmd+Down. The caret will be placed at the line marked with the breakpoint in question.

Disabling Line Breakpoints

When you temporarily disable or enable a breakpoint, its icon changes from to and vice versa.

Place the caret at the desired line with a breakpoint.
Do one of the following:
- Run > Toggle Breakpoint Enable
- Right-click the desired breakpoint icon, select or deselect the enabled check box, and then click Done.
- Alt-click the breakpoint icon

Deleting Line Breakpoints

Do one of he following:

In the Breakpoints dialog box, select the desired line breakpoint, and click the red minus sign.
In the editor, locate the line with the line breakpoint to be deleted, and click its icon in the left gutter.
Place caret on the desired line and press Cmd+F8.

Starting the Debugger Session

Select the run/debug configuration to execute
Do one of the following
- Click on the toolbar
- Run > Debug
- Ctrl+D

OR

Debug quick menu

Ctrl+Alt+D
Select the configuration from the pop-up menu
Hit Enter

Examining Suspended Program

Processes

The "Thread" drop-down lists the current processes in the local node. Only the current process is suspended. The rest of the processes are still running.

Frames

The Frames for the current process can be navigated up and down using the arrow keys or clicking on the frame.

Press Up or Down to change frames
Click the frame from the list

Jump to Current Execution Point

When changing frames or jumping to definitions, you can lose track of where the debugger is paused. To get back to the current execution point, do one of the following:

Run > Show Execution Point.
Alt+F10
Click on the stepping toolbar of the Debug tool window.

Variables

While Elixir allows rebinding variable names, Erlang does not, so when viewed in the Variables pane, variables will have an @VERSION after their name indicating which rebinding of a the variable is. Even if there is no variable reuse, the first variable will still have @1 in its name.

Stepping

Action	Shortcut	Description
Show Execution Point	`Alt+F10`	Click this button to highlight the current execution point in the editor and show the corresponding stack frame in the Frames pane.
Step Over	`F8`	Click this button to execute the program until the next line in the current function or file, skipping the function referenced at the current execution point (if any). If the current line is the last one in the function, execution steps to the line executed right after this function.
Step Into	`F7`	Click this button to have the debugger step into the function called at the current execution point.
Step Out	`Shift+F8`	Click this button to have the debugger step out of the current function, to the line executed right after it.

Delimiters

Auto-inserting

The right-delimiter will be automatically inserted when the left delimiter is typed. In some cases, to prevent false positives, the the delimiter is only completed if when used for sigils.

Preceded By	Left	Right
	`do`	`end`
	`fn`	`end`
	`[`	`]`
	`{`	`}`
	`(`	`)`
	`'`	`'`
	`'''`	`'''`
	`"`	`"`
	`"""`	`"""`
	`<<`	`>>`
`~<sigil-name>`	`<`	`>`
`~<sigil-name>`	`/`	`/`
`~<sigil-name>`	`	`

Matching

All delimiters that are auto-inserted are also matched for highlighting

Left	Right
`do`	`end`
`fn`	`end`
`[`	`]`
`{`	`}`
`(`	`)`
`'`	`'`
`'''`	`'''`
`"`	`"`
`"""`	`"""`
`<<`	`>>`
`<`	`>`
`/`	`/`
`	`

Building/Compiling

Settings

Compile project with mix (use mix compile instead of elixirc directly)
Attach docs (don't use --no-docs elixirc flag)
Attach debug info (don't use --no-debug-info elixirc flag)
Ignore module conflict (use --ignore-module-conflict elixirc flag)

Individual File

Have a file selected in Project view with the Project view in focus OR have an Editor tab in focus
Build > Compile 'FILE_NAME'
Build results will be shown
- If compilation is successful, you'll see "Compilation completed successfully" in the Event Log
- If compilation had errors, you'll see "Compilation completed with N errors and M warnings" in the Event Log and the Messages Compile tab will open showing a list of Errors

Project

Build > Make Project
Build results will be shown
- If compilation is successful, you'll see "Compilation completed successfully" in the Event Log
- If compilation had errors, you'll see "Compilation completed with N errors and M warnings" in the Event Log and the Messages Compile tab will open showing a list of Errors

Live Templates

Live Templates are snippets of code that can be inserted quickly and have placeholder locations that the cursor will automatically jump to when using the template. Whenever you start typing, Live Templates will start matching against the shortcuts. A template can be selected with Tab.

Live Templates can be customized in Preferences > Editor > Live Templates > Elixir.

Metasyntactic variables are locations where the cursor will jump to. END is the final location of the cursor.

Shortcut	Code
`@doc`	`@doc """ ONE """ END`
`case`	`case ONE do TWO -> END end`
`cond`	`cond do END end`
`def`	`def NAME do END end`
`def,`	`def NAME, do: END`
`defi`	`defimpl PROTOCOL, for: TYPE do END end`
`defm`	`defmodule ALIAS do END end`
`defmac`	`defmacro MACRO_NAME do END end`
`defmacp`	`defmacrop MACRO_NAME do END end`
`defover`	`defoverridable [NAME: END]`
`defp`	`defp NAME do END end`
`defpro`	`defprotocol PROTOCOL do END end`
`defs`	`defstruct [END]`
`do`	`do END end`
`doc`	`@doc """ ONE """ END`
`fn`	`fn ARGS -> END end`
`for`	`for A <- B do END end`
`if`	`if TRUE do END end`
`ife`	`if TRUE do OK else END end`
`ii`	`IO.inspect(END)`
`mdoc`	`@moduledoc """ ONE """ END`
`rec`	`receive do ONE -> END end`
`test`	`test "TESTDESC" do END end`
`try`	`try do ONE rescue TWO -> END`

Run Configurations

Mix Tasks

Much like rake tasks in Rubymine, this plugin can run mix tasks.

Run > Edit Configurations...
Click +
Select "Elixir Mix"
Fill in the "Program arguments" starting with the name of the mix task followed by any arguments to that task
Fill in the "Working directory"

Type the absolute path to the directory.
Select the path using directory picker by clicking the ... button

(Optionally) click the ... button on the "Environment variables" line to add environment variables.
Click "OK" to save the Run Configuration and close the dialog
Click the Run arrow in the Toolbar to run the mix task
The Run pane will open, showing the results of the mix task.
- If there is an error with a FILE:LINE stack frame, it will be a clickable link that will take you to that location

`mix test`

The mix test task gets a special type of Run Configuration, Elixir Mix ExUnit. Using this Run Configuration type instead, of the basic Elixir Mix Run Configuration will cause the IDE to attach a special formatter to mix test, so that you get the standard graphical tree of Test Results

The Run pane will show Test Results. If there is a compilation error before or during mix test, it will be shown as a test failure. If the compilation failure is in a _test.exs file can it can be inferred from the stacktrace, the compilation error will show up as a test failure in that specific module.

doctest names are rearranged to emphasize the function being tested: "test doc at MODULE.FUNCTION/ARITY (COUNT)" becomes "MODULE.FUNCTION/ARITY doc (COUNT)". If MODULE is the same as the test case without the Test suffix, then MODULE is stripped too and the test name becomes only FUNCTION/ARITY doc (COUNT).

Creating `mix test` Run Configurations Manually

Run > Edit Configurations...
Click +
Select "Elixir Mix ExUnit"
Fill in the "Program arguments" with the argument(s) to pass to mix test. Normally, this will be a directory like test, relative to the "Working directory"
Fill in the "Working directory"

Type the absolute path to the directory.
Select the path using directory picker by clicking the ... button

(Optionally) click the ... button on the "Environment variables" line to add environment variables.
Click "OK" to save the Run Configuration and close the dialog
Click the RUn arrow in the Toolbar to run the mix test task
The Run pane will open showing the Test Results

While you can create Elixir Mix ExUnit run configurations manually using the Run > Edit Configurations... menu, it is probably more convenient to use the context menu.

Creating `mix test` Run Configurations from context

The context menu must know that the the directory, file, or line you are right-clicking is a test. It does this by checking if the current directory or an ancestor is marked as a Test Sources Root.

In the Project pane, ensure your OTP application's test directory is marked as a Test Sources Root
Check if the test directory is green. If it is, it is likely a Test Sources Root. This color may differ in different themes, so to be sure you can check the context menu
Right-click the test directory.
Hover over "Mark Directory As >" * If "Unmark as Test Sources Root" is shown, then the directory is already configured correctly, and create from context will work. * If "Test Sources Root" is shown, then the directory need to be configured by clicking that entry

Creating/Running `mix test` Run Configurations from directory

Right-click the directory in the Project pane
Click "Run Mix ExUnit", which will both create the Run Configuration and Run it.

If you want to only create the Run Configuration, select "Create Mix ExUnit" instead

Alternatively, you can use keyboard shortcuts

Select the directory in the Project pane.
Ctrl+Shift+R will create the Run Configuration and Run it.

Creating/Running `mix test` Run Configurations from file

Right-click the file in the Project pane
Click "Run Mix ExUnit", which will both create the Run Configuration and Run it.

If you want to only create the Run Configuration, select "Create Mix ExUnit" instead

Alternatively, you can use keyboard shortcuts

Select the directory in the Project pane.
Ctrl+Shift+R will create the Run Configuration and Run it.

Finally, you can use the editor tabs

Right-click the editor tab for the test file you want to run
Click "Run Mix ExUnit", which will both create the Run Configuration and Run it.

If you want to only create the Run Configuration, select "Create Mix ExUnit" instead

Creating/Running `mix test` Run Configurations from line

If you want to be able to run a single test, you can create a Run Configuration for a line in that test

Right-click a line in the test file
Click "Run Mix ExUnit", which will both create the Run Configuration and Run it.

If you want to only create the Run Configuration, select "Create Mix ExUnit" instead

Alternatively, you can use keyboard shortcuts

Place the cursor on the line you want to test
Ctrl+Shift+R will create the Run Configuration and Run it.

Completion

Aliases and Modules

When you start typing an Alias, completion will look in three locations:

alias aliased names in the current file
1. Suffix for alias Prefix.Suffix
2. MultipleAliasA or MultipleAliasB for alias Prefix.{MultipleAliasA, MultipleAliasB}
3. As for alias Prefix.Suffix, as: As
Indexed module names (as available from Go To Symbol)
1. Prefix.Suffix from defmodule Prefix.Suffix
2. MyProtocol from defprotocol MyProtocol
3. MyProtocol.MyStruct
  1. defimpl MyProtocol, for: MyStruct
  2. defimpl MyProtocol nested under defmodule MyStruct
Nested modules under aliased names
1. Suffix.Nested for alias Prefix.Suffix where Prefix.Suffix.Nested is an indexed module, implementation or protocol name.
2. MultipleAliasA.Nested for alias Prefix.{MultipleAliasA, MultipleAliasB} where Prefix.MultipleAliasA.Nested alias Prefix.{MultipleAliasA, MultipleAliasB} is an indexed module, implementation or protocol name.
3. As.Nested for alias Prefix.Suffix, as: As where Prefix.Suffix.Nested is an indexed module, implementation, or protocol name.

Aliases inside `{ }`

When you start typing inside { } for alias Prefix.{} or import Prefix.{}, completion will look for nested modules under Prefix and then remove the Prefix., so completion will look like Suffix.

Function and Macro Calls

Completion uses the same presentation as Structure, so you can tell whether the name is function/macro (Time), whether it is public/private (Visibility) and the Module where it is defined. Between the icons and the Modules is the name itself, which is highlighted in bold, the parameters for the call definition follow, so that you can preview the patterns required for the different clauses.

Qualified

Qualified functions and macro calls will complete using those functions and macros defined in the qualifying Module (defmodule), Implementation (defimpl) or Protocol (defprotocol). Completion starts as shown as . is typed after a qualifying Alias.

Unqualified

Function and macro calls that are unqualified are completed from the index of all function and macro definitions, both public and private. (The index contains only those Elixir functions and macro defined in parsable source, such as those in the project or its dependencies. Erlang functions and Elixir functions only in compiled .beam files, such as the standard library will not complete.) Private function and macros are shown, so you can choose them and then make the chosen function or macro public if it is a remote call.

Module Attributes

Module attributes declared earlier in the file can be completed whenever you type @ and some letter. If you want to see all module attributes, you can type @a, wait for the completions to appear, then delete the @ to remove the filtering to a.

Parameters and Variables

Parameter and variable usages can be completed whenever typing an identifier. The completions will include all variables know up from that part of the file. It can include variables from outside macros, like quote blocks.

Decompilation

.beam files, such as those in the Elixir SDK, the Elixir SDK's Internal Erlang SDK, and in your project's build directory will be decompiled to equivalent def and defmacro calls. The bodies will not be decompiled, only the call definition head and placeholder parameters. These decompiled call definition heads are enough to allow Go To Declaration, the Structure pane, and Completion to work with the decompiled .beam files.

.beam files are not detected purely by their file extension: the BEAM file format starts with a magic number, FOR1, that is checked for before decompiling.

Decompression

If the .beam module was compiled with the compressed compiler directive, which in Erlang looks like

-compile([compressed])

and in Elixir looks like

@compile [:compressed]

then the outer file format is GZip (which is detected by checking for the gzip magic number, 1f 8b, at the start of the file) and the .beam will be (stream) decompressed before the .beam header is checked and the chunks decoded.

Special handling of call definition names

Functions and macros can have names that aren't valid identifier names, so the decompiler has special handlers to detect these invalid identifiers and escape them to make decompiled code that is parsable as valid Elixir.

Handler	Name/Arity	Decompiled	Reason
Infix Operator	`!=/2`	`left != right`	Infix operators are defined in infix position
	`!==/2`	`left !== right`
	`&&/2`	`left && right`
	`&&&/2`	`left &&& right`
	`*/2`	`left * right`
	`=+/2`	`left + right`
	`=++/2`	`left ++ right`
	`-/2`	`left - right`
	`--/2`	`left -- right`
	`->/2`	`left -> right`
	`../2`	`left .. right`
	`//2`	`left / right`
	`::/2`	`left :: right`
	`</2`	`left < right`
	`<-/2`	`left <- right`
	`<<</2`	`left <<< right`
	`<<~/2`	`left <<~ right`
	`<=/2`	`left <= right`
	`<>/2`	`left <> right`
	`<\|>/2`	`left <\|> right`
	`<~/2`	`left <~ right`
	`<~>/2`	`left <~> right`
	`=/2`	`left = right`
	`==/2`	`left == right`
	`===/2`	`left === right`
	`=>/2`	`left => right`
	`=~/2`	`left =~ right`
	`>/2`	`left > right`
	`>=/2`	`left >= right`
	`>>>/2`	`left >>> right`
	`\\/2`	`left \\\\ right`
	`^/2`	`left ^ right`
	`^^^/2`	`left ^^^ right`
	`and/2`	`left and right`
	`in/2`	`left in right`
	`or/2`	`left or right`
	`\|>/2`	`left \|> right`
	`\|\|/2`	`left \|\| right`
	`\|\|\|/2`	`left \|\|\| right`
	`~=/2`	`left ~= right`
	`~>/2`	`left ~> right`
	`~>>/2`	`left ~>> right`
Prefix Operator	`+/1`	`(+value)`	To prevent precedence errors, unary prefix operators, which also have binary infix operators of the same name need to be defined inside parentheses
Prefix Operator	`-/1`	`(-value)`
Unquoted	`%/2`	`unquote(:%)(p0, p1)`	Special forms need to defined as atom passed to unquote, as special forms are handled before macros defining the calls are applied
	`%{}/1`	`unquote(:%{})(p0)`
	`&/1`	`unquote(:&)(p0)`
	`./2`	`unquote(:.)(p0, p1)`
	`<<>>/1`	`unquote(:<<>>)(p0)`
	`do/n`	`unquote(:do)(p0, ...)`	Keywords need to be escaped
	`fn/1`	`unquote(:fn)(p0)`	Special forms need to defined as atom passed to unquote, as special forms are handled before macros defining the calls are applied
	`unquote/1`	`unquote(:unquote)(p0)`
	`unquote_splicing/1`	`unquote(:unquote_splicing)(p0)`
	`{}/n`	`unquote(:{})(p0, ...)`
	`Capitalized/n`	`unquote(:Capitalized)(p0, ...)`	Part of the Corba libraries in OTP have functions starting with a capital letter, which would be parsed as an Alias in Elixir if not unquoted.
	`#text#/1`	`unquote(:"#text#")(p0)`	Part of the XML libraries in OTP have functions that start with or contain `#`, which would parse as a comment in Elixir if not unquoted in a double quoted atom.
Default	`name/n`	`name(p0, ...)`	If no specialized handler is required, functions and macros are defined normally with pN for each parameter in the Nth position

Go To Declaration

Go To Declaration is a feature of JetBrains IDEs that allows you to jump from the usage of a symbol, such as a Module Alias, to its declaration, such as the defmodule call.

Alias

Place the cursor over an Alias with an aliased name setup by alias
1. Suffix if alias Prefix.Suffix called
2. MultipleAliasA if alias Prefix.{MultipleAliasA, MultipleAliasB} called
3. As if alias Prefix.Suffix, as: As
Activate the Go To Declaration action with one of the following:
1. Cmd+B
2. Select Navigate > Declaration from the menu.
3. Cmd+Click
A Go To Declaration lookup menu will appear, allowing you to jump either the alias that setup the aliased name or jumping directly to defmodule of the unaliased name. Select which declaration you want
1. Use arrow keys to select and hit Enter
2. Click

Function or Macro

You'll know if function or macro usage is resolved and Go To Declaration will work if the call is annotated, which in the default themes will show up as italics.

Imported Functions or Macros

Place the cursor over name of the function or macro call.
Activate the Go to Declaration action with one of the following:
1. Cmd+B
2. Select Navigate > Declaration from the menu.
3. Cmd+Click
A Go To Declaration lookup menu will appear, allowing you to jump to either the import that imported the function or macro or jumping directly to the function or macro definition clause. Select which declaration you want.
1. Use arrow keys to select and hit Enter
2. Click

Local Functions or Macros

Place the cursor over name of the function or macro call.
Activate the Go to Declaration action with one of the following:
1. Cmd+B
2. Select Navigate > Declaration from the menu.
3. Cmd+Click
Whether a lookup a Go To Declaration lookup menu appears depends on the number of clauses in the function or macro definition:
1. If there is only one clause in the function or macro definition, you'll jump immediately to that clause
2. If there is more than one clause in the function or macro definition, a Go To Declaration lookup menu will appear, allowing you to jump to either the import that imported the function or macro or jumping directly to the function or macro definition clause. Select which declaration you want.
  1. Use arrow keys to select and hit Enter
  2. Click

Remote Functions or Macros

Place the cursor over name of the function or macro call that is qualified by an Alias.
Activate the Go to Declaration action with one of the following:
1. Cmd+B
2. Select Navigate > Declaration from the menu.
3. Cmd+Click
1. If there is only one clause in the function or macro definition, you'll jump immediately to that clause
2. If there is more than one clause in the function or macro definition, a Go To Declaration lookup menu will appear, allowing you to jump to either the import that imported the function or macro or jumping directly to the function or macro definition clause. Select which declaration you want.
  1. Use arrow keys to select and hit Enter
  2. Click

Module

Place the cursor over a fully-qualified Alias
1. A.B in A.B.func()
2. A.B in alias A.B
3. B in alias A.{B, C}
Activate the Go To Declaration action with one of the following:
1. Cmd+B
2. Select Navigate > Declaration from the menu.
3. Cmd+Click

If you hold Cmd and hover over the Alias before clicking, the target declaration will be shown.

Module Attribute

Place the cursor over a @module_attribute
Activate the Go To Declaration action with one of the following:
1. Cmd+B
2. Select Navigate > Declaration from the menu.
3. Cmd+Click

If you hold Cmd and hover over the @module_attribute before clicking, the target declaration will be shown.

Parameters and Variables

Place the cursor over a parameter or variable usage
Active the Go To Declaration action with one of the following:
1. Cmd+B
2. Select Navigate > Declaration from the menu.
3. Cmd+Click

If you hold Cmd and hover over the variable before clicking, it will say parameter or variable, which matches the annotation color.

Formatting

IntelliJ Elixir can reformat code to follow a consistent style.

do block lines are indented
do blocks end as the last argument of a no parentheses call unindents to the start of the call
If one clause of a multi-clause anonymous function wraps, all clauses wrap.
Indent after else
Indent map and struct keys
All keys wrap if any key wraps
No spaces around...
- .
Spaces around...
- and
- in
- or
- when
Configure spaces around...
- =
- <- and \\
- !=, ==, =~, !==, and ===
- <, <=, >=, and >
- + and -
- * and /
- Unary +, -, !, ^, and ~~~
- ->
- ::
- |
- || and |||
- && and &&&
- <~, |>, ~>, <<<, <<~, <|>, <~>, >>>, and ~>>
- ..
- ^^^
- ++, --, .., <>
- =>
Configure spaces before...
- ,
No space after...
- @
Spaces after...
- not
- fn
- after
- catch
- rescue
- key:
Configure space after...
- &
- ,
Configure spaces within...
- { }
- << >>
- [ ]
- ( )
No space around / in &NAME/ARITY and &QUALIFIER.NAME/ARITY
when wraps when its right operand wraps, so that guards start with when on a newline when they are too long.
Align |> at start of indented line for pipelines
Align end with start of call instead of start of line for do blocks in pipelines
Indent list elements when wrapped
Indent tuple elements when wrapped
Align type definition to right of ::
Align guard to right of when when guards span multiple lines
Align two operator (++, --, .., <>) operands, so that <> binaries are multiple lines align their starts instead of using continuation indent and being indented relative to first operand.
Align pipe | operands, so that alternates in types and specs are aligned instead of continuation indented relative to the first operand.
Comments in spec (that is above operands to | align with the operands
Remove newlines from pipelines, so that all pipelines start with an initial value or call and each |> is the start of a successive line.
Key exclusivity: if an association operation or keyword key is already on a line, the container value automatically has it's elements wrapped if there is nested associations or keyword pairs, so that two levels of keys are not on the same line.
Indent bit string (<< >>) elements when wrapped

File

Other File

All lines in a file can be reformatted.

Using context menu:

Open the Project pane
Right-click the file
Select Reformat Code
Set the desired options in the Reformat Code dialog
Click OK

Using keyboard shortcuts:

Open the Project pane
Select the file
Alt+Cmd+L
Set the desired options in the Reformat Code dialog
Click OK

Current File

All the lines in the current editor tab file can be reformatted with the current settings.

Code > Reformat
Alt+Cmd+L
- Alt+Shift+Cmd+L to get the Reformat Code dialog.

Selection

A subset of a file can be reformatted.

Highlight the selection
Use the Reformat Code action
- Code > Reformat Code
- Alt+Shift+Cmd+L

Go To Symbol

Go To Symbol is a way to search for any of the following by name:

Call definition clauses (def, defp, defmacro, and defmacrop)
Callbacks (@callback and @macrocallback)
Call definition specifications (@spec)
Call definition heads (foo(bar)) for delegation (defdelegate foo(bar), to: BAZ)
Implementations (defimpl)
Protocols (defprotocol)

You can bring up Go To Symbol with the keyboard shortcut (⌥⌘O on OSX) or using the menus (Navigate > Symbol...).

Go To Test

Go to Test allows you to jump from the a Source Module to its corresponding Test Module

Have the cursor in the body of a Module
Active the Go To Test action with one of the following:
1. Shift+Cmd+T
2. Select Navigate &gt Test from the menu.

Go To Test Subject

Go to Test Subject allows you to jump from the a Test Module to its corresponding Source Module

Have the cursor in the body of a Test Module
Active the Go To Test Subject action with one of the following:
1. Shift+Cmd+T
2. Select Navigate &gt Test Subject from the menu.

Find Usage

Find Usage is a feature of JetBrains IDEs that allows you to find all the places a declared symbol, such a Module Alias in a defmodule, is used, including in strings and comments.

Module

Place cursor over an defmodule Alias.
Activate the Find Usage action with one of the following: a. i. Right-click the Alias ii. Select "Find Usages" from the context menu b. Select Edit > Find > Find Usages from the menu c. Alt+F7

Module Attribute

Place cursor over the @module_attribute part of the declaration @module_attribute value.
Activate the Find Usage action with one of the following: 1. 1. Right-click the module attribute 2. Select "Find Usages" from the context menu 2. Select Edit > Find > Find Usages from the menu 3. Alt+F7

Parameters and Variables

Place cursor over the parameter or variable declaration.
Active the Find Usage action with one of the following: 1. 1. Right-click the Alias 2. Select "Find Usages" from the context menu 2. Select Edit > Find > Find Usages from the menu 3. Alt+F7

Refactor

Rename

Module Attribute

Place the cursor over the @module_attribute usage or declaration.
Active the Rename Refactoring action with one of the following: 1. 1. Right-click the module attribute 2. Select Refactoring from the context menu 3. Select "Rename..." from the Refactoring submenu 2. Shift+F6
Edit the name inline and have the declaration and usages update.

Parameters and Variables

Place the cursor over the parameter or variable usage or declaration
Active the Rename Refactoring action with one of the following: 1. 1. Right-click the module attribute 2. Select Refactoring from the context menu 3. Select "Rename..." from the Refactoring submenu 2. Shift+F6
Edit the name inline and have the declaration and usages update.

SDK

NOTE: These instructions only apply to Rich IDEs, for a Small IDE use Elixir SDK Path

Because Elixir is built on top of Erlang, Elixir command line commands don't have OS native binaries, instead the OS native binaries from Erlang are used. In order to reliably find the Erlang OS native binaries, like erl and erl.exe, the path to BOTH the Erlang SDK and the Elixir SDK must be configured. This allows you to install Erlang and Elixir with completely different package managers too: you can install Erlang with kerl and Elixir with kiex and you don't have to worry about IntelliJ not seeing the environment variables set by kerl when launching IntelliJ from an application launchers instead of a terminal.

Since JetBrains' OpenAPI only supports one SDK per Project or Module, to support Elixir and Erlang SDK at the same time, the Elixir SDK keeps track of an Internal Erlang SDK. When setting up your first Elixir SDK, you will be prompted to create an Erlang SDK (if you have the intellij-erlang plugin installed) or and Erlang for Elixir SDK (if you don't have intellij-erlang installed and you need to use the minimal Erlang for Elixir SDK supplied by this plugin).

With the Elixir SDK setup with an Internal Erlang SDK, you can see the Elixir SDK name and the home path, but unlike other SDKs, there's a dropdown for changing the Internal Erlang SDK.

You'll notice there is a mix of two different parent paths in Class Paths:

Those from the Elixir SDK Home Directory, which are the lib/APP/ebin for the APPs that ships with Elixir: eex, elixir, ex_unit, iex, logger, and mix.
Those from the Internal Erlang SDK Home Directory, which are the lib/APP-VERSION/ebin for the APPs that ship with OTP.

The Class Paths are combined from the two SDKs because OpenAPI doesn't allow to dynamically delegate to the Internal Erlang SDK when checking for Class Paths to scan for completion and running. If you change the Internal Erlang SDK in the dropdown, the Class Paths will be updated to remove the old Internal Erlang SDK Class Paths and add the new Internal Erlang SDK Class Paths.

These Class Paths are not just for code completion and search anymore, all paths listed as passed with -pa flag to erl or erl.exe when running mix, so that you can mix different versions of OTP applications shipped with different version of OTP, so you can take advantage of the independently updatable OTP apps in the release notes for OTP.

Default SDK

The default SDK for new projects can we set from the Configure menu on Welcome Screen
Hover over "Project Defaults" to see its submenu
Select "Project Structure" from the submenu
IntelliJ will start out with no default SDK. To make the default SDK, an Elixir SDK, Click New
Select "Elixir SDK"
You'll get "Cannot Create SDK" message because there are no Erlang SDKs for the Elixir SDK to use as an Internal Erlang SDK. Click OK to create the Erlang SDK first.
You'll be actually prompted to Select Home Directory for the Erlang SDK
- If you have the intellij-erlang plugin installed, you'll create an Erlang SDK from it.
  
  NOTE: Erlang SDK's default Home Directory favors the oldest version of Erlang installed. You probably want the newest version. To manually select the Home Directory, it is the directory that contains the bin, erts-VERSION, and lib subdirectories. For Homebrew, the path looks like /usr/local/Cellar/erlang/VERSION/lib/erlang. It is important to select the lib/erlang directory and not the VERSION directory for intellij-erlang to accept it as a Home Directory.
- If you don't have intellij-erlang installed, then you'll create and Erlang for Elixir SDK, which is supplied by this plugin.
With an Erlang SDK available to use as the Internal Erlang SDK, you'll be prompted for the Home Directory for the Elixir SDK.

Elixir External Tools

Rich IDEs

In a Rich IDE, like IntelliJ IDEA, only the path to mix is configured as an external tool. This mix path is only used when creating new projects, so when opening a pre-existing project with Import project from external model, this doesn't even need to be set.

Small IDEs

Elixir SDK Path

NOTE: To setup the SDK in a Rich IDE use Import project from external model or SDK

In a Small IDE, like Rubymine, the Project SDK is always a Ruby SDK, so to support a pseudo-Elixir-SDK in a Small IDE, the Elixir SDK Path can be set.

Open Preferences > Other Settings > Elixir External Tools
Set the Elixir SDK Path

Paste the path to an Elixir SDK
Click the ... to select the directory

The pattern for the Elixir SDK Path varies based on the OS and package manager you used to install Elixir

OS	Package Manager	Elixir SDK Path
OSX/macOS	Homebrew	`/usr/local/Cellar/elixir/VERSION`
OSX/macOS/Linux	Nix	`/nix/store/HASH-elixir-VERSION`
Windows 32-bit	Erlang Solutions	`C:\Program Files\Elixir`
Windows 64-bit	Erlang Solutions	`C:\Program Files (x86)\Elixir`
Linux	Default	`/usr/local/lib/elixir`

Structure

You can view the structure of the currently open editor tab using the Structure tool window.

Viewing Structure

View > Tool Windows > Structure
Click the Structure Button (normally in the left tool buttons)
1. If you can't see the Tool Buttons, they can be enabled with View > Tool Buttons
Cmd+7

Buttons

The buttons in the Structure tool are broken into 4 categories:

Sorters
Providers
Expanders
Autoscrollers

Sorters

Icon	Tooltip	Description
	Sort by Time	When the defined callable is usable: Compile time Both or None Runtime Macros are compile time while functions are runtime.
	Sort by Visibility	Whether the element visible outside its defining module: Public Private
	Sort Alphabetically	Sort by name

NOTE: When any combination of sorters is turned on, they are sorted from left to right (as shown in the button bar), so with all 3 sorters on, the elements are first grouped by Time, then inside each Time group, they are sorted by Visibility, then in each Visibility group, they are sorted by name.

Providers

The providers add nodes not in the text of the file, but that will appear in the compiled Module.

Icon	Tooltip	Description
	Show Used	In Modules that `use ` or `use , arg`, the elements from the last `quote` block in the `__using__/1` for `` are injected.

Expanders

The expanders expand or collapse all the elements in the Structure tool window.

Icon	Tooltip	Description
	Expand All	Expand All Elements in the Structure tool window
	Collapse All	Collapse All Elements in the Structure tool window

Autoscrollers

The autoscrollers link together the editor tab's location and the Structure tool windows selected element.

Icon	Tooltip	Description
	Autoscroll to Source	Clicking an element in the Structure tool window will scroll the editor window to the location of the corresponding source.
	Autoscroll from Source	When moving the cursor in the editor window, the selected element in the Structure tool window will change to the corresponding element.

Elements

Icons

Time

The Time icons indicate whether the element is usable at compile time or runtime.

Icon	Tooltip	Description
	Compile Time	The element is used or checked at compile time and (may) not even be accessible at run time, such as macros.
	Runtime	The element is usable at runtime, such as a function.

Visibility

The Visibility icons indicated whether the element is usable outside its defining Module.

Icon	Tooltip	Description
	Public	Public elements are accessible outside their defining Module.
	Private	Private elements are only accessible in their defining Module. The macros that define private elements usually end in `p`.

Call to Element

Call	Icons							Text	Description
Call	Macro Type	Time	Visibility	Function	Module Local	Overridable	Override	Text	Description
`def`								`NAME`/`ARITY`	Groups together `def` with the same name and arity.
`def`								`NAME`[`(`][`ARGUMENTS`][`)`][when `...`]	The function head for function clause, including the name, arguments, and `when` if present
`defdelegate`								defdelegate append_first: false`\|`true, to: `ALIAS\|ATOM`	Groups together all the delegated functions for a single `defdelegate` call.
`defdelegate func(arg), to: ALIAS`								`NAME`/`ARITY`	Groups together implied `def` and any explicit `@spec` for the given function head (`func(arg)`)
`defdelegate func(arg), to: ALIAS`								`func(arg)`	The function head implied by the `defdelegate` list of function heads.
`defexception`								`RELATIVE_ALIAS`	The exception has the same name as the parent Module, but will display with only the relative name (the last Alias without a `.`) with its location as the qualifying Alias.
`defexception`								%`RELATIVE_ALIAS`{}	Exceptions are defined as structs, so any `defexception also defines a struct with the same name.`
`defexception list_or_keywords`								`NAME`: `DEFAULT_VALUE`	The fields and default values (or `nil` if a list is used instead of a keyword list) for the struct as passed in the first argument to `defexception`.
`defimpl PROTOCOL, for: MODULE`								`MODULE` (`PROTOCOL`)	`defimpl` defines a protocol implementation that defines a Module that concatenates the `PROTOCOL` name and the `MODULE` name. If no `:for` is given, then the outer Module is used.
`defmacro`								`NAME`/`ARITY`	Groups together `defmacro` with the same name and arity.
`defmacro`								`NAME`[`(`][`ARGUMENTS`][`)`][when `...`]	The macro head for macro clause, including the name, arguments, and `when` if present
`defmacrop`								`NAME`/`ARITY`	Groups together `defmacrop` with the same name and arity.
`defmacrop`								`NAME`[`(`][`ARGUMENTS`][`)`][when `...`]	The macro head for macro clause, including the name, arguments, and `when` if present
`defmacro` AND `defmacrop`								`NAME`/`ARITY`	Groups together `defmacro` AND `defmacrop` with the same name and arity. This will be a compile error, but is represented with Unknown for the Visibility until corrected.
`defmodule ALIAS`								`RELATIVE_ALIAS` (`QUALIFIER`)	Top-level Modules show only the `ALIAS` with no location, while qualified Aliases or nested Modules show the `RELATIVE_ALIAS` and the `QUALIFIER` as the location.
`defoverridable`									Mark previously declared functions as overridable. Overridable functions are listed as children of this element.
`defoverridable NAME: ARITY, ...`								`NAME`/`ARITY`	The `NAME` and `ARITY` of the function that is overridable. Matches the icon and text for `def`, but with the addition of Overridable
`defp`								`NAME`/`ARITY`	Groups together `def` with the same name and arity.
`defp`								`NAME`[`(`][`ARGUMENTS`][`)`][when `...`]	The function head for function clause, including the name, arguments, and `when` if present
`def` AND `defp`								`NAME`/`ARITY`	Groups together `def` AND `defp` with the same name and arity. This will be a compile error, but is represented with Unknown for the Visibility until corrected.
`defprotocol PROTOCOL`								`PROTOCOL`	The `protocol` name. Functions required by the protocol are children of this element.
`defstruct`								%`RELATIVE_ALIAS`{}	Structs have the same `RELATIVE_ALIAS as their parent Module.`
`defstruct NAME: DEFAULT_VALUE, ...`								`NAME`: `DEFAULT_VALUE`	The fields and default values (or `nil` if a list is used instead of a keyword list) for the struct.

Viewing Embedded Elixir Templates

There is currently no direct support for Embedded Elixir (*.eex) templates.

However, because the Elixir syntax is so similar to Ruby, you can use the Ruby language support for RHTML/ERB to get some syntax highlighting support in *.eex views.

Note that this involves disabling some of the support for Ruby, but if you don't write Ruby, or if you write it in a different IDE (e.g. RubyMine), it won't matter.

Here's the steps in Preferences (for OSX, other platforms may differ):

Install the standard Jetbrains Ruby plugin
Editor -> File Types -> RHTML: Add "*.eex" as type
Editor -> Inspections -> Ruby -> Unresolved Ruby Reference: Uncheck
Editor -> Inspections -> Ruby -> Double Quoted String: Uncheck

Some non-Ruby syntax (e.g. -> or do) will still show as an error, and of course none of the native Elixir support works, but most things will highlight reasonably well. Unfortunately it's not possible to disable all error highlighting, but you can vote for this issue to try and get that fixed (click the "thumbs up" next to "Voters").

You can disable the errors on a per-file basis, though, with the following steps:

Open the *.eex file which is showing a Ruby syntax error inspection
From the menu pick Analyze -> Configure Current File Analysis
Move the "ruby" Highlighting Level slider to "None"

Installation

Inside IDE using JetBrains repository

Preferences
Plugins
Browse Repositories
Select Elixir
Install plugin
Apply
Restart the IDE

Inside IDE using Github releases

In browser

Go to releases.
Download the lastest zip.

In IDE

Preferences
Plugins
Install plugin from disk...
Select the downloaded zip.
Apply
Restart the IDE.

Screenshots

Error reporting

If the plugin encounters an error, there is a custom error handler registered, so you can open a pre-populated issue in your browser.

Click the red error notification in bottom right corner of the IDE window.
Fill in a description of what you were doing when the error occurred.
Click "Open Issue against https://github.com/KronicDeth/intellij-elixir"
The IDE will open your browser to https://github.com/KronicDeth/intellij-elixir/issues/new
The title will be filled as [auto-generated], but if you can summarize the issue, change the title.
If the "Fatal IDE Errors" dialog has Attachments, copy their contents to the Attachments section of the issue body.
Review for IP disclosures. This will be public, so use your best judgement of how much of your code to post in the issue.
Click the "Preview" tab to ensure the Markdown formatting looks correct.
Click "Submit new issue".

Donations

If you would like to make a donation you can use Paypal:

If you'd like to use a different donation mechanism (such as Patreon), please open an issue.

Donors

I'd like to thank those who have donated to help support this project.

Adrian Philipp (@adri)
Artem Hordynskyi
Bjorgvin Reynisson
Garrett Hart (@https://github.com/thirdshift)
Gerard de Brieder (@smeevil) of govannon.nl
Jeremy Jackson (@jejacks0n)
Josh Taylor (@joshuataylor)
Maximilian Buschner
Nguyen Le
Percy Grunwald (@pgrunwald)
Purelogic Apps
Raúl Vázquez González (@rvazquezglez)
Robin Hillard (@robinhillard) of rocketboots.com
Ryan Scheel (@Havvy)
Tynes Consulting
William De Melo Gueiros (@williamgueiros)
Yicheng Dong
TreasureData
Denis Andrejew (@seeekr)
Vanja Radovanović (@elvanja)
Bartłomiej Kuczyński (@Koziolek)
Szymon Jeż (@szymon-jez)
Klemen Sever (@achedeuzot)
Christian Nelson (@christiannelson)
César Salazar Hernández (@cesarslzr)
Milan Köpke

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 2,984 Commits
gen/org/elixir_lang		gen/org/elixir_lang
gradle/wrapper		gradle/wrapper
jps-builder		jps-builder
jps-shared		jps-shared
resources		resources
screenshots		screenshots
src/org/elixir_lang		src/org/elixir_lang
testData/org/elixir_lang		testData/org/elixir_lang
tests		tests
.gitignore		.gitignore
.travis.yml		.travis.yml
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md		CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
COLOR_SCHEME_DESIGN.md		COLOR_SCHEME_DESIGN.md
CONTRIBUTING.md		CONTRIBUTING.md
LICENSE.md		LICENSE.md
Makefile		Makefile
README.md		README.md
RELEASING.md		RELEASING.md
UPGRADING.md		UPGRADING.md
base.txt		base.txt
build.gradle		build.gradle
gradle.properties		gradle.properties
gradlew		gradlew
gradlew.bat		gradlew.bat
settings.gradle		settings.gradle

License

bryanhuntesl-lowpriv/intellij-elixir

Folders and files

Latest commit

History

Repository files navigation

Elixir plugin

IDEs

Features

Project

From Existing Sources

Import project from external model

Create project from existing sources

New

Project Structure

Project Settings

Module Settings

Sources

Paths

Dependencies

New Elixir File

Empty module

Elixir Application

Elixir Supervisor

Elixir GenServer

Elixir GenEvent

Syntax Highlighting and Semantic Annotation

External Annotators

Credo

Grammar parsing

Inspections

Ambiguous nested calls

Ambiguous parentheses

Empty Parentheses

Keywords in Parentheses

Positional arguments in Parentheses

Keyword pair colon (:) used in type spec instead of type operator (::)

Keywords appear before the end of list.

Match operator (=) used in type spec instead of type operator (::)

Quick Fixes

Convert : to :: in type specs

Convert = to :: in type specs

Remove space in front of ambiguous parentheses

Code Folding

Controls

Collapsing

Expanding

Regions

Commenter

Debugger

Steps

Basics

Keyboard Shortcuts

Environment Variables

Breakpoints

Accessing Breakpoint Properties

Viewing all breakpoints

Viewing a single breakpoint

Configuring Breakpoints

Creating Line Breakpoints

Describing Line Breakpoints

Searching for Line Breakpoints

Jump to Breakpoint Source

Disabling Line Breakpoints

Deleting Line Breakpoints

Starting the Debugger Session

Examining Suspended Program

Processes

Frames

Jump to Current Execution Point

Variables

Stepping

Delimiters

Auto-inserting

Matching

Building/Compiling

Settings

Individual File

Project

Live Templates

Keyword pair colon (`:`) used in type spec instead of type operator (`::`)

Match operator (`=`) used in type spec instead of type operator (`::`)

Convert `:` to `::` in type specs

Convert `=` to `::` in type specs

`mix test`

Creating `mix test` Run Configurations Manually

Creating `mix test` Run Configurations from context

Creating/Running `mix test` Run Configurations from directory

Creating/Running `mix test` Run Configurations from file

Creating/Running `mix test` Run Configurations from line

Aliases inside `{ }`