A library that helps you to organize your Elixir code in more domain-driven way. Exop provides macros which helps you to encapsulate business logic and offers you additionally: incoming params validation (with predefined contract), params coercion, policy check, fallback behavior, operations chaining and more.

Interested in property-based testing? Check out new Exop family member - ExopData. If you use Exop to organize your code with ExopData you can get property generators in the most easiest way.

The new ExopPlug library provides a convenient way to validate incoming parameters of your Phoenix application's controllers by offering you small but useful DSL.

Here is the CHANGELOG that was started from ver. 0.4.1 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

• Installation
• Operation definition
  • Parameter checks
    • type
    • required
    • default
    • numericality
    • equals
    • in
    • not_in
    • format
    • length
    • inner
    • struct
    • list_item
    • func
    • allow_nil
    • from
    • subset_of
  • Defined params
  • Interrupt
  • Coercion
  • Policy check
  • Fallback module
  • Callback module
• Operation invocation
• Operation results
• Operations chain
  • Additional parameters
  • Descriptive errors
  • Conditional operations
  • Incoming parameters coercion

def deps do
  [{:exop, "~> 1.4"}]
end

defmodule IntegersDivision do
  use Exop.Operation

  parameter :a, type: :integer, default: 1
  parameter :b, type: :integer, required: false,
                numericality: %{greater_than: 0}

  def process(params) do
    result = params[:a] / params[:b]
    IO.inspect "The division result is: #{result}"
  end
end

Exop.Operation provides parameter macro, which is responsible for the contract definition. Its spec is @spec parameter(atom | String.t, Keyword.t) :: none, we define parameter name as the first argument and parameter options as the second Keyword argument.

A parameter name could be either an atom or a string. You could even mix atom-named and string-named parameters in an operation's contract.

Parameter options determine a contract of a parameter, a set of parameters contracts is an operation contract.

Business logic of an operation is defined in process/1 function, which is required by the Exop.Operation module behaviour.

After the contract and business logic were defined, you can invoke the operation simply by calling run/1 function:

iex> IntegersDivision.run(a: 50, b: 5)
{:ok, "The division result is: 10"}

Return type will be either {:ok, any()} (where the second item in the tuple is process/1 function's result) or {:error, {:validation, map()}} (where the map() is validation errors map).

for more information see Operation results section

A parameter options could have various checks. Here the list of available checks:

• type
• required
• default
• numericality
• equals (exactly)
• in
• not_in
• format (regex)
• length
• inner
• struct
• list_item
• func
• allow_nil
• from
• subset_of

Checks whether a parameter's value is of declared type.

parameter :some_param, type: :map

Exop handle almost all Elixir types and some additional:

• :boolean
• :integer
• :float
• :string
• :tuple
• :map
• :keyword
• :list
• :atom
• :module
• :function
• :uuid

Unknown type always generates ArgumentError exception on compile time.

module 'type' means Exop expects a parameter's value to be an atom (a module name) and this module should be already loaded (ready to call it's functions)

uuid is not actually a "type" but I placed this under :type check because there is no reason to have dedicated :uuid check.

Checks the presence/absence of a parameter in passed to run/1 params collection. Given parameters collection fails the validation only if required parameter is missed, if required parameter's value is nil this parameter will pass this check.

parameter :param_a                   # the same as required: true, required by default
parameter :param_b, required: false  # this parameter is not required

By default, a parameter is required (since version 1.2.0, required: true). If you want to specify a parameter is not required, provide required: false. Why? Because you might find that you repetitively type required: true for almost every parameter in a contract. I think if you provide a parameter to an operation (define it in a contract) you expect to get it. Cases, when you need a parameter passed into an operation (and don't really care whether it is present or not), are pretty rare.

Since version 1.1.0 the behavior of this check has been changed. Check out CHANGELOG for more info.

Checks the presence of a parameter in passed to run/1 params collection, and if the parameter is missed - assign default value to it.

parameter :some_param, default: "default value"

# default value can be also a 1-arity function output
parameter :a, type: :integer, default: &__MODULE__.default_a/1
parameter :b, type: :integer

# this function takes params given to `run/1`
def default_a(params), do: params.b + 1

#iex> YourOperation.run(b: 1)
#iex> %{a: 2, b: 1}

Checks whether a parameter's value is a number and other numeric constraints. All possible constraints are listed in the example below.

parameter :some_param, numericality: %{equal_to: 10, # (aliases: `equals`, `is`, `eq`)
                                       greater_than: 0, # (alias: `gt`)
                                       greater_than_or_equal_to: 10 # (aliases: `min`, `gte`),
                                       less_than: 20, # (alias: `lt`)
                                       less_than_or_equal_to: 10 # (aliases: `max`, `lte`)}

(alias: exactly)

Checks whether a parameter's value exactly equals given value (with type equality).

parameter :some_param, equals: 100.5
parameter :some_param, exactly: 100.5

Checks whether a parameter's value is within a given list.

parameter :some_param, in: ~w(a b c)

Checks whether a parameter's value is not within a given list.

parameter :some_param, not_in: ~w(a b c)

(alias: regex)

Checks wether parameter's value matches given regex.

parameter :some_param, format: ~r/foo/
parameter :some_param, regex: ~r/foo/

Checks the length of a parameter's value. The value should be one of handled types:

• list (items count)
• string (chars count)
• atom (treated as string)
• map (key-value pairs count)
• tuple (items count)

length check is complex as numericality (should define map of inner checks). All possible checks are listed in the example below.

parameter :some_param, length: %{gte: 5, gt: 4, min: 5, lte: 10, lt: 9, max: 10, is: 7, in: 5..8}

Checks the inner of either Map or Keyword parameter. It applies checks described in inner map to related inner items.

# some_param = %{a: 3, b: "inner_b_attr"}

parameter :some_param, type: :map, inner: %{
  a: [type: :integer],
  b: [type: :string, length: %{min: 1, max: 6}]
}

# you can omit `type` and `inner` checks keywords in order to check inner of your parameter,
# when `type` hasn't been specified explicitly, both keyword and map types pass the `type` validation
parameter :some_param, %{
  a: [type: :integer],
  b: [type: :string, length: %{min: 1, max: 6}]
}

And, of course, all checks on a parent parameter (:some_param in the example) are still applied.

Checks whether the given parameter is expected structure.

parameter :some_param, struct: %SomeStruct{}
# or
parameter :some_param, struct: SomeStruct

Checks whether each of list items conforms defined checks. An item's checks could be any that Exop offers:

# list_param = ["1234567", "7chars"]

# you can omit `type` check while you're passing a list to an operation
parameter :list_param, list_item: %{type: :string, length: %{min: 7}}

Even more complex like inner:

# list_param = [
#   %TestStruct{a: 3, b: "6chars"},
#   %TestStruct{a: nil, b: "7charss"}
# ]

parameter :list_param, list_item: %{inner: %{
                                              a: %{type: :integer},
                                              b: %{type: :string, length: %{min: 7}}
                                            }}

Moreover, coerce_with and default options are available too.

Checks whether an item is valid over custom validation function.

A validation is treated as failed if callback function returns one of results:

• {:error, _your_error_message_or_payload}
• :error
• false

Everything else is treaded as successful validation result.

If the validation function returns either false or :error, the default message "not valid" is used in your operation's validation results.

The validation function receives two arguments:

• a tuple with a validating parameter's name and value
• a map of all parameters given to an operation

Those arguments allow you to make a parameter validations which depend on other parameters and their values.

parameter :some_param, func: &__MODULE__.your_validation/2

@spec your_validation({atom() | String.t(), any()}, map()) :: any()
def your_validation({param_name, param_value}, all_received_params_map) do
  # your validation logic based on given arguments is here
end

it is possible to combine :func check with others (though not preferable), just make sure this check is the last check in the list

It is a parameter attribute which allow you to have other checks for a parameter whilst have a possibility to pass nil as the parameter's value. If allow_nil: true and nil is passed as a parameter value all the parameter's checks are ignored during validation.

defmodule YourOperation do
  use Exop.Operation

  parameter :a, type: :integer, allow_nil: true
  parameter :b, type: :integer, allow_nil: false

  def process(params), do: params
end

{:ok, %{a: 1, b: 1}} = YourOperation.run(a: 1, b: 1)
{:ok, %{a: nil, b: 1}} = YourOperation.run(a: nil, b: 1)
{:error, {:validation, %{b: ["doesn't allow nil"]}}} = YourOperation.run(a: nil, b: nil)

By default (if you omit allow_nil), a parameter is treated as allow_nil: false

This option allows you to pass a parameter to run/1 and run!/1 functions with one name and work with this parameter within an operation under another name.

defmodule YourOperation do
  use Exop.Operation

  parameter :a, type: :integer, from: "a"
  parameter :b, type: :string, from: :bB

  def process(params), do: params
end

# now you can invoke YourOperation with such params:
#   Youroperation.run(%{"a" => 1, b: "1"})
#   Youroperation.run(%{a: 1, bB: "1"})
#   Youroperation.run(%{"a" => 1, bB: "1"})
# and get:
#   {:ok, %{a: 1, b: "1"}}

The same works for parameters given as a Keyword as well (in this case :from value should be an atom):

defmodule YourOperation do
  use Exop.Operation

  parameter :a, type: :integer, from: :aA
  parameter :b, type: :string, from: :bB

  def process(params), do: params
end

# Youroperation.run(a: 1, b: "1")
# Youroperation.run(aA: 1, bB: "1")
# {:ok, %{a: 1, b: "1"}}

Why? Simply because sometimes you're not in control of incoming parameters but don't want to map them each time you need to use'em by yourself (good example: params in Phoenix controller's action, which come as a map with string keys).

This option doesn't work for :inner check's inner parameters currently.

Checks whether a parameter's value (list) is a subset of a defined check-list. To pass this check, all items within given into an operation parameter should be included into check-list, otherwise the check is failed.

parameter :some_param, subset_of: [1, 2, :a, "b", C]

# {:ok, _} = MyOperation.run(some_param: [1, :a, C])
# {:ok, _} = MyOperation.run(some_param: [:a])
# {:error, _} = MyOperation.run(some_param: [])
# {:error, _} = MyOperation.run(some_param: [3, :a, C])

In some cases you might want to make an 'early return' from process/1 function. For this purpose you can call interrupt/1 function within process/1 and pass an interruption reason to it. An operation will be interrupted and return {:interrupt, your_reason}

# ...
def process(_params) do
  interrupt(%{fail: "oops"})
  :ok # will not return it
end
# ...

SomeOperation.run(a: 1) # {:interrupt, %{fail: "oops"}}

run!/1 invocation doesn't affect interruption result: {:interrupt, _your_result} tuple will be returned anyway as expected and handled result.

It is possible to coerce a parameter before the contract validation, all validation checks will be invoked on coerced parameter value. Since coercion changes a parameter before any validation has been invoked, default values are resolved (with :default option) before the coercion. The flow looks like: Resolve param default value -> Coerce -> Validate coerced

If coercion function returns an error tuple it will be treated as validation failure: an operation's invokation stops and that error tuple will be returned as a result.

:coerce_with accepts 2-arity function. This function takes a tuple {coerced_param_name, coerced_param_value} as the first argument and a map with all the parameters that have been passed to either run/1 or run!/1 function as the second argument.

parameter :a, type: :integer
parameter :b, type: :string, coerce_with: &__MODULE__.to_string/2
parameter :c, type: :string, coerce_with: &__MODULE__.to_string/2

def to_string({_, value}, %{a: _, b: _, c: _} = _received_params) when is_integer(value) do
  Integer.to_string(c_value)
end

def to_string({_, value}, _received_params) when is_binary(c_value) do
  value
end

def to_string({:c, c_value}, _received_params) do
  # special coercion for :c parameter here
end

Why it is so? Because there are cases when you can use the same coercion function for multiple params and/or coerce a parameter depending on another's value and need to have all this information.

It is possible to define a policy that will be used for authorizing the possibility to invoke an operation. So far, there is a simple policy implementation and usage.

Just define a module with a bunch of functions, each takes a single argument (any type) and returns true/false (authorization result) or any term (which will be represented as authorization error reason.

  defmodule MonthlyReportPolicy do
    def can_read?(%{user_role: "admin"}), do: true
    def can_read?("admin"), do: true
    def can_read?(%User{role: "manager"}), do: true
    def can_read?(:manager), do: true
    def can_read?(_opts), do: false

    def can_write?(%{user_role: "admin"}), do: true
    def can_write?(%{user_role: "manager"}), do: false
    def can_write?(_), do: [:your, "reason"] # (the result error will be: {:error, {:auth, [:your, "reason"]}})
  end

In this policy two actions (checks) defined (can_read?/1 & can_write?/1). Every action expects an argument for a check. It's up to you how to handle this argument and turn it into the actual check.

• next step - link an operation and a policy

  defmodule ReadOperation do
    use Exop.Operation

    policy MonthlyReportPolicy, :can_read?

    parameter :user, struct: User

    def process(%{user: %User{} = user}) do
      # make some reading...
    end
  end

• finally - call authorize/1 within process/1

  defmodule ReadOperation do
    use Exop.Operation

    policy MonthlyReportPolicy, :can_read?

    parameter :user, struct: User

    def process(params) do
      authorize(params.user)

      # make some reading...
    end
  end

Please, note: if authorization fails, any code after (below) auth check will be postponed (an error {:error, {:auth, _policy_action_name}} will be returned immediately as an operation result)

If you'd like to handle various operations fails with a certain logic (for example log it into Graylog) you can use Exop.Fallback.

Define a fallback module:

  defmodule FallbackModule do
    use Exop.Fallback

    def process(operation, params, error) do
      # your error handling code here
      :some_fallback_result
    end
  end

here you need to define and implement process/3 function which takes following params:

• failed operation module
• params that were passed into the operation
• an error result which was returned by the operation

Use your fallback in operations like this:

defmodule SomeOperation do
  use Exop.Operation

  fallback FallbackModule, return: true

  parameter :a, type: :integer
  parameter :b, type: :integer

  def process(%{a: a, b: b}), do: a + b
end

The results of the operation executions:

# SomeOperation will fail
iex> SomeOperation.run(a: 1, b: "2")
:some_fallback_result

# SomeOperation will be successful
iex> SomeOperation.run(a: 1, b: 2)
{:ok, 3}

During a fallback definition you can add return: true option so in the example case SomeOperation.run/1 will return the result of the fallback (FallbackModule.process/3 function's result - :some_fallback_result). If you want SomeOperation.run/1 to return original result ({:error, {:validation, %{a: ["has wrong type"]}}}) specify return: false option or just omit it in a fallback definition.

If you'd like to handle a side effect successful operation (for example brodcast results to Phoenix.PubSub) you can use Exop.Callback.

Define a callback module:

  defmodule CallbackModule do
    use Exop.Callback

    def process(operation, params, result, opts) do
      Phoenix.PubSub.broadcast(MyApp.PubSub, :topic, result)
    end
  end

here you need to define and implement process/4 function which takes following params:

• operation module
• params that were passed into the operation
• an successful result which was returned by the operation
• opts keyword list for additional metadata

Use your callback in operations like this:

defmodule SomeOperation do
  use Exop.Operation

  callback CallbackModule

  parameter :a, type: :integer
  parameter :b, type: :integer

  def process(%{a: a, b: b}), do: a + b
end

You can use opts keyword list to add needed metadata to your call like this:

  defmodule CallbackModule do
    use Exop.Callback

    def process(operation, params, result, opts) do
      Phoenix.PubSub.broadcast(MyApp.PubSub, opts[:topic], result)
    end
  end

and then use the callback like this

defmodule SomeOperation do
  use Exop.Operation

  callback CallbackModule, topic: :some_topic

  parameter :a, type: :integer
  parameter :b, type: :integer

  def process(%{a: a, b: b}), do: a + b
end

As said earlier, operations in most cases called by run/1 function. This function receives parameters collection. It's not required to pass to run/1 function parameters only described in the operation's contract, but only described parameters will be validated and gived to process/1 function, all other will be filtered out from the process.

filtering out parameters which are not defined in a contract is here to support the whole idea of defining the right operation's contract and take care of what you really need for a certain business process / function

run/1 function validates received parameters over the contract and if all parameters passed the validation, the run/1 function calls the code defined in process/1 function.

iex> SomeOperation.run(param1: 1, param2: "2")
_some_result_

If at least one of the given parameters didn't pass the validation process/1 function's code will not be invoked and corresponding warning in the application's log will appear.

There is "bang" version of run/1 exists. Function run!/1 does the same things that its sibling does, the only difference is a result of invocation, it might be:

• if a contract validation passed - the actual result of an operation (result of a code, described in process/1)
• if a contract validation failed - an error Exop.Validation.ValidationError is raised
• if an operation returns an error tuple - an error Exop.Operation.ErrorResult is raised
• in case of manual interruption - {:interrupt, _reason}

You always can bypass the validation simply by calling process/1 function itself, if needed.

If received parameters passed a contract validation, a code defined in process/1 will be invoked. Or you will receive @type validation_error :: {:error, :validation_failed, map()} as a result otherwise. map() as errors reasons might look like this:

%{param1: ["has wrong type"], param2: ["is required", "must be equal to 3"]}

An operation can return one of results listed below (depends on passed in params and operation definition):

• an operation was completed successfully:
  • {:error, _your_error_reason_} (if an :error-tuple (any length, but :error atom should be the first element) was returned by process/1 function)
  • {:ok, any()} (otherwise, even if {:ok, _your_result_} tuple was returned by process/1 function)
• a contract validation failed: {:error, {:validation, map()}}
• if interrupt/1 was invoked: {:interrupt, any()}
• policy check failed:
  • {:error, {:auth, :undefined_policy}}
  • {:error, {:auth, :undefined_action}}
  • {:error, {:auth, atom()}}

For the "bang" version of run/1 see results description above.

Sometimes you need to aggregate/group 'atom' operations into a single one operation responsible for some complex business process/logic. You have a few approaches to do it (with for example) but mb you'll find Exop.Chain more handy.

Exop.Chain provides a simple way to organize a number of Exop.Operation modules into an invocation chain.

defmodule CreateUser do
  use Exop.Chain

  alias Operations.{User, Backoffice, Notifications}

  operation User.Create
  operation Backoffice.SaveStats
  operation Notifications.SendEmail

  # or you can use step alias:
  #   step User.Create
  #   step Backoffice.SaveStats
  #   step Notifications.SendEmail
end

This is how invoke this chain:

iex> CreateUser.run(name: "User Name", age: 37, gender: "m")

Exop.Chain defines run/1 function under the hood (like common operations do) that accepts keyword(), map() or struct() as params. Those params will be passed into the first operation in the chain. Bear in mind that each of chained operations (except the first one) awaits a returned result of a previous operation as incoming params.

So in the example above CreateUser.run(name: "User Name", age: 37, gender: "m") will invoke the chain by passing [name: "User Name", age: 37, gender: "m"] params to the first User.Create operation. The result of User.Create operation will be passed to Backoffice.SaveStats operation as its params and so on.

Once any of operations in the chain returns non-ok-tuple result (error result, interruption, auth error etc.) the chain execution interrupts and error result returned (as the chain (CreateUser) result).

You can pass additional parameters to any operation in a chain (with either an exact value or 0-arity function):

defmodule CreateUser do
  use Exop.Chain

  alias Operations.{User, Backoffice, Notifications}

  operation User.Create
  operation Backoffice.SaveStats, logger: MyFancyLoggerModule
  # or
  operation Backoffice.SaveStats, logger: &__MODULE__.logger/0
  operation Notifications.SendEmail

  def logger, do: MyFancyLoggerModule
end

use Exop.Chain can take :name_in_error option, when it is set to true a failed operation in a chain returns the operation's module name as the first elements of output tuple {YourOperation, {:error, _}}

defmodule YourChain do
  use Exop.Chain, name_in_error: true

  operation Operation1
  operation Operation2Fail
  operation Operation3
end

iex> YourChain.run(a: "1", b: 2)
{Operation2Fail, {:error, {:validation, %{a: ["has wrong type"]}}}}

name_in_error: true doesn't affect operations with a fallback defined (unmodified fallback result is returned).

It is possible to define an invokation condition for an operation in a chain. Meaning if the condition is truthy - the operation will be invoked.

The condition can be defined with if: your_func/1 option given to an operation.

defmodule YourChain do
  use Exop.Chain

  # operation/step - they are synonims in the context of Exop.Chain
  operation Operation1
  operation MultiplyByHundred, if: &__MODULE__.is_it_good_to_go?/1
  operation DivisionByTen

  def is_it_good_to_go?(previous_operation_output) do
    # here your condition logic which should return a boolean
  end
end

A condition function receives a single argument - the previous operation's output (the second element of {:ok, _} tuple, not the tuple itself), turned into map (if the output is Keyword list) so it is easier to pattern-match.

An operation is invoked if a condition function returns true, otherwise the operation won't be invoked.

And of course a chain invokation interrupts if the previous operation's result wasn't successful (is not {:ok, _} tuple). The previous operation's result is not changed in this case.

If for some reason you need to change incoming parameters (which are the previous operation result) for your operation(-s) in the chain you can do it with :coerce_with option. This option is provided for a particular operation (step) and refers to a 1-arity callback function. This single argument is a map of incoming parameters (the previous operation result). It is converted into a map even if the previous operation returns a keyword list.

defmodule YourChain do
  use Exop.Chain

  operation Sum
  operation MultiplyByHundred, coerce_with: &__MODULE__.coerce/1
  operation DivisionByTen

  def coerce(%{a: a} = params), do: %{params | a: a * 10}
end

The coercion works right before any validation/invokation (how it is with the regular operation). It means that first of all the previous operation's result is coerced and then everything else happens based on those coerced parameters.

Coercion works well with other options like additional parameters and conditional invocation.

Here is the order of an operation handling in a chain:

1. incoming parameters coercion
2. additional parameters are added
3. invocation condition is checked

Copyright © 2016 - 2020 Andrey Chernykh ( andrei.chernykh@gmail.com )

This work is free. You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
terms of the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more details.