defmodule Application do @moduledoc """ A module for working with applications and defining application callbacks. Applications are the idiomatic way to package software in Erlang/OTP. To get the idea, they are similar to the "library" concept common in other programming languages, but with some additional characteristics. An application is a component implementing some specific functionality, with a standardized directory structure, configuration, and life cycle. Applications are *loaded*, *started*, and *stopped*. Each application also has its own environment, which provides a unified API for configuring each application. Developers typically interact with the application environment and its callback module. Therefore those will be the topics we will cover first before jumping into details about the application resource file and life-cycle. ## The application environment Each application has its own environment. The environment is a keyword list that maps atoms to terms. Note that this environment is unrelated to the operating system environment. By default, the environment of an application is an empty list. In a Mix project's `mix.exs` file, you can set the `:env` key in `application/0`: def application do [env: [db_host: "localhost"]] end Now, in your application, you can read this environment by using functions such as `fetch_env!/2` and friends: defmodule MyApp.DBClient do def start_link() do SomeLib.DBClient.start_link(host: db_host()) end defp db_host do Application.fetch_env!(:my_app, :db_host) end end In Mix projects, the environment of the application and its dependencies can be overridden via the `config/config.exs` and `config/runtime.exs` files. The former is loaded at build-time, before your code compiles, and the latter at runtime, just before your app starts. For example, someone using your application can override its `:db_host` environment variable as follows: import Config config :my_app, :db_host, "db.local" See the "Configuration" section in the `Mix` module for more information. You can also change the application environment dynamically by using functions such as `put_env/3` and `delete_env/2`. > #### Environment in libraries {: .tip} > > The config files `config/config.exs` and `config/runtime.exs` > are rarely used by libraries. Libraries typically define their environment > in the `application/0` function of their `mix.exs`. Configuration files > are rather used by applications to configure their libraries. > #### Reading the environment of other applications {: .warning} > > Each application is responsible for its own environment. Do not > use the functions in this module for directly accessing or modifying > the environment of other applications. Whenever you change the application > environment, Elixir's build tool will only recompile the files that > belong to that application. So if you read the application environment > of another application, there is a chance you will be depending on > outdated configuration, as your file won't be recompiled as it changes. ## Compile-time environment In the previous example, we read the application environment at runtime: defmodule MyApp.DBClient do def start_link() do SomeLib.DBClient.start_link(host: db_host()) end defp db_host do Application.fetch_env!(:my_app, :db_host) end end In other words, the environment key `:db_host` for application `:my_app` will only be read when `MyApp.DBClient` effectively starts. While reading the application environment at runtime is the preferred approach, in some rare occasions you may want to use the application environment to configure the compilation of a certain project. However, if you try to access `Application.fetch_env!/2` outside of a function: defmodule MyApp.DBClient do @db_host Application.fetch_env!(:my_app, :db_host) def start_link() do SomeLib.DBClient.start_link(host: @db_host) end end You might see warnings and errors: warning: Application.fetch_env!/2 is discouraged in the module body, use Application.compile_env/3 instead iex:3: MyApp.DBClient ** (ArgumentError) could not fetch application environment :db_host for application :my_app because the application was not loaded nor configured This happens because, when defining modules, the application environment is not yet available. Luckily, the warning tells us how to solve this issue, by using `Application.compile_env/3` instead: defmodule MyApp.DBClient do @db_host Application.compile_env(:my_app, :db_host, "db.local") def start_link() do SomeLib.DBClient.start_link(host: @db_host) end end The difference here is that `compile_env` expects the default value to be given as an argument, instead of using the `def application` function of your `mix.exs`. Furthermore, by using `compile_env/3`, tools like Mix will store the values used during compilation and compare the compilation values with the runtime values whenever your system starts, raising an error in case they differ. In any case, compile-time environments should be avoided. Whenever possible, reading the application environment at runtime should be the first choice. ## The application callback module Applications can be loaded, started, and stopped. Generally, build tools like Mix take care of starting an application and all of its dependencies for you, but you can also do it manually by calling: {:ok, _} = Application.ensure_all_started(:some_app) When an application starts, developers may configure a callback module that executes custom code. Developers use this callback to start the application supervision tree. The first step to do so is to add a `:mod` key to the `application/0` definition in your `mix.exs` file. It expects a tuple, with the application callback module and start argument (commonly an empty list): def application do [mod: {MyApp, []}] end The `MyApp` module given to `:mod` needs to implement the `Application` behaviour. This can be done by putting `use Application` in that module and implementing the `c:start/2` callback, for example: defmodule MyApp do use Application def start(_type, _args) do children = [] Supervisor.start_link(children, strategy: :one_for_one) end end The `c:start/2` callback has to spawn and link a supervisor and return `{:ok, pid}` or `{:ok, pid, state}`, where `pid` is the PID of the supervisor, and `state` is an optional application state. `args` is the second element of the tuple given to the `:mod` option. The `type` argument passed to `c:start/2` is usually `:normal` unless in a distributed setup where application takeovers and failovers are configured. Distributed applications are beyond the scope of this documentation. When an application is shutting down, its `c:stop/1` callback is called after the supervision tree has been stopped by the runtime. This callback allows the application to do any final cleanup. The argument is the state returned by `c:start/2`, if it did, or `[]` otherwise. The return value of `c:stop/1` is ignored. By using `Application`, modules get a default implementation of `c:stop/1` that ignores its argument and returns `:ok`, but it can be overridden. Application callback modules may also implement the optional callback `c:prep_stop/1`. If present, `c:prep_stop/1` is invoked before the supervision tree is terminated. Its argument is the state returned by `c:start/2`, if it did, or `[]` otherwise, and its return value is passed to `c:stop/1`. ## The application resource file In the sections above, we have configured an application in the `application/0` section of the `mix.exs` file. Ultimately, Mix will use this configuration to create an [*application resource file*](https://www.erlang.org/doc/man/application.html), which is a file called `APP_NAME.app`. For example, the application resource file of the OTP application `ex_unit` is called `ex_unit.app`. You can learn more about the generation of application resource files in the documentation of `Mix.Tasks.Compile.App`, available as well by running `mix help compile.app`. ## The application life cycle ### Loading applications Applications are *loaded*, which means that the runtime finds and processes their resource files: Application.load(:ex_unit) #=> :ok When an application is loaded, the environment specified in its resource file is merged with any overrides from config files. Loading an application *does not* load its modules. In practice, you rarely load applications by hand because that is part of the start process, explained next. ### Starting applications Applications are also *started*: Application.start(:ex_unit) #=> :ok Once your application is compiled, running your system is a matter of starting your current application and its dependencies. Differently from other languages, Elixir does not have a `main` procedure that is responsible for starting your system. Instead, you start one or more applications, each with their own initialization and termination logic. When an application is started, the `Application.load/1` is automatically invoked if it hasn't been done yet. Then, it checks if the dependencies listed in the `applications` key of the resource file are already started. Having at least one dependency not started is an error condition. Functions like `ensure_all_started/1` takes care of starting an application and all of its dependencies for you. If the application does not have a callback module configured, starting is done at this point. Otherwise, its `c:start/2` callback is invoked. The PID of the top-level supervisor returned by this function is stored by the runtime for later use, and the returned application state is saved too, if any. ### Stopping applications Started applications are, finally, *stopped*: Application.stop(:ex_unit) #=> :ok Stopping an application without a callback module is defined, but except for some system tracing, it is in practice a no-op. Stopping an application with a callback module has three steps: 1. If present, invoke the optional callback `c:prep_stop/1`. 2. Terminate the top-level supervisor. 3. Invoke the required callback `c:stop/1`. The arguments passed to the callbacks are related to the state optionally returned by `c:start/2`, and are documented in the section about the callback module above. It is important to highlight that step 2 is a blocking one. Termination of a supervisor triggers a recursive chain of children terminations, therefore orderly shutting down all descendant processes. The `c:stop/1` callback is invoked only after termination of the whole supervision tree. Shutting down a live system cleanly can be done by calling `System.stop/1`. It will shut down every application in the opposite order they had been started. By default, a SIGTERM from the operating system will automatically translate to `System.stop/0`. You can also have more explicit control over operating system signals via the `:os.set_signal/2` function. ## Tooling The Mix build tool automates most of the application management tasks. For example, `mix test` automatically starts your application dependencies and your application itself before your test runs. `mix run --no-halt` boots your current project and can be used to start a long running system. See `mix help run`. Developers can also use `mix release` to build **releases**. Releases are able to package all of your source code as well as the Erlang VM into a single directory. Releases also give you explicit control over how each application is started and in which order. They also provide a more streamlined mechanism for starting and stopping systems, debugging, logging, as well as system monitoring. Finally, Elixir provides tools such as escripts and archives, which are different mechanisms for packaging your application. Those are typically used when tools must be shared between developers and not as deployment options. See `mix help archive.build` and `mix help escript.build` for more detail. ## Further information For further details on applications please check the documentation of the [`:application` Erlang module](`:application`), and the [Applications](https://www.erlang.org/doc/design_principles/applications.html) section of the [OTP Design Principles User's Guide](https://www.erlang.org/doc/design_principles/users_guide.html). """ @doc """ Called when an application is started. This function is called when an application is started using `Application.start/2` (and functions on top of that, such as `Application.ensure_started/2`). This function should start the top-level process of the application (which should be the top supervisor of the application's supervision tree if the application follows the OTP design principles around supervision). `start_type` defines how the application is started: * `:normal` - used if the startup is a normal startup or if the application is distributed and is started on the current node because of a failover from another node and the application specification key `:start_phases` is `:undefined`. * `{:takeover, node}` - used if the application is distributed and is started on the current node because of a failover on the node `node`. * `{:failover, node}` - used if the application is distributed and is started on the current node because of a failover on node `node`, and the application specification key `:start_phases` is not `:undefined`. `start_args` are the arguments passed to the application in the `:mod` specification key (for example, `mod: {MyApp, [:my_args]}`). This function should either return `{:ok, pid}` or `{:ok, pid, state}` if startup is successful. `pid` should be the PID of the top supervisor. `state` can be an arbitrary term, and if omitted will default to `[]`; if the application is later stopped, `state` is passed to the `stop/1` callback (see the documentation for the `c:stop/1` callback for more information). `use Application` provides no default implementation for the `start/2` callback. """ @callback start(start_type, start_args :: term) :: {:ok, pid} | {:ok, pid, state} | {:error, reason :: term} @doc """ Called before stopping the application. This function is called before the top-level supervisor is terminated. It receives the state returned by `c:start/2`, if it did, or `[]` otherwise. The return value is later passed to `c:stop/1`. """ @callback prep_stop(state) :: state @doc """ Called after an application has been stopped. This function is called after an application has been stopped, i.e., after its supervision tree has been stopped. It should do the opposite of what the `c:start/2` callback did, and should perform any necessary cleanup. The return value of this callback is ignored. `state` is the state returned by `c:start/2`, if it did, or `[]` otherwise. If the optional callback `c:prep_stop/1` is present, `state` is its return value instead. `use Application` defines a default implementation of this function which does nothing and just returns `:ok`. """ @callback stop(state) :: term @doc """ Starts an application in synchronous phases. This function is called after `start/2` finishes but before `Application.start/2` returns. It will be called once for every start phase defined in the application's (and any included applications') specification, in the order they are listed in. """ @callback start_phase(phase :: term, start_type, phase_args :: term) :: :ok | {:error, reason :: term} @doc """ Callback invoked after code upgrade, if the application environment has changed. `changed` is a keyword list of keys and their changed values in the application environment. `new` is a keyword list with all new keys and their values. `removed` is a list with all removed keys. """ @callback config_change(changed, new, removed) :: :ok when changed: keyword, new: keyword, removed: [atom] @optional_callbacks start_phase: 3, prep_stop: 1, config_change: 3 @doc false defmacro __using__(_) do quote location: :keep do @behaviour Application @doc false def stop(_state) do :ok end defoverridable Application end end @application_keys [ :description, :id, :vsn, :modules, :maxP, :maxT, :registered, :included_applications, :optional_applications, :applications, :mod, :start_phases ] application_key_specs = Enum.reduce(@application_keys, &{:|, [], [&1, &2]}) @type app :: atom @type key :: atom @type application_key :: unquote(application_key_specs) @type value :: term @type state :: term @type start_type :: :normal | {:takeover, node} | {:failover, node} @type restart_type :: :permanent | :transient | :temporary @doc """ Returns the spec for `app`. The following keys are returned: * #{Enum.map_join(@application_keys, "\n * ", &"`#{inspect(&1)}`")} Note the environment is not returned as it can be accessed via `fetch_env/2`. Returns `nil` if the application is not loaded. """ @spec spec(app) :: [{application_key, value}] | nil def spec(app) when is_atom(app) do case :application.get_all_key(app) do {:ok, info} -> :lists.keydelete(:env, 1, info) :undefined -> nil end end @doc """ Returns the value for `key` in `app`'s specification. See `spec/1` for the supported keys. If the given specification parameter does not exist, this function will raise. Returns `nil` if the application is not loaded. """ @spec spec(app, application_key) :: value | nil def spec(app, key) when is_atom(app) and key in @application_keys do case :application.get_key(app, key) do {:ok, value} -> value :undefined -> nil end end @doc """ Gets the application for the given module. The application is located by analyzing the spec of all loaded applications. Returns `nil` if the module is not listed in any application spec. """ @spec get_application(atom) :: atom | nil def get_application(module) when is_atom(module) do case :application.get_application(module) do {:ok, app} -> app :undefined -> nil end end @doc """ Returns all key-value pairs for `app`. """ @spec get_all_env(app) :: [{key, value}] def get_all_env(app) when is_atom(app) do :application.get_all_env(app) end @doc """ Reads the application environment at compilation time. Similar to `get_env/3`, except it must be used to read values at compile time. This allows Elixir to track when configuration values change between compile time and runtime. The first argument is the application name. The second argument `key_or_path` is either an atom key or a path to traverse in search of the configuration, starting with an atom key. For example, imagine the following configuration: config :my_app, :key, [foo: [bar: :baz]] We can access it during compile time as: Application.compile_env(:my_app, :key) #=> [foo: [bar: :baz]] Application.compile_env(:my_app, [:key, :foo]) #=> [bar: :baz] Application.compile_env(:my_app, [:key, :foo, :bar]) #=> :baz A default value can also be given as third argument. If any of the keys in the path along the way is missing, the default value is used: Application.compile_env(:my_app, [:unknown, :foo, :bar], :default) #=> :default Application.compile_env(:my_app, [:key, :unknown, :bar], :default) #=> :default Application.compile_env(:my_app, [:key, :foo, :unknown], :default) #=> :default Giving a path is useful to let Elixir know that only certain paths in a large configuration are compile time dependent. """ @doc since: "1.10.0" @spec compile_env(app, key | list, value) :: value defmacro compile_env(app, key_or_path, default \\ nil) do if __CALLER__.function do raise "Application.compile_env/3 cannot be called inside functions, only in the module body" end key_or_path = Macro.expand_literals(key_or_path, %{__CALLER__ | function: {:__info__, 1}}) quote do Application.compile_env(__ENV__, unquote(app), unquote(key_or_path), unquote(default)) end end @doc """ Reads the application environment at compilation time from a macro. Typically, developers will use `compile_env/3`. This function must only be invoked from macros which aim to read the compilation environment dynamically. It expects a `Macro.Env` as first argument, where the `Macro.Env` is typically the `__CALLER__` in a macro. It raises if `Macro.Env` comes from a function. """ @doc since: "1.14.0" @spec compile_env(Macro.Env.t(), app, key | list, value) :: value def compile_env(%Macro.Env{} = env, app, key_or_path, default) do case fetch_compile_env(app, key_or_path, env) do {:ok, value} -> value :error -> default end end @doc """ Reads the application environment at compilation time or raises. This is the same as `compile_env/3` but it raises an `ArgumentError` if the configuration is not available. """ @doc since: "1.10.0" @spec compile_env!(app, key | list) :: value defmacro compile_env!(app, key_or_path) do if __CALLER__.function do raise "Application.compile_env!/2 cannot be called inside functions, only in the module body" end key_or_path = Macro.expand_literals(key_or_path, %{__CALLER__ | function: {:__info__, 1}}) quote do Application.compile_env!(__ENV__, unquote(app), unquote(key_or_path)) end end @doc """ Reads the application environment at compilation time from a macro or raises. Typically, developers will use `compile_env!/2`. This function must only be invoked from macros which aim to read the compilation environment dynamically. It expects a `Macro.Env` as first argument, where the `Macro.Env` is typically the `__CALLER__` in a macro. It raises if `Macro.Env` comes from a function. """ @doc since: "1.14.0" @spec compile_env!(Macro.Env.t(), app, key | list) :: value def compile_env!(%Macro.Env{} = env, app, key_or_path) do case fetch_compile_env(app, key_or_path, env) do {:ok, value} -> value :error -> raise ArgumentError, "could not fetch application environment #{inspect(key_or_path)} for application " <> "#{inspect(app)} #{fetch_env_failed_reason(app, key_or_path)}" end end defp fetch_compile_env(app, key, env) when is_atom(key) do fetch_compile_env(app, key, [], env) end defp fetch_compile_env(app, [key | paths], env) when is_atom(key), do: fetch_compile_env(app, key, paths, env) defp fetch_compile_env(app, key, path, env) do return = traverse_env(fetch_env(app, key), path) for tracer <- env.tracers do tracer.trace({:compile_env, app, [key | path], return}, env) end return end defp traverse_env(return, []), do: return defp traverse_env(:error, _paths), do: :error defp traverse_env({:ok, value}, [key | keys]), do: traverse_env(Access.fetch(value, key), keys) @doc """ Returns the value for `key` in `app`'s environment. If the configuration parameter does not exist, the function returns the `default` value. > #### Warning {: .warning} > > You must use this function to read only your own application > environment. Do not read the environment of other applications. > #### Application environment in libraries {: .info} > > If you are writing a library to be used by other developers, > it is generally recommended to avoid the application environment, as the > application environment is effectively a global storage. For more information, > read our [library guidelines](library-guidelines.md). ## Examples `get_env/3` is commonly used to read the configuration of your OTP applications. Since Mix configurations are commonly used to configure applications, we will use this as a point of illustration. Consider a new application `:my_app`. `:my_app` contains a database engine which supports a pool of databases. The database engine needs to know the configuration for each of those databases, and that configuration is supplied by key-value pairs in environment of `:my_app`. config :my_app, Databases.RepoOne, # A database configuration ip: "localhost", port: 5433 config :my_app, Databases.RepoTwo, # Another database configuration (for the same OTP app) ip: "localhost", port: 20717 config :my_app, my_app_databases: [Databases.RepoOne, Databases.RepoTwo] Our database engine used by `:my_app` needs to know what databases exist, and what the database configurations are. The database engine can make a call to `Application.get_env(:my_app, :my_app_databases, [])` to retrieve the list of databases (specified by module names). The engine can then traverse each repository in the list and call `Application.get_env(:my_app, Databases.RepoOne)` and so forth to retrieve the configuration of each one. In this case, each configuration will be a keyword list, so you can use the functions in the `Keyword` module or even the `Access` module to traverse it, for example: config = Application.get_env(:my_app, Databases.RepoOne) config[:ip] """ @spec get_env(app, key, value) :: value def get_env(app, key, default \\ nil) when is_atom(app) do maybe_warn_on_app_env_key(app, key) :application.get_env(app, key, default) end @doc """ Returns the value for `key` in `app`'s environment in a tuple. If the configuration parameter does not exist, the function returns `:error`. > #### Warning {: .warning} > > You must use this function to read only your own application > environment. Do not read the environment of other applications. > #### Application environment in info > > If you are writing a library to be used by other developers, > it is generally recommended to avoid the application environment, as the > application environment is effectively a global storage. For more information, > read our [library guidelines](library-guidelines.md). """ @spec fetch_env(app, key) :: {:ok, value} | :error def fetch_env(app, key) when is_atom(app) do maybe_warn_on_app_env_key(app, key) case :application.get_env(app, key) do {:ok, value} -> {:ok, value} :undefined -> :error end end @doc """ Returns the value for `key` in `app`'s environment. If the configuration parameter does not exist, raises `ArgumentError`. > #### Warning {: .warning} > > You must use this function to read only your own application > environment. Do not read the environment of other applications. > #### Application environment in info > > If you are writing a library to be used by other developers, > it is generally recommended to avoid the application environment, as the > application environment is effectively a global storage. For more information, > read our [library guidelines](library-guidelines.md). """ @spec fetch_env!(app, key) :: value def fetch_env!(app, key) when is_atom(app) do case fetch_env(app, key) do {:ok, value} -> value :error -> raise ArgumentError, "could not fetch application environment #{inspect(key)} for application " <> "#{inspect(app)} #{fetch_env_failed_reason(app, key)}" end end defp fetch_env_failed_reason(app, key) do vsn = :application.get_key(app, :vsn) case vsn do {:ok, _} -> "because configuration at #{inspect(key)} was not set" :undefined -> "because the application was not loaded nor configured" end end @doc """ Puts the `value` in `key` for the given `app`. ## Options * `:timeout` - the timeout for the change (defaults to `5_000` milliseconds) * `:persistent` - persists the given value on application load and reloads If `put_env/4` is called before the application is loaded, the application environment values specified in the `.app` file will override the ones previously set. The `:persistent` option can be set to `true` when there is a need to guarantee parameters set with this function will not be overridden by the ones defined in the application resource file on load. This means persistent values will stick after the application is loaded and also on application reload. """ @spec put_env(app, key, value, timeout: timeout, persistent: boolean) :: :ok def put_env(app, key, value, opts \\ []) when is_atom(app) do maybe_warn_on_app_env_key(app, key) :application.set_env(app, key, value, opts) end @doc """ Puts the environment for multiple apps at the same time. The given config should not: * have the same application listed more than once * have the same key inside the same application listed more than once If those conditions are not met, it will raise. It receives the same options as `put_env/4`. Returns `:ok`. """ @doc since: "1.9.0" @spec put_all_env([{app, [{key, value}]}], timeout: timeout, persistent: boolean) :: :ok def put_all_env(config, opts \\ []) when is_list(config) and is_list(opts) do :application.set_env(config, opts) end @doc """ Deletes the `key` from the given `app` environment. It receives the same options as `put_env/4`. Returns `:ok`. """ @spec delete_env(app, key, timeout: timeout, persistent: boolean) :: :ok def delete_env(app, key, opts \\ []) when is_atom(app) do maybe_warn_on_app_env_key(app, key) :application.unset_env(app, key, opts) end defp maybe_warn_on_app_env_key(_app, key) when is_atom(key), do: :ok # TODO: Remove this deprecation warning on 2.0+ and allow list lookups as in compile_env. defp maybe_warn_on_app_env_key(app, key) do message = "passing non-atom as application env key is deprecated, got: #{inspect(key)}" IO.warn_once({Application, :key, app, key}, message, _stacktrace_drop_levels = 2) end @doc """ Ensures the given `app` is started. Same as `start/2` but returns `:ok` if the application was already started. This is useful in scripts and in test setup, where test applications need to be explicitly started: :ok = Application.ensure_started(:my_test_dep) """ @spec ensure_started(app, restart_type) :: :ok | {:error, term} def ensure_started(app, type \\ :temporary) when is_atom(app) do :application.ensure_started(app, type) end @doc """ Ensures the given `app` is loaded. Same as `load/1` but returns `:ok` if the application was already loaded. """ @doc since: "1.10.0" @spec ensure_loaded(app) :: :ok | {:error, term} def ensure_loaded(app) when is_atom(app) do case :application.load(app) do :ok -> :ok {:error, {:already_loaded, ^app}} -> :ok {:error, _} = error -> error end end @doc """ Ensures the given `app` and its applications are started. Same as `start/2` but also starts the applications listed under `:applications` in the `.app` file in case they were not previously started. """ @spec ensure_all_started(app, restart_type) :: {:ok, [app]} | {:error, {app, term}} def ensure_all_started(app, type \\ :temporary) when is_atom(app) do :application.ensure_all_started(app, type) end @doc """ Starts the given `app`. If the `app` is not loaded, the application will first be loaded using `load/1`. Any included application, defined in the `:included_applications` key of the `.app` file will also be loaded, but they won't be started. Furthermore, all applications listed in the `:applications` key must be explicitly started before this application is. If not, `{:error, {:not_started, app}}` is returned, where `app` is the name of the missing application. In case you want to automatically load **and start** all of `app`'s dependencies, see `ensure_all_started/2`. The `type` argument specifies the type of the application: * `:permanent` - if `app` terminates, all other applications and the entire node are also terminated. * `:transient` - if `app` terminates with `:normal` reason, it is reported but no other applications are terminated. If a transient application terminates abnormally, all other applications and the entire node are also terminated. * `:temporary` - if `app` terminates, it is reported but no other applications are terminated (the default). Note that it is always possible to stop an application explicitly by calling `stop/1`. Regardless of the type of the application, no other applications will be affected. Note also that the `:transient` type is of little practical use, since when a supervision tree terminates, the reason is set to `:shutdown`, not `:normal`. """ @spec start(app, restart_type) :: :ok | {:error, term} def start(app, type \\ :temporary) when is_atom(app) do :application.start(app, type) end @doc """ Stops the given `app`. When stopped, the application is still loaded. """ @spec stop(app) :: :ok | {:error, term} def stop(app) when is_atom(app) do :application.stop(app) end @doc """ Loads the given `app`. In order to be loaded, an `.app` file must be in the load paths. All `:included_applications` will also be loaded. Loading the application does not start it nor load its modules, but it does load its environment. """ @spec load(app) :: :ok | {:error, term} def load(app) when is_atom(app) do :application.load(app) end @doc """ Unloads the given `app`. It will also unload all `:included_applications`. Note that the function does not purge the application modules. """ @spec unload(app) :: :ok | {:error, term} def unload(app) when is_atom(app) do :application.unload(app) end @doc """ Gets the directory for app. This information is returned based on the code path. Here is an example: File.mkdir_p!("foo/ebin") Code.prepend_path("foo/ebin") Application.app_dir(:foo) #=> "foo" Even though the directory is empty and there is no `.app` file it is considered the application directory based on the name "foo/ebin". The name may contain a dash `-` which is considered to be the app version and it is removed for the lookup purposes: File.mkdir_p!("bar-123/ebin") Code.prepend_path("bar-123/ebin") Application.app_dir(:bar) #=> "bar-123" For more information on code paths, check the `Code` module in Elixir and also Erlang's [`:code` module](`:code`). """ @spec app_dir(app) :: String.t() def app_dir(app) when is_atom(app) do case :code.lib_dir(app) do lib when is_list(lib) -> IO.chardata_to_string(lib) {:error, :bad_name} -> raise ArgumentError, "unknown application: #{inspect(app)}" end end @doc """ Returns the given path inside `app_dir/1`. If `path` is a string, then it will be used as the path inside `app_dir/1`. If `path` is a list of strings, it will be joined (see `Path.join/1`) and the result will be used as the path inside `app_dir/1`. ## Examples File.mkdir_p!("foo/ebin") Code.prepend_path("foo/ebin") Application.app_dir(:foo, "my_path") #=> "foo/my_path" Application.app_dir(:foo, ["my", "nested", "path"]) #=> "foo/my/nested/path" """ @spec app_dir(app, String.t() | [String.t()]) :: String.t() def app_dir(app, path) def app_dir(app, path) when is_atom(app) and is_binary(path) do Path.join(app_dir(app), path) end def app_dir(app, path) when is_atom(app) and is_list(path) do Path.join([app_dir(app) | path]) end @doc """ Returns a list with information about the applications which are currently running. """ @spec started_applications(timeout) :: [{app, description :: charlist(), vsn :: charlist()}] def started_applications(timeout \\ 5000) do :application.which_applications(timeout) end @doc """ Returns a list with information about the applications which have been loaded. """ @spec loaded_applications :: [{app, description :: charlist(), vsn :: charlist()}] def loaded_applications do :application.loaded_applications() end @doc """ Formats the error reason returned by `start/2`, `ensure_started/2`, `stop/1`, `load/1` and `unload/1`, returns a string. """ @spec format_error(any) :: String.t() def format_error(reason) do try do do_format_error(reason) catch # A user could create an error that looks like a built-in one # causing an error. :error, _ -> inspect(reason) end end # exit(:normal) call is special cased, undo the special case. defp do_format_error({{:EXIT, :normal}, {mod, :start, args}}) do Exception.format_exit({:normal, {mod, :start, args}}) end # {:error, reason} return value defp do_format_error({reason, {mod, :start, args}}) do Exception.format_mfa(mod, :start, args) <> " returned an error: " <> Exception.format_exit(reason) end # error or exit(reason) call, use exit reason as reason. defp do_format_error({:bad_return, {{mod, :start, args}, {:EXIT, reason}}}) do Exception.format_exit({reason, {mod, :start, args}}) end # bad return value defp do_format_error({:bad_return, {{mod, :start, args}, return}}) do Exception.format_mfa(mod, :start, args) <> " returned a bad value: " <> inspect(return) end defp do_format_error({:already_started, app}) when is_atom(app) do "already started application #{app}" end defp do_format_error({:not_started, app}) when is_atom(app) do "not started application #{app}" end defp do_format_error({:bad_application, app}) do "bad application: #{inspect(app)}" end defp do_format_error({:already_loaded, app}) when is_atom(app) do "already loaded application #{app}" end defp do_format_error({:not_loaded, app}) when is_atom(app) do "not loaded application #{app}" end defp do_format_error({:invalid_restart_type, restart}) do "invalid application restart type: #{inspect(restart)}" end defp do_format_error({:invalid_name, name}) do "invalid application name: #{inspect(name)}" end defp do_format_error({:invalid_options, opts}) do "invalid application options: #{inspect(opts)}" end defp do_format_error({:badstartspec, spec}) do "bad application start specs: #{inspect(spec)}" end defp do_format_error({~c"no such file or directory", file}) do "could not find application file: #{file}" end defp do_format_error(reason) do Exception.format_exit(reason) end end