Ecto.Model.Callbacks

Define module-level callbacks in models.

Lifecycle callbacks

Ecto provides lifecycle callbacks around insert, update and delete commands.

A callback is invoked by your Ecto.Repo before (or after) particular events. Lifecycle callbacks always receive a changeset as argument and must always a modified changeset.

Such callbacks are useful for data consistency, like keeping counters, setting field values and so on. For this reason, callbacks cannot abort, always run inside the tranasction and are invoked only after the data is validated.

Therefore, don't use callbacks for validation, enforcing business rules or performing actions unrelated to the data itself, like sending e-mails.

Finally keep in mind callbacks are not invoked on bulk actions such as Ecto.Repo.update_all/3 or Ecto.Repo.delete_all/2.

Other callbacks

Besides life-cycle callbacks, Ecto also supports an after_load callback that is invoked everytime a model is loaded with the model itself. See after_load/2 for more information.

Example

defmodule User do
  use Ecto.Model.Callbacks

  after_insert Stats, :increase_user_count

  def increase_user_count(changeset)
    # ...
  end
end

When creating the user, the after_insert callbacks will be invoked with a changeset as argument. Multiple callbacks can be defined, they will be invoked in order of declaration.

A callback can be defined in the following formats:

# Invoke the local function increase_user_count
after_insert :increase_user_count

# Invoke the local function increase_user_count
# with the given arguments (changeset is prepended)
after_insert :increase_user_count, ["foo", "bar"]

# Invoke the remote function increase_user_count
after_insert Stats, :increase_user_count

# Invoke the remote function increase_user_count
# with the given arguments (changeset is prepended)
after_insert Stats, :increase_user_count, ["foo", "bar"]
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Summary

__apply__(module, callback, data)

Applies stored callbacks in model to given data

after_delete(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked before the model is deleted from the repository

after_delete(module, function, args)

Same as after_delete/2 but with arguments

after_insert(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked after the model is inserted into the repository

after_insert(module, function, args)

Same as after_insert/2 but with arguments

after_load(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked after the model is loaded from the repository

after_load(module, function, args)

Same as after_load/2 but with arguments

after_update(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked after the model is updated

after_update(module, function, args)

Same as after_update/2 but with arguments

before_delete(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked before the model is deleted from the repository

before_delete(module, function, args)

Same as before_delete/2 but with arguments

before_insert(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked before the model is inserted into the repository

before_insert(module, function, args)

Same as before_insert/2 but with arguments

before_update(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked before the model is updated

before_update(module, function, args)

Same as before_update/2 but with arguments

Functions

__apply__(module, callback, data)

Applies stored callbacks in model to given data.

Checks wether the callback is defined on the model, returns the data unchanged if it isn't.

This function expects a changeset for all callbacks except after_load as input.

Examples

iex> changeset = Ecto.Changeset.cast(params, %User{}, ~w(name), ~w())
iex> Ecto.Model.Callbacks.__apply__ User, :before_delete, changeset
%Ecto.Changeset{...}
Source

Macros

after_delete(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked before the model is deleted from the repository.

The callback receives an Ecto.Changeset with the model stored in it.

The callback must return a changeset and always run inside a transaction.

Example

after_delete User, :notify_garbage_collectors
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after_delete(module, function, args)

Same as after_delete/2 but with arguments.

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after_insert(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked after the model is inserted into the repository.

The callback receives an Ecto.Changeset with both repository values and changeset changes already applied to the model.

The callback must return a changeset and always run inside a transaction.

Example

after_insert Stats, :increase_user_count
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after_insert(module, function, args)

Same as after_insert/2 but with arguments.

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after_load(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked after the model is loaded from the repository.

The callback receives the model being loaded and must return a model.

The callback can be useful, for example, to resolve the value of virtual fields. Since this will be invoked every time the model is loaded, the callback must execute very quickly to avoid drastic perfomance hits.

Example

after_load Post, :set_permalink
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after_load(module, function, args)

Same as after_load/2 but with arguments.

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after_update(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked after the model is updated.

The callback receives an Ecto.Changeset with both repository values and changeset changes already applied to the model.

The callback must return a changeset and always run inside a transaction.

Example

after_update User, :notify_account_change
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after_update(module, function, args)

Same as after_update/2 but with arguments.

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before_delete(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked before the model is deleted from the repository.

The callback receives an Ecto.Changeset. At this point, the changeset was already validated and is always valid.

The callback must return a changeset and always run inside a transaction.

Example

before_delete User, :copy_to_archive
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before_delete(module, function, args)

Same as before_delete/2 but with arguments.

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before_insert(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked before the model is inserted into the repository.

Since on insert all the model fields plus changeset changes are sent to the repository, the callback will receive an Ecto.Changeset with all the model fields and changes in the changeset.changes field. At this point, the changeset was already validated and is always valid.

The callback must return a changeset and always run inside a transaction.

Example

before_insert User, :generate_permalink
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before_insert(module, function, args)

Same as before_insert/2 but with arguments.

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before_update(function, args \\ [])

Adds a callback that is invoked before the model is updated.

The callback receives an Ecto.Changeset with the changes to be sent to the database in the changeset.changes field. At this point, the changeset was already validated and is always valid.

The callback must return a changeset and always run inside a transaction.

Example

before_update User, :set_update_at_timestamp
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before_update(module, function, args)

Same as before_update/2 but with arguments.

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