Workex

A behaviour which separates message receiving and aggregating from message processing.

Example:

defmodule Consumer do
  use Workex

  # Interface functions are invoked inside client processes

  def start_link do
    Workex.start_link(__MODULE__, nil)
  end

  def push(pid, item) do
    Workex.push(pid, item)
  end


  # Callback functions run in the worker process

  def init(_), do: {:ok, nil}

  def handle(data, state) do
    Processor.long_op(data)
    {:ok, state}
  end
end

The callback module must export following functions:

• init/1 - receives arg and should return {:ok, initial_state} or {:stop, reason}.
• handle/2 - receives aggregated messages and the state, and should return {:ok, new_state} or {:stop, reason}.

The Workex starts two processes. The one returned by Workex.start_link/4 is the "facade" process which can be used as the target for messages. This is also the process which aggregates messages.

Callback functions will run in the worker process, which is started by the "main" process. Thus, consuming is done concurrently to message aggregation.

Both processes are linked, and the main process traps exits. Termination of the worker process will cause the main process to terminate with the same exit reason.