Access behaviour

Key-based access to data structures using the data[key] syntax.

Elixir provides two syntaxes for accessing values. user[:name] is used by dynamic structures, like maps and keywords, while user.name is used by structs. The main difference is that user[:name] won’t raise if the key :name is missing but user.name will raise if there is no :name key.

Besides the cases above, this module provides convenience functions for accessing other structures, like at/1 for lists and elem/1 for tuples. Those functions can be used by the nested update functions in Kernel, such as Kernel.get_in/2, Kernel.put_in/3, Kernel.update_in/3, Kernel.get_and_update_in/3 and friends.

Dynamic lookups

Out of the box, Access works with Keyword and Map:

iex> keywords = [a: 1, b: 2]
iex> keywords[:a]
1

iex> map = %{a: 1, b: 2}
iex> map[:a]
1

iex> star_ratings = %{1.0 => "★", 1.5 => "★☆", 2.0 => "★★"}
iex> star_ratings[1.5]
"★☆"

Note that the dynamic lookup syntax (term[key]) roughly translates to Access.get(term, key, nil).

Access can be combined with Kernel.put_in/3 to put a value in a given key:

iex> map = %{a: 1, b: 2}
iex> put_in map[:a], 3
%{a: 3, b: 2}

This syntax is very convenient as it can be nested arbitrarily:

iex> users = %{"john" => %{age: 27}, "meg" => %{age: 23}}
iex> put_in users["john"][:age], 28
%{"john" => %{age: 28}, "meg" => %{age: 23}}

Furthermore, Access transparently ignores nil values:

iex> keywords = [a: 1, b: 2]
iex> keywords[:c][:unknown]
nil

Since Access is a behaviour, it can be implemented for key-value data structures. The implementation should be added to the module that defines the struct being accessed. Access requires the key comparison to be implemented using the === operator.

Static lookups

The Access syntax (data[key]) cannot be used to access fields in structs, since structs do not implement the Access behaviour by default. It is also a design decision: the dynamic access lookup is meant to be used for dynamic key-value structures, like maps and keywords, and not by static ones like structs (where fields are known and not dynamic).

Therefore Elixir provides a static lookup for struct fields and for atom fields in maps. Imagine a struct named User with a :name field. The following would raise:

user = %User{name: "John"}
user[:name]
# ** (UndefinedFunctionError) undefined function User.fetch/2 (User does not implement the Access behaviour)

Structs instead use the user.name syntax to access fields:

user.name
#=> "John"

The same user.name syntax can also be used by Kernel.put_in/2 for updating structs fields:

put_in user.name, "Mary"
#=> %User{name: "Mary"}

Differently from user[:name], user.name is not extensible via a behaviour and is restricted only to structs and atom keys in maps.

As mentioned above, this works for atom keys in maps as well. Refer to the Map module for more information on this.

Summing up:

user[:name] is used by dynamic structures, is extensible and does not raise on missing keys
user.name is used by static structures, it is not extensible and it will raise on missing keys

Accessors

While Elixir provides built-in syntax only for traversing dynamic and static key-value structures, this module provides convenience functions for traversing other structures, like tuples and lists, to be used alongside Kernel.put_in/2 in others.

For instance, given a user map with :name and :languages keys, here is how to deeply traverse the map and convert all language names to uppercase:

iex> languages = [
...>   %{name: "elixir", type: :functional},
...>   %{name: "c", type: :procedural},
...> ]
iex> user = %{name: "john", languages: languages}
iex> update_in user, [:languages, Access.all(), :name], &String.upcase/1
%{name: "john",
  languages: [%{name: "ELIXIR", type: :functional},
              %{name: "C", type: :procedural}]}

See the functions key/1, key!/1, elem/1, and all/0 for some of the available accessors.

Implementing the Access behaviour for custom data structures

In order to be able to use the Access behaviour with custom data structures (which have to be structs), such structures have to implement the Access behaviour. For example, for a User struct, this would have to be done:

defmodule User do
  defstruct [:name, :email]

  @behaviour Access
  # Implementation of the Access callbacks...
end

Summary

Functions

all(): Returns a function that accesses all the elements in a list
at(index): Returns a function that accesses the element at index (zero based) of a list
elem(index): Returns a function that accesses the element at the given index in a tuple
fetch(container, key): Fetches the value for the given key in a container (a map, keyword list, or struct that implements the Access behaviour)
get(container, key, default \\ nil): Gets the value for the given key in a container (a map, keyword list, or struct that implements the Access behaviour)
get_and_update(container, key, fun): Gets and updates the given key in a container (a map, a keyword list, a struct that implements the Access behaviour)
key(key, default \\ nil): Returns a function that accesses the given key in a map/struct
key!(key): Returns a function that accesses the given key in a map/struct
pop(container, key): Removes the entry with a given key from a container (a map, keyword list, or struct that implements the Access behaviour)

Callbacks

fetch(term, key): Invoked in order to access the value stored under key in the given term term
get(term, key, default): Invoked in order to access the value stored under key in the given term term, defaulting to default if not present
get_and_update(data, key, function): Invoked in order to access the value under key and update it at the same time
pop(data, key): Invoked to “pop” the value under key out of the given data structure

Types

access_fun(data, get_value)

access_fun(data, get_value) ::
  get_fun(data, get_value) |
  get_and_update_fun(data, get_value)

any_container()

any_container() :: any()

container()

container() :: keyword() | struct() | map()

get_and_update_fun(data, get_value)

get_and_update_fun(data, get_value) :: (:get_and_update, data, (term() -> term()) -> {get_value, new_data :: container()} | :pop)

get_fun(data, get_value)

get_fun(data, get_value) :: (:get, data, (term() -> term()) -> {get_value, new_data :: container()})

key()

key() :: any()

nil_container()

nil_container() :: nil

t()

t() :: container() | nil_container() | any_container()

value()

value() :: any()

Functions

all()

all() :: access_fun(data :: list(), get_value :: list())

Returns a function that accesses all the elements in a list.

The returned function is typically passed as an accessor to Kernel.get_in/2, Kernel.get_and_update_in/3, and friends.

Examples

iex> list = [%{name: "john"}, %{name: "mary"}]
iex> get_in(list, [Access.all(), :name])
["john", "mary"]
iex> get_and_update_in(list, [Access.all(), :name], fn
...>   prev -> {prev, String.upcase(prev)}
...> end)
{["john", "mary"], [%{name: "JOHN"}, %{name: "MARY"}]}
iex> pop_in(list, [Access.all(), :name])
{["john", "mary"], [%{}, %{}]}

Here is an example that traverses the list dropping even numbers and multiplying odd numbers by 2:

iex> require Integer
iex> get_and_update_in([1, 2, 3, 4, 5], [Access.all], fn
...>   num -> if Integer.is_even(num), do: :pop, else: {num, num * 2}
...> end)
{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5], [2, 6, 10]}

An error is raised if the accessed structure is not a list:

iex> get_in(%{}, [Access.all()])
** (RuntimeError) Access.all/0 expected a list, got: %{}

at(index)

at(non_neg_integer()) :: access_fun(data :: list(), get_value :: term())

Returns a function that accesses the element at index (zero based) of a list.

The returned function is typically passed as an accessor to Kernel.get_in/2, Kernel.get_and_update_in/3, and friends.

Examples

iex> list = [%{name: "john"}, %{name: "mary"}]
iex> get_in(list, [Access.at(1), :name])
"mary"
iex> get_and_update_in(list, [Access.at(0), :name], fn
...>   prev -> {prev, String.upcase(prev)}
...> end)
{"john", [%{name: "JOHN"}, %{name: "mary"}]}

at/1 can also be used to pop elements out of a list or a key inside of a list:

iex> list = [%{name: "john"}, %{name: "mary"}]
iex> pop_in(list, [Access.at(0)])
{%{name: "john"}, [%{name: "mary"}]}
iex> pop_in(list, [Access.at(0), :name])
{"john", [%{}, %{name: "mary"}]}

When the index is out of bounds, nil is returned and the update function is never called:

iex> list = [%{name: "john"}, %{name: "mary"}]
iex> get_in(list, [Access.at(10), :name])
nil
iex> get_and_update_in(list, [Access.at(10), :name], fn
...>   prev -> {prev, String.upcase(prev)}
...> end)
{nil, [%{name: "john"}, %{name: "mary"}]}

An error is raised for negative indexes:

iex> get_in([], [Access.at(-1)])
** (FunctionClauseError) no function clause matching in Access.at/1

An error is raised if the accessed structure is not a list:

iex> get_in(%{}, [Access.at(1)])
** (RuntimeError) Access.at/1 expected a list, got: %{}

elem(index)

elem(non_neg_integer()) :: access_fun(data :: tuple(), get_value :: term())

Returns a function that accesses the element at the given index in a tuple.

The returned function is typically passed as an accessor to Kernel.get_in/2, Kernel.get_and_update_in/3, and friends.

The returned function raises if index is out of bounds.

Examples

iex> map = %{user: {"john", 27}}
iex> get_in(map, [:user, Access.elem(0)])
"john"
iex> get_and_update_in(map, [:user, Access.elem(0)], fn
...>   prev -> {prev, String.upcase(prev)}
...> end)
{"john", %{user: {"JOHN", 27}}}
iex> pop_in(map, [:user, Access.elem(0)])
** (RuntimeError) cannot pop data from a tuple

An error is raised if the accessed structure is not a tuple:

iex> get_in(%{}, [Access.elem(0)])
** (RuntimeError) Access.elem/1 expected a tuple, got: %{}

fetch(container, key)

fetch(container(), term()) :: {:ok, term()} | :error

fetch(nil_container(), any()) :: :error

Fetches the value for the given key in a container (a map, keyword list, or struct that implements the Access behaviour).

Returns {:ok, value} where value is the value under key if there is such a key, or :error if key is not found.

get(container, key, default \\ nil)

get(container(), term(), term()) :: term()

get(nil_container(), any(), default) :: default when default: var

Gets the value for the given key in a container (a map, keyword list, or struct that implements the Access behaviour).

Returns the value under key if there is such a key, or default if key is not found.

get_and_update(container, key, fun)

get_and_update(data, key(), (value() -> {get_value, value()} | :pop)) :: {get_value, data} when data: container(), get_value: var

Gets and updates the given key in a container (a map, a keyword list, a struct that implements the Access behaviour).

The fun argument receives the value of key (or nil if key is not present in container) and must return a two-element tuple {get_value, update_value}: the “get” value get_value (the retrieved value, which can be operated on before being returned) and the new value to be stored under key (update_value). fun may also return :pop, which means the current value should be removed from the container and returned.

The returned value is a two-element tuple with the “get” value returned by fun and a new container with the updated value under key.

key(key, default \\ nil)

key(key(), term()) :: access_fun(data :: struct() | map(), get_value :: term())

Returns a function that accesses the given key in a map/struct.

The returned function is typically passed as an accessor to Kernel.get_in/2, Kernel.get_and_update_in/3, and friends.

The returned function uses the default value if the key does not exist. This can be used to specify defaults and safely traverse missing keys:

iex> get_in(%{}, [Access.key(:user, %{}), Access.key(:name)])
nil

Such is also useful when using update functions, allowing us to introduce values as we traverse the data structure for updates:

iex> put_in(%{}, [Access.key(:user, %{}), Access.key(:name)], "Mary")
%{user: %{name: "Mary"}}

Examples

iex> map = %{user: %{name: "john"}}
iex> get_in(map, [Access.key(:unknown, %{}), Access.key(:name, "john")])
"john"
iex> get_and_update_in(map, [Access.key(:user), Access.key(:name)], fn
...>   prev -> {prev, String.upcase(prev)}
...> end)
{"john", %{user: %{name: "JOHN"}}}
iex> pop_in(map, [Access.key(:user), Access.key(:name)])
{"john", %{user: %{}}}

An error is raised if the accessed structure is not a map or a struct:

iex> get_in(nil, [Access.key(:foo)])
** (BadMapError) expected a map, got: nil

iex> get_in([], [Access.key(:foo)])
** (BadMapError) expected a map, got: []

key!(key)

key!(key()) :: access_fun(data :: struct() | map(), get_value :: term())

Returns a function that accesses the given key in a map/struct.

The returned function is typically passed as an accessor to Kernel.get_in/2, Kernel.get_and_update_in/3, and friends.

The returned function raises if the key does not exist.

Examples

iex> map = %{user: %{name: "john"}}
iex> get_in(map, [Access.key!(:user), Access.key!(:name)])
"john"
iex> get_and_update_in(map, [Access.key!(:user), Access.key!(:name)], fn
...>   prev -> {prev, String.upcase(prev)}
...> end)
{"john", %{user: %{name: "JOHN"}}}
iex> pop_in(map, [Access.key!(:user), Access.key!(:name)])
{"john", %{user: %{}}}
iex> get_in(map, [Access.key!(:user), Access.key!(:unknown)])
** (KeyError) key :unknown not found in: %{name: "john"}

An error is raised if the accessed structure is not a map/struct:

iex> get_in([], [Access.key!(:foo)])
** (RuntimeError) Access.key!/1 expected a map/struct, got: []

pop(container, key)

pop(data, key()) :: {value(), data} when data: container()

Removes the entry with a given key from a container (a map, keyword list, or struct that implements the Access behaviour).

Returns a tuple containing the value associated with the key and the updated container. nil is returned for the value if the key isn’t in the container.

Examples

With a map:

iex> Access.pop(%{name: "Elixir", creator: "Valim"}, :name)
{"Elixir", %{creator: "Valim"}}

A keyword list:

iex> Access.pop([name: "Elixir", creator: "Valim"], :name)
{"Elixir", [creator: "Valim"]}

An unknown key:

iex> Access.pop(%{name: "Elixir", creator: "Valim"}, :year)
{nil, %{creator: "Valim", name: "Elixir"}}

Callbacks

fetch(term, key)

fetch(term :: t(), key()) :: {:ok, value()} | :error

Invoked in order to access the value stored under key in the given term term.

This function should return {:ok, value} where value is the value under key if the key exists in the term, or :error if the key does not exist in the term.

Many of the functions defined in the Access module internally call this function. This function is also used when the square-brackets access syntax (structure[key]) is used: the fetch/2 callback implemented by the module that defines the structure struct is invoked and if it returns {:ok, value} then value is returned, or if it returns :error then nil is returned.

See the Map.fetch/2 and Keyword.fetch/2 implementations for examples of how to implement this callback.

get(term, key, default)

get(term :: t(), key(), default :: value()) :: value()

Invoked in order to access the value stored under key in the given term term, defaulting to default if not present.

This function should return the value under key in term if there’s such key, otherwise default.

For most data structures, this can be implemented using fetch/2 internally; for example:

def get(structure, key, default) do
  case fetch(structure, key) do
    {:ok, value} -> value
    :error       -> default
  end
end

See the Map.get/3 and Keyword.get/3 implementations for examples of how to implement this callback.

get_and_update(data, key, function)

get_and_update(data, key(), (value() -> {get_value, value()} | :pop)) :: {get_value, data} when data: container() | any_container(), get_value: var

Invoked in order to access the value under key and update it at the same time.

The implementation of this callback should invoke fun with the value under key in the passed structure data, or with nil if key is not present in it. This function must return either {get_value, update_value} or :pop.

If the passed function returns {get_value, update_value}, the return value of this callback should be {get_value, new_data}, where:

get_value is the retrieved value (which can be operated on before being returned)
update_value is the new value to be stored under key
new_data is data after updating the value of key with update_value.

If the passed function returns :pop, the return value of this callback must be {value, new_data} where value is the value under key (or nil if not present) and new_data is data without key.

See the implementations of Map.get_and_update/3 or Keyword.get_and_update/3 for more examples.

pop(data, key)

pop(data, key()) :: {value(), data} when data: container() | any_container()

Invoked to “pop” the value under key out of the given data structure.

When key exists in the given structure data, the implementation should return a {value, new_data} tuple where value is the value that was under key and new_data is term without key.

When key is not present in the given structure, a tuple {value, data} should be returned, where value is implementation-defined.

See the implementations for Map.pop/3 or Keyword.pop/3 for more examples.