Discussion on Introducing Type Systems in Elixir

In the Season 10 finale of the Elixir Wizards podcast, José Valim, creator of Elixir, alongside researchers Guillaume Duboc and Giuseppe Castagna, examine the prospect of implementing a type system in Elixir using set-theoretical typing. The discussion centers on how to design a type system that accommodates Elixir's features and stays simple and practical. Challenges such as typing maps, pattern matching, and integrating Dialyzer with core language types were addressed. Furthermore, the episode compares the type system in Gleam with Elixir and explores the history of set-theoretic types, indicating their development over two decades. The talk touched on gradual typing to blend typed and untyped code and the utility of types as 'mechanized documentation.' They also reflected on the risks associated with syntax decisions and celebrated a decade of Elixir's growth with a hint towards an exciting future empowered by a robust type system.