What is Elixir written in?
Elixir is a programming language, first released in 2012.
Implementation
| Layer | Written in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bootstrap | Erlang (since 2012) | Elixir bootstrap compiler written in Erlang |
| Compiler | Elixir (since 2013) | Elixir compiler is self-hosting |
| Runtime | BEAM VM (since 2012) | Elixir runs on BEAM VM |
| Runtime | Erlang (since 2012) | Elixir runs on BEAM (Erlang VM) |
Self-hosting
Elixir is a self-hosting language: its compiler is written in Elixir itself. Self-hosting means the compiler can compile its own source code, which is a milestone in a language's maturity. New versions of the compiler are built using an older version of the same compiler, a process called bootstrapping.
Self-hosting also acts as a practical stress test: if a language can compile its own compiler, most core language features have been validated in a complex, real-world workload. See what is compiler bootstrapping for a full explanation.
Explore in the Graph
See Elixir's full lineage, including all implementation and influence relationships, in the interactive graph.
Open Interactive Graph →Or view the Elixir language page for the complete record.