Basics
Elixir If and Unless
Conditional Statements
Elixir if and unless control flow with pattern matching.
Understanding the "if" Control Structure
The if control structure in Elixir functions similarly to other programming languages. It evaluates a condition and executes the code block if the condition is true. The if statement can also include an else block that runs if the condition is false.
Here's an example that checks whether a number is positive:
Introducing the "unless" Control Structure
The unless control structure is the opposite of if. It executes the code block only if the condition is false. Similar to if, it can include an else block that runs if the condition is true.
Consider this example where we check if a user is not an admin:
Pattern Matching with If and Unless
In Elixir, pattern matching is a powerful feature that can be used within if and unless statements to match values against patterns. This allows for more complex conditional checks.
In this example, the if statement checks if value matches the tuple {:ok, message}. If it matches, it executes the block and binds message to the string "Success".
Summary
Elixir's if and unless control structures provide flexible and readable ways to handle conditional logic. By combining them with pattern matching, you can create powerful and expressive conditions in your code.
