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Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development · Lección

Supervisores dinámicos y Registry

Aprenda a iniciar y detener procesos dinámicamente con `DynamicSupervisor` y a usar `Registry` para buscar procesos.

Supervisores dinámicos y Registry es una lección gratuita de Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development en CoddyKit. Esta es la lección 3 de 4. Puedes leer la lección completa abajo gratuitamente — luego la practicas en el navegador con un editor de código integrado y un tutor de IA 24/7. Forma parte de la ruta de aprendizaje de Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development, y tu progreso se sincroniza en la web y la app de CoddyKit. El curso de Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development incluye 4 lecciones en total.

Partes de esta lección aún no han sido traducidas y se muestran en inglés.

Dynamic Process Management

In previous lessons, we learned about supervisors for managing a fixed set of processes. But what if your application needs to create or destroy processes on demand, like for each user session or a specific task?

This is where dynamic process management comes in handy. It allows your application to adapt and scale by creating processes only when they are needed.

Introducing DynamicSupervisor

Elixir's DynamicSupervisor is designed precisely for this purpose. Unlike Supervisor, which manages a predefined list of children, a DynamicSupervisor starts with no children.

It provides functions to dynamically add and remove child processes during runtime, giving you flexible control over your application's process tree.

Starting a DynamicSupervisor

To use a DynamicSupervisor, you first need to start it, typically within your application's supervision tree. Here's a basic setup:

defmodule MyApp.DynamicManager do
  use DynamicSupervisor

  def start_link(init_arg) do
    DynamicSupervisor.start_link(__MODULE__, init_arg, name: __MODULE__)
  end

  @impl true
  def init(_init_arg) do
    DynamicSupervisor.init(strategy: :one_for_one)
  end
end

# To run this in an IEx session:
# {:ok, pid} = MyApp.DynamicManager.start_link([])
# IO.puts("DynamicSupervisor started with PID: #{inspect(pid)}")

Adding Children Dynamically

Once your DynamicSupervisor is running, you can add new children using DynamicSupervisor.start_child/2. Each child needs a child specification defining how it should be started.

Let's create a simple GenServer that the supervisor can manage.

defmodule MyApp.Worker do
  use GenServer

  def start_link(id) do
    GenServer.start_link(__MODULE__, id, name: via_tuple(id))
  end

  def init(id) do
    IO.puts("Worker #{id} started!")
    {:ok, id}
  end

  defp via_tuple(id), do: {:via, Registry, {MyApp.Registry, id}}
end

defmodule MyApp.DynamicManager do
  use DynamicSupervisor

  def start_link(init_arg) do
    DynamicSupervisor.start_link(__MODULE__, init_arg, name: __MODULE__)
  end

  @impl true
  def init(_init_arg) do
    DynamicSupervisor.init(strategy: :one_for_one)
  end

  def start_worker(id) do
    child_spec = %{
      id: id,
      start: {MyApp.Worker, :start_link, [id]}
    }
    DynamicSupervisor.start_child(__MODULE__, child_spec)
  end
end

# To run this in an IEx session:
# {:ok, manager_pid} = MyApp.DynamicManager.start_link([])
# {:ok, worker_pid} = MyApp.DynamicManager.start_worker(:user_123)
# IO.puts("Worker PID: #{inspect(worker_pid)}")

Stopping Dynamic Children

Just as you can start children dynamically, you can also stop them. Use DynamicSupervisor.terminate_child/2 with the child's PID.

The supervisor will handle the graceful shutdown of the process.

defmodule MyApp.Worker do
  use GenServer

  def start_link(id) do
    GenServer.start_link(__MODULE__, id, name: {:global, id})
  end

  def init(id) do
    IO.puts("Worker #{id} started!")
    {:ok, id}
  end

  def terminate(_reason, id) do
    IO.puts("Worker #{id} stopping!")
  end
end

defmodule MyApp.DynamicManager do
  use DynamicSupervisor

  def start_link(init_arg) do
    DynamicSupervisor.start_link(__MODULE__, init_arg, name: __MODULE__)
  end

  @impl true
  def init(_init_arg) do
    DynamicSupervisor.init(strategy: :one_for_one)
  end

  def start_worker(id) do
    child_spec = %{id: id, start: {MyApp.Worker, :start_link, [id]}}
    DynamicSupervisor.start_child(__MODULE__, child_spec)
  end

  def stop_worker(worker_pid) do
    DynamicSupervisor.terminate_child(__MODULE__, worker_pid)
  end
end

# To run this in an IEx session:
# {:ok, manager_pid} = MyApp.DynamicManager.start_link([])
# {:ok, worker_pid} = MyApp.DynamicManager.start_worker(:task_A)
# :timer.sleep(100)
# MyApp.DynamicManager.stop_worker(worker_pid)
# :timer.sleep(100)
# IO.puts("Worker process should now be stopped.")

The Need for a Registry

When you start processes dynamically, how do you find them later? If you only have their PIDs, what happens if a process crashes and restarts with a new PID?

We need a way to assign a persistent, meaningful name to a process and look it up reliably, regardless of its current PID. This is where Elixir's Registry comes in.

What is Registry?

The Registry module provides a local, distributed, and fault-tolerant key-value store for associating arbitrary terms (keys) with process identifiers (PIDs).

It's perfect for looking up processes by a name or ID, especially when dealing with dynamic processes or when you want to use a custom name instead of global or local atoms.

Starting and Using Registry

Like other OTP behaviors, Registry needs to be started, typically as part of your application's supervision tree. You can define multiple registries, each with its own scope.

Once started, you can register processes with keys and look them up.

defmodule MyApp.Registry do
  use Registry, keys: :unique, name: __MODULE__
end

defmodule MyApp.WorkerWithRegistry do
  use GenServer

  def start_link(id) do
    GenServer.start_link(__MODULE__, id, name: {:via, Registry, {MyApp.Registry, id}})
  end

  def init(id) do
    IO.puts("Worker #{id} started and registered!")
    {:ok, id}
  end

  def get_state(pid) do
    GenServer.call(pid, :get_state)
  end

  @impl true
  def handle_call(:get_state, _from, state) do
    {:reply, state, state}
  end
end

# To run this in an IEx session:
# {:ok, _} = MyApp.Registry.start_link([]) # Start the registry
# {:ok, worker_pid} = MyApp.WorkerWithRegistry.start_link(:session_1)
# IO.puts("Registered worker PID: #{inspect(worker_pid)}")
#
# {:ok, [pid_found]} = Registry.lookup(MyApp.Registry, :session_1)
# IO.puts("Looked up PID: #{inspect(pid_found)}")
# IO.puts("Worker state: #{MyApp.WorkerWithRegistry.get_state(pid_found)}")

DynamicSupervisor with Registry

Combining DynamicSupervisor with Registry is a powerful pattern. You can dynamically start worker processes, and each worker registers itself with a unique key in the Registry.

This allows other parts of your application to find and interact with specific worker processes without needing their PIDs directly.

defmodule MyApp.UserSession do
  use GenServer

  def start_link(user_id) do
    # Register with Registry using the user_id as key
    GenServer.start_link(__MODULE__, user_id, name: {:via, Registry, {MyApp.SessionsRegistry, user_id}})
  end

  def init(user_id) do
    IO.puts("Session for user #{user_id} started.")
    {:ok, user_id}
  end

  def get_user_id(pid) do
    GenServer.call(pid, :get_user_id)
  end

  @impl true
  def handle_call(:get_user_id, _from, user_id) do
    {:reply, user_id, user_id}
  end
end

defmodule MyApp.SessionsRegistry do
  use Registry, keys: :unique, name: __MODULE__
end

defmodule MyApp.SessionSupervisor do
  use DynamicSupervisor

  def start_link(init_arg) do
    DynamicSupervisor.start_link(__MODULE__, init_arg, name: __MODULE__)
  end

  @impl true
  def init(_init_arg) do
    DynamicSupervisor.init(strategy: :one_for_one)
  end

  def start_session(user_id) do
    child_spec = %{
      id: user_id,
      start: {MyApp.UserSession, :start_link, [user_id]}
    }
    DynamicSupervisor.start_child(__MODULE__, child_spec)
  end
end

# --- Application Entry Point --- (Simulated)
{:ok, _registry_pid} = MyApp.SessionsRegistry.start_link([])
{:ok, _supervisor_pid} = MyApp.SessionSupervisor.start_link([])

# Start a session for user_101
{:ok, session_pid_1} = MyApp.SessionSupervisor.start_session(:user_101)
IO.puts("Session 1 PID: #{inspect(session_pid_1)}")

# Start a session for user_102
{:ok, session_pid_2} = MyApp.SessionSupervisor.start_session(:user_102)
IO.puts("Session 2 PID: #{inspect(session_pid_2)}")

# Look up user_101's session via Registry
{:ok, [pid_from_registry]} = Registry.lookup(MyApp.SessionsRegistry, :user_101)
IO.puts("Found user_101 session PID via Registry: #{inspect(pid_from_registry)}")
IO.puts("User ID from session: #{MyApp.UserSession.get_user_id(pid_from_registry)}")

Dynamic & Registry Quiz

Consider an application that uses DynamicSupervisor to manage user sessions and Registry to look up sessions by user ID. What is the primary benefit of using Registry in this scenario?

Recap: Dynamic & Registry

You've mastered dynamic process management!

  • DynamicSupervisor allows you to start and stop child processes on demand, making your application highly flexible and adaptable.
  • The Registry module provides a powerful key-value store for associating processes with meaningful names or IDs, enabling reliable lookup of dynamically started processes.

By combining these two, you can build robust, scalable applications that manage their resources efficiently.

Preguntas frecuentes

¿La lección «Supervisores dinámicos y Registry» es gratis?

Sí — el texto completo de «Supervisores dinámicos y Registry» es gratis para leer aquí en la web. Para practicarla de forma interactiva (editor de código integrado y tutor de IA 24/7) y desbloquear el resto del curso de Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development, actualiza a CoddyKit PRO. El curso de Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development incluye 4 lecciones en total.

¿Qué aprenderé en «Supervisores dinámicos y Registry»?

Aprenda a iniciar y detener procesos dinámicamente con `DynamicSupervisor` y a usar `Registry` para buscar procesos. Practicas Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development con código real que ejecutas directamente en el navegador, y un tutor de IA 24/7 responde tus preguntas mientras trabajas en la lección.

¿Necesito experiencia previa para empezar Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development?

No se requiere experiencia previa. Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development en CoddyKit está estructurado para principiantes hasta estudiantes avanzados, así que puedes empezar aquí o desde el inicio y avanzar a tu ritmo. Esta es la lección 3 de 4.

¿Cuánto tiempo toma la lección «Supervisores dinámicos y Registry»?

La mayoría de las lecciones de CoddyKit toman alrededor de 5–10 minutos. Cada una es compacta e interactiva, así que avanzas constantemente y retomas exactamente por donde dejaste en la web y la app.

¿Puedo escribir y ejecutar código en esta lección de Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development?

Sí. Cada lección de Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development incluye un editor de código integrado, así que escribes y ejecutas código real directamente en tu navegador y obtienes retroalimentación instantánea de IA — sin configuración local necesaria.

Todas las lecciones de este curso

  1. Elixir distribuido y clustering
  2. Estrategias avanzadas de supervisión
  3. Supervisores dinámicos y Registry
  4. GenStage y pipelines con backpressure
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