defmodule Phoenix.LiveController do @moduledoc ~S""" Controller-style abstraction for building multi-action live views on top of `Phoenix.LiveView`. `Phoenix.LiveView` API differs from `Phoenix.Controller` API in order to emphasize stateful lifecycle of live views, support long-lived processes behind them and accommodate their much looser ties with the router. Contrary to HTTP requests that are rendered and discarded, live actions are mounted and their processes stay alive to handle events & miscellaneous process interactions and to re-render as many times as necessary. Because of these extra complexities, the library drives developers towards single live view per router action. At the same time, `Phoenix.LiveView` provides a complete solution for router-aware live navigation and it introduces the concept of live actions both in routing and in the live socket. These features mean that many live views may play a role similar to classic controllers. It's all about efficient code organization - just like a complex live view's code may need to be broken into multiple modules or live components, a bunch of simple live actions centered around similar topic or resource may be best organized into a single live view module, keeping the related web logic together and giving the room to share common code. That's where `Phoenix.LiveController` comes in: to organize live view code that covers multiple live actions in a fashion similar to how Phoenix controllers organize multiple HTTP actions. It provides a pragmatic convention that still keeps pieces of a stateful picture visible by enforcing clear function annotations. Here's a live view equivalent of a HTML controller generated with the `mix phx.gen.html Blog Article articles ...` scaffold, powered by `Phoenix.LiveController`: # lib/my_app_web.ex defmodule MyAppWeb do # ... def live do quote do use Phoenix.LiveController alias MyAppWeb.Router.Helpers, as: Routes end end end # lib/my_app_web/router.ex defmodule MyAppWeb.Router do # ... scope "/", MyAppWeb do # ... live "/articles", ArticleLive, :index live "/articles/new", ArticleLive, :new live "/articles/:id", ArticleLive, :show live "/articles/:id/edit", ArticleLive, :edit end end # lib/my_app_web/live/article_live.ex defmodule MyAppWeb.ArticleLive do use MyAppWeb, :live alias MyApp.Blog alias MyApp.Blog.Article @action_mount true def index(socket, _params) do articles = Blog.list_articles() assign(socket, articles: articles) end @action_mount true def new(socket, _params) do changeset = Blog.change_article(%Article{}) assign(socket, changeset: changeset) end @event_handler true def create(socket, %{"article" => article_params}) do case Blog.create_article(article_params) do {:ok, article} -> socket |> put_flash(:info, "Article created successfully.") |> push_redirect(to: Routes.article_path(socket, :show, article)) {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{} = changeset} -> assign(socket, changeset: changeset) end end @action_mount true def show(socket, %{"id" => id}) do article = Blog.get_article!(id) assign(socket, article: article) end @action_mount true def edit(socket, %{"id" => id}) do article = Blog.get_article!(id) changeset = Blog.change_article(article) assign(socket, article: article, changeset: changeset) end @event_handler true def update(socket, %{"article" => article_params}) do article = socket.assigns.article case Blog.update_article(article, article_params) do {:ok, article} -> socket |> put_flash(:info, "Article updated successfully.") |> push_redirect(to: Routes.article_path(socket, :show, article)) {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{} = changeset} -> assign(socket, article: article, changeset: changeset) end end @event_handler true def delete(socket, %{"id" => id}) do article = Blog.get_article!(id) {:ok, _article} = Blog.delete_article(article) socket |> put_flash(:info, "Article deleted successfully.") |> push_redirect(to: Routes.article_path(socket, :index)) end end `Phoenix.LiveController` is not meant to be a replacement of `Phoenix.LiveView` - although any live view may be implemented with it, it will likely prove beneficial only for specific kinds of live views. These include: * Live equivalents of HTML resources, e.g. those generated by `mix phx.gen.html` * Live actions that share some mounting or event handling logic, e.g. auth logic * Live views that don't do much besides mounting and handling events, e.g. GenServer logic Finally, there's really no complex magic behind `Phoenix.LiveController` - it's just a simple, purely functional abstraction that's easy to comprehend and that doesn't hack or hide any of the core live view functionality - which is still at the wheel, available if needed. ## Mounting actions *Action mounts* replace `c:Phoenix.LiveView.mount/3` entry point in order to split mounting of specific live actions into separate functions. They are annotated with `@action_mount true` and, just like with Phoenix controller actions, their name is the name of the action they mount. # lib/my_app_web/router.ex live "/articles", ArticleLive, :index live "/articles/:id", ArticleLive, :show # lib/my_app_web/live/article_live.ex defmodule MyAppWeb.ArticleLive do use Phoenix.LiveController @action_mount true def index(socket, _params) do articles = Blog.list_articles() assign(socket, articles: articles) end @action_mount true def show(socket, %{"id" => id}) do article = Blog.get_article!(id) assign(socket, article: article) end end Note that action mounts don't have to wrap the resulting socket in the `{:ok, socket}` tuple, which also brings them closer to Phoenix controller actions. ## Handling events *Event handlers* replace `c:Phoenix.LiveView.handle_event/3` callbacks in order to make the event handling code consistent with the action mounting code. These functions are annotated with `@event_handler true` and their name is the name of the event they handle. # lib/my_app_web/templates/article/*.html.leex <%= link "Delete", to: "#", phx_click: :delete, phx_value_id: article.id, data: [confirm: "Are you sure?"] %> # lib/my_app_web/live/article_live.ex defmodule MyAppWeb.ArticleLive do use Phoenix.LiveController # ... @event_handler true def delete(socket, %{"id" => id}) do article = Blog.get_article!(id) {:ok, _article} = Blog.delete_article(article) socket |> put_flash(:info, "Article deleted successfully.") |> push_redirect(to: Routes.article_path(socket, :index)) end end Note that, consistently with action mounts, event handlers don't have to wrap the resulting socket in the `{:noreply, socket}` tuple. Also note that, as a security measure, LiveController won't convert binary names of events that don't have corresponding event handlers into atoms that wouldn't be garbage collected. ## Applying session Session, previously passed to `c:Phoenix.LiveView.mount/3`, is not passed through to action mounts. Instead, an optional `c:apply_session/2` callback may be defined in order to read the session and modify socket before any action mount is called. defmodule MyAppWeb.ArticleLive do use Phoenix.LiveController @impl true def apply_session(socket, session) do user_token = session["user_token"] user = user_token && Accounts.get_user_by_session_token(user_token) assign(socket, current_user: user) end # ... end Note that, in a fashion similar to controller plugs, no further action mounting logic will be called if the returned socket was redirected - more on that below. ## Pipelines Phoenix controllers are [backed by the power of Plug pipelines](https://hexdocs.pm/phoenix/Phoenix.Controller.html#module-plug-pipeline) in order to organize common code called before actions and to allow halting early. LiveController provides its own simplified solution for these problems via optional `c:before_action_mount/3` and `c:before_event_handler/3` callbacks supported by the `unless_redirected/2` helper function. `c:before_action_mount/3` acts on a socket after session is applied but before an actual action mount is called. defmodule MyAppWeb.ArticleLive do use Phoenix.LiveController @impl true def before_action_mount(socket, _name, _params) do assign(socket, page_title: "Blog") end # ... end Similarly, `c:before_event_handler/3` callback acts on a socket before an actual event handler is called. defmodule MyAppWeb.ArticleLive do use Phoenix.LiveController @impl true def before_event_handler(socket, _name, _params) do require_authenticated_user(socket) end # ... end After these callbacks, live controller calls `c:action_mount/3` and `c:event_handler/3` respectively, but only if the socket was not redirected which is guaranteed by internal use of the `unless_redirected/2` function. This simple helper calls any function that takes socket as argument & that returns it only if the socket wasn't previously redirected and passes the socket through otherwise. It may also be used inside an actual action mount or event handler code for a similar result. defmodule MyAppWeb.ArticleLive do use Phoenix.LiveController @action_mount true def edit(socket, %{"id" => id}) do socket |> require_authenticated_user() |> unless_redirected(&assign(&1, article: Blog.get_article!(id))) |> unless_redirected(&authorize_article_author(&1, &1.assigns.article)) |> unless_redirected(&assign(&1, changeset: Blog.change_article(&.assigns.article))) end end Finally, `c:action_mount/3` and `c:event_handler/3`, rough equivalents of [`action/2`](https://hexdocs.pm/phoenix/Phoenix.Controller.html#module-overriding-action-2-for-custom-arguments) plug in Phoenix controllers, complete the pipeline by calling functions named after specific actions or events. ## Specifying LiveView options Any options that were previously passed to `use Phoenix.LiveView`, such as `:layout` or `:container`, may now be passed to `use Phoenix.LiveController`. use Phoenix.LiveController, layout: {MyAppWeb.LayoutView, "live.html"} ## Rendering actions Implementation of the `c:Phoenix.LiveView.render/1` callback, previously required in every live view, may now be omitted in which case the default implementation will be injected. It'll ask the view module named after specific live module to render HTML template named after the action - the same way that Phoenix controllers do when the `Phoenix.Controller.render/2` is called without a template name. For example, `MyAppWeb.ArticleLive` mounted with `:index` action will render with following call: MyAppWeb.ArticleView.render("index.html", assigns) Custom `c:Phoenix.LiveView.render/1` implementation may still be provided if necessary. """ alias Phoenix.LiveView.Socket @doc ~S""" Allows to read the session and modify socket before any action mount is called. Read more about how to apply the session and the consequences of returning redirected socket from this callback in docs for `Phoenix.LiveController`. """ @callback apply_session( socket :: Socket.t(), session :: map ) :: Socket.t() @doc ~S""" Acts on a socket after session is applied but before an actual action mount is called. Read more about the role that this callback plays in the live controller pipeline and the consequences of returning redirected socket from this callback in docs for `Phoenix.LiveController`. """ @callback before_action_mount( socket :: Socket.t(), name :: atom, params :: Socket.unsigned_params() ) :: Socket.t() @doc ~S""" Invokes action mount for specific action. It can be overridden, e.g. in order to modify the list of arguments passed to action mounts. @impl true def action_mount(socket, name, params) do apply(__MODULE__, name, [socket, params, socket.assigns.current_user]) end It can be wrapped, e.g. for sake of logging or modifying the socket returned from action mounts. @impl true def action_mount(socket, name, params) do Logger.debug("#{__MODULE__} started mounting #{name}") socket = super(socket, name, params) Logger.debug("#{__MODULE__} finished mounting #{name}") socket end Read more about the role that this callback plays in the live controller pipeline in docs for `Phoenix.LiveController`. """ @callback action_mount( socket :: Socket.t(), name :: atom, params :: Socket.unsigned_params() ) :: Socket.t() @doc ~S""" Acts on a socket before an actual event handler is called. Read more about the role that this callback plays in the live controller pipeline and the consequences of returning redirected socket from this callback in docs for `Phoenix.LiveController`. """ @callback before_event_handler( socket :: Socket.t(), name :: atom, params :: Socket.unsigned_params() ) :: Socket.t() @doc ~S""" Invokes event handler for specific event. It works in a analogous way and opens analogous possibilities to `c:action_mount/3`. Read more about the role that this callback plays in the live controller pipeline in docs for `Phoenix.LiveController`. """ @callback event_handler( socket :: Socket.t(), name :: atom, params :: Socket.unsigned_params() ) :: Socket.t() @optional_callbacks apply_session: 2, before_action_mount: 3, action_mount: 3, before_event_handler: 3, event_handler: 3 defmacro __using__(opts) do view_module = __CALLER__.module |> to_string() |> String.replace(~r/Live$/, "View") |> String.to_atom() quote do use Phoenix.LiveView, unquote(opts) @behaviour unquote(__MODULE__) Module.register_attribute(__MODULE__, :actions, accumulate: true) Module.register_attribute(__MODULE__, :events, accumulate: true) @on_definition unquote(__MODULE__) @before_compile unquote(__MODULE__) import unquote(__MODULE__) def mount(params, session, socket) do action = socket.assigns.live_action unless Enum.member?(__live_controller__(:actions), action), do: raise("#{inspect(__MODULE__)} doesn't implement action mount for #{inspect(action)}") socket |> apply_session(session) |> unless_redirected(&before_action_mount(&1, action, params)) |> unless_redirected(&action_mount(&1, action, params)) |> wrap_socket(&{:ok, &1}) end def apply_session(socket, _session), do: socket def before_action_mount(socket, _name, _params), do: socket def action_mount(socket, name, params), do: apply(__MODULE__, name, [socket, params]) def handle_event(event_string, params, socket) do unless Enum.any?(__live_controller__(:events), &(to_string(&1) == event_string)), do: raise( "#{inspect(__MODULE__)} doesn't implement event handler for #{inspect(event_string)}" ) event = String.to_atom(event_string) socket |> before_event_handler(event, params) |> unless_redirected(&event_handler(&1, event, params)) |> wrap_socket(&{:noreply, &1}) end def before_event_handler(socket, _name, _params), do: socket def event_handler(socket, name, params), do: apply(__MODULE__, name, [socket, params]) defp wrap_socket(socket = %Phoenix.LiveView.Socket{}, wrapper), do: wrapper.(socket) defp wrap_socket(misc, _wrapper), do: misc def render(assigns = %{live_action: action}) do unquote(view_module).render("#{action}.html", assigns) end defoverridable apply_session: 2, before_action_mount: 3, action_mount: 3, before_event_handler: 3, event_handler: 3, render: 1 end end defmacro __before_compile__(_env) do quote do Module.delete_attribute(__MODULE__, :action_mount) Module.delete_attribute(__MODULE__, :event_handler) @doc false def __live_controller__(:actions), do: @actions def __live_controller__(:events), do: @events end end def __on_definition__(env, _kind, name, _args, _guards, _body) do action = Module.delete_attribute(env.module, :action_mount) event = Module.delete_attribute(env.module, :event_handler) cond do action -> Module.put_attribute(env.module, :actions, name) event -> Module.put_attribute(env.module, :events, name) true -> :ok end end @doc ~S""" Calls given function if socket wasn't redirected, passes the socket through otherwise. Read more about the role that this function plays in the live controller pipeline in docs for `Phoenix.LiveController`. """ def unless_redirected(socket = %{redirected: nil}, func), do: func.(socket) def unless_redirected(redirected_socket, _func), do: redirected_socket end