Deep Dive: The BEAM for Developers

Our BEAM course begins with a high-level introduction—not just what the BEAM is, but how to reason about processes, resilience, and system design. This isn't just code—it's the mental model top teams use to build systems that last.

This intensive course takes you from BEAM philosophy to expert-level proficiency. Through hands-on exercises and real-world scenarios, you'll master the runtime that powers WhatsApp, Discord, and countless mission-critical systems.

What You'll Learn

Module 1: BEAM Fundamentals

• Process architecture and scheduling
• Memory management and garbage collection
• Message passing and mailbox optimization
• Understanding the observer and runtime tools

Module 2: Advanced Debugging

• Production tracing without downtime
• Using recon and observer effectively
• Memory leak detection and prevention
• Performance profiling and optimization

Module 3: Scaling & Distribution

• Building distributed BEAM clusters
• Network partitions and split-brain handling
• Load balancing strategies
• Hot code loading in production

Module 4: Real-World Applications

• Building a fault-tolerant chat system
• Implementing circuit breakers
• Monitoring and alerting strategies
• Post-mortem analysis techniques

Why Start with Philosophy?

The BEAM course isn't just about syntax or code snippets—it starts by reshaping how your team thinks about system design, reliability, and concurrency. This high-level introduction lays the foundation for building applications that scale and survive in production, giving everyone on the team—from senior engineers to newer developers—a shared language for architecture and fault-tolerance.

Teams at Delta Exchange and elsewhere have found that this initial, "philosophical" session helped unify their approach, making the deep-dive technical sessions that follow even more impactful. The course bridges theory and practice, so you don't just learn the BEAM—you start thinking in processes, isolation, and robust flows from day one.

Course Format

• Duration: 3 days intensive or 6 weeks part-time
• Format: Online live sessions or on-site
• Prerequisites: Basic Erlang/Elixir knowledge
• Includes: Labs, exercises, and certification

Who Should Attend

• Developers working with Erlang, Elixir, or other BEAM languages
• System architects designing fault-tolerant systems
• DevOps engineers managing BEAM applications
• Anyone serious about understanding concurrent systems

Upcoming Sessions

• Online: Starting monthly
• On-site: Available for teams of 5+
• Self-paced: Coming Q2 2024