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gleam-lang/gleam

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TLDR

A statically typed programming language that compiles to Erlang, catching type errors at compile time for safer, more reliable systems.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Gleam))
    What it does
      Statically typed
      Compiles to Erlang
      Type-safe systems
    Tech stack
      Rust compiler
      Erlang runtime
      BEAM VM
    Use cases
      Concurrent services
      Reliable backends
      Distributed systems
    Key traits
      Friendly syntax
      Compile-time safety
      Scalable runtime

Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Build concurrent backend services that handle many simultaneous connections reliably.

USE CASE 2

Create distributed systems where type safety prevents runtime failures across nodes.

USE CASE 3

Develop scalable applications leveraging Erlang's proven fault-tolerance and hot-reload capabilities.

Tech stack

GleamRustErlangBEAM

Getting it running

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires Erlang/OTP runtime and Gleam compiler installation; compilation to BEAM adds a build step.

Use freely for any purpose including commercial. Keep the notice and disclose changes to the patent grant.

In plain English

Gleam is a statically typed programming language designed for building type-safe, scalable systems. Based on the description and topics, it compiles to run on the Erlang virtual machine, a runtime known for handling many concurrent operations reliably, and emphasizes friendliness and type safety, meaning the compiler catches type errors before the program runs rather than at runtime. The compiler itself is written in Rust. The README does not provide further detail about its features, architecture, supported platforms, or use cases, so a complete explanation is not possible from the provided data alone.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Show me how to set up a basic Gleam project and compile it to Erlang.
Prompt 2
How do I write a simple concurrent server in Gleam that handles multiple client connections?
Prompt 3
Explain Gleam's type system and how it prevents common runtime errors before deployment.
Prompt 4
What are the differences between Gleam and Elixir, and when should I choose Gleam?
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Generated 2026-05-18 · Model: sonnet-4-6 · Verify against the repo before relying on details.