gleam-lang/gleam

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

★ 21,412RustAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5LicenseSetup · moderate

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

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

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What do people build with it?

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.

What is it built with?

GleamRustErlangBEAM

How does it compare?

	gleam-lang/gleam	bee-san/ciphey	rust-lang/mdbook
Stars	21,412	21,374	21,591
Language	Rust	Rust	Rust
Setup difficulty	moderate	hard	easy
Complexity	3/5	3/5	2/5
Audience	developer	developer	developer

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get 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?

Frequently asked questions

What is gleam?

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

What language is gleam written in?

Mainly Rust. The stack also includes Gleam, Rust, Erlang.

What license does gleam use?

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

How hard is gleam to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is gleam for?

Mainly developer.

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