# Phoenix

> Build and debug Phoenix web interfaces and HTTP endpoints. Use for LiveView lifecycle and data loading, components, forms, routes, controllers, Plug, channels, and PubSub. Use ecto for changesets, queries, and persistence behind those interfaces.

- Skill: `georgeguimaraes/phoenix` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add georgeguimaraes/phoenix`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/georgeguimaraes/phoenix/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: georgeguimaraes (https://skillmd.com/u/georgeguimaraes)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/georgeguimaraes/phoenix

---


# Phoenix

Structure Phoenix interfaces, load LiveView data, and scope real-time updates.

## Where to Load Data: mount vs handle_params

Default: load data in `mount/3`.

```elixir
def mount(_params, _session, socket) do
  posts = Blog.list_posts(socket.assigns.current_scope)
  {:ok, assign(socket, posts: posts)}
end
```

Yes, mount runs twice on initial load (HTTP dead render + WebSocket connect). So does `handle_params/3`. That's the LiveView lifecycle, not a bug to route around. Moving queries from mount to handle_params does not dedupe them.

Use `handle_params/3` for data that changes on live navigation (`push_patch` / `<.link patch={...}>`). mount does not re-run on patches, handle_params does.

```elixir
def handle_params(%{"filter" => filter}, _uri, socket) do
  posts = Blog.list_posts(socket.assigns.current_scope, filter)
  {:noreply, assign(socket, posts: posts, filter: filter)}
end
```

When the initial double-load actually matters, the real tools are:
- `connected?(socket)` to gate work to the connected render (loses SEO / no-JS rendering)
- `assign_async/3` to load after mount returns, in a separate process
- `assign_new/3` to reuse values already set on `conn.assigns` by upstream Plugs (e.g. `:current_user`), or shared from a parent LiveView. It does not dedupe arbitrary work across the dead/connected boundary: the function still runs on connected mount.

```elixir
def mount(_params, _session, socket) do
  posts = if connected?(socket), do: Blog.list_posts(socket.assigns.current_scope), else: []
  {:ok, assign(socket, posts: posts)}
end
```

## Scopes: Security-First Pattern (Phoenix 1.8+)

Scopes address OWASP #1 vulnerability: Broken Access Control. Authorization context is threaded automatically—no more forgetting to scope queries.

```elixir
def list_posts(%Scope{user: user}) do
  Post |> where(user_id: ^user.id) |> Repo.all()
end
```

## PubSub Topics Must Be Scoped

```elixir
def subscribe(%Scope{organization: org}) do
  Phoenix.PubSub.subscribe(@pubsub, "posts:org:#{org.id}")
end
```

Unscoped topics = data leaks between tenants.

## External Polling: GenServer, Not LiveView

**Bad:** Every connected user makes API calls (multiplied by users).
**Good:** Single GenServer polls, broadcasts to all via PubSub.

## Components Receive Data, LiveViews Own Data

- **Functional components:** Display-only, no internal state
- **LiveComponents:** Own state, handle own events
- **LiveViews:** Full page, owns URL, top-level state

## Async Data Loading

Use `assign_async/3` for data that can load after mount:

```elixir
def mount(_params, _session, socket) do
  {:ok, assign_async(socket, :user, fn -> {:ok, %{user: fetch_user()}} end)}
end
```

## Gotchas from Core Team

### LiveView terminate/2 Requires trap_exit

`terminate/2` only fires if you're trapping exits—which you shouldn't do in LiveView.

**Fix:** Use a separate GenServer that monitors the LiveView process via `Process.monitor/1`, then handle `:DOWN` messages to run cleanup.

### start_async Duplicate Names: Later Wins

Calling `start_async` with the same name while a task is in-flight: the **later one wins**, the previous task's result is ignored.

**Fix:** Call `cancel_async/3` first if you want to abort the previous task.

### Channel Intercept Socket State is Stale

The socket in `handle_out` intercept is a snapshot from subscription time, not current state.

**Why:** Socket is copied into fastlane lookup at subscription time for performance.

**Fix:** Use separate topics per role, or fetch current state explicitly.

### CSS Class Precedence is Stylesheet Order

When merging classes on components, precedence is determined by **stylesheet order**, not HTML order. If `btn-primary` appears later in the compiled CSS than `bg-red-500`, it wins regardless of HTML order.

**Fix:** Use variant props instead of class merging.

### Upload Content-Type Can't Be Trusted

The `:content_type` in `%Plug.Upload{}` is user-provided. Always validate actual file contents (magic bytes) and rewrite filename/extension.

### Read Body Before Plug.Parsers for Webhooks

To verify webhook signatures, you need the raw body. But Plug.Parsers consumes it.

```elixir
{:ok, body, conn} = Plug.Conn.read_body(conn)
verify_signature!(conn, body)
%{conn | body_params: JSON.decode!(body)}
```

Don't use `preserve_req_body: true`—it keeps the entire body in memory for ALL requests.

## Red Flags - STOP and Reconsider

- Loading patch-mutable data in mount/3 instead of handle_params/3
- Unscoped PubSub topics in multi-tenant app
- LiveView polling external APIs directly
- Using terminate/2 for cleanup (won't fire without trap_exit)
- Calling start_async with same name without cancel_async first
- Relying on socket.assigns in Channel intercepts (stale!)
- CSS class merging for component customization (use variants)
- Trusting `%Plug.Upload{}.content_type` for security

**Any of these? Re-read the Gotchas section.**