Phoenix API Generator
Workflow
From OpenAPI YAML
- Parse the OpenAPI spec — extract paths, schemas, request/response bodies.
- Map each schema to an Ecto schema + migration.
- Map each path to a controller action; group by resource context.
- Generate auth plugs from
securitySchemes.
- Generate ExUnit tests covering happy path + validation errors.
From Natural Language
- Extract resources, fields, types, and relationships from the description.
- Infer context boundaries (group related resources).
- Generate schemas, migrations, controllers, views, router, and tests.
- Ask the user to confirm before writing files.
File Generation Order
- Migrations (timestamps prefix:
YYYYMMDDHHMMSS)
- Ecto schemas + changesets
- Context modules (CRUD functions)
- Controllers + FallbackController
- JSON renderers (Phoenix 1.7+
*JSON modules, or *View for older)
- Router scope + pipelines
- Auth plugs
- Tests + factories
Phoenix Conventions
See references/phoenix-conventions.md for project structure, naming, context patterns.
Key rules:
- One context per bounded domain (e.g.,
Accounts, Billing, Notifications).
- Context is the public API — controllers never call Repo directly.
- Schemas live under contexts:
MyApp.Accounts.User.
- Controllers delegate to contexts; return
{:ok, resource} or {:error, changeset}.
- Use
FallbackController with action_fallback/1 to handle error tuples.
Ecto Patterns
See references/ecto-patterns.md for schema, changeset, migration details.
Key rules:
- Always use
timestamps(type: :utc_datetime_usec).
- Binary IDs:
@primary_key {:id, :binary_id, autogenerate: true} + @foreign_key_type :binary_id.
- Separate
create_changeset/2 and update_changeset/2 when create/update fields differ.
- Validate required fields, formats, and constraints in changesets — not in controllers.
Multi-Tenancy
Add tenant_id :binary_id to every tenant-scoped table. Pattern:
# In context
def list_resources(tenant_id) do
Resource
|> where(tenant_id: ^tenant_id)
|> Repo.all()
end
# In plug — extract tenant from conn and assign
defmodule MyAppWeb.Plugs.SetTenant do
import Plug.Conn
def init(opts), do: opts
def call(conn, _opts) do
tenant_id = get_req_header(conn, "x-tenant-id") |> List.first()
assign(conn, :tenant_id, tenant_id)
end
end
Always add a composite index on [:tenant_id, <resource_id or lookup field>].
Auth Plugs
API Key
defmodule MyAppWeb.Plugs.ApiKeyAuth do
import Plug.Conn
def init(opts), do: opts
def call(conn, _opts) do
with [key] <- get_req_header(conn, "x-api-key"),
{:ok, account} <- Accounts.authenticate_api_key(key) do
assign(conn, :current_account, account)
else
_ -> conn |> send_resp(401, "Unauthorized") |> halt()
end
end
end
Bearer Token
defmodule MyAppWeb.Plugs.BearerAuth do
import Plug.Conn
def init(opts), do: opts
def call(conn, _opts) do
with ["Bearer " <> token] <- get_req_header(conn, "authorization"),
{:ok, claims} <- MyApp.Token.verify(token) do
assign(conn, :current_user, claims)
else
_ -> conn |> send_resp(401, "Unauthorized") |> halt()
end
end
end
Router Structure
scope "/api/v1", MyAppWeb do
pipe_through [:api, :authenticated]
resources "/users", UserController, except: [:new, :edit]
resources "/teams", TeamController, except: [:new, :edit] do
resources "/members", MemberController, only: [:index, :create, :delete]
end
end
Test Generation
See references/test-patterns.md for ExUnit, Mox, factory patterns.
Key rules:
- Use
async: true on all tests that don't share state.
- Use
Ecto.Adapters.SQL.Sandbox for DB isolation.
- Factory module using
ex_machina or hand-rolled build/1, insert/1.
- Test contexts and controllers separately.
- For controllers: test status codes, response body shape, and error cases.
- Mock external services with
Mox — define behaviours, set expectations in test.
Controller Test Template
defmodule MyAppWeb.UserControllerTest do
use MyAppWeb.ConnCase, async: true
import MyApp.Factory
setup %{conn: conn} do
user = insert(:user)
conn = put_req_header(conn, "authorization", "Bearer #{token_for(user)}")
{:ok, conn: conn, user: user}
end
describe "index" do
test "lists users", %{conn: conn} do
conn = get(conn, ~p"/api/v1/users")
assert %{"data" => users} = json_response(conn, 200)
assert is_list(users)
end
end
describe "create" do
test "returns 201 with valid params", %{conn: conn} do
params = params_for(:user)
conn = post(conn, ~p"/api/v1/users", user: params)
assert %{"data" => %{"id" => _}} = json_response(conn, 201)
end
test "returns 422 with invalid params", %{conn: conn} do
conn = post(conn, ~p"/api/v1/users", user: %{})
assert json_response(conn, 422)["errors"] != %{}
end
end
end
JSON Renderer (Phoenix 1.7+)
defmodule MyAppWeb.UserJSON do
def index(%{users: users}), do: %{data: for(u <- users, do: data(u))}
def show(%{user: user}), do: %{data: data(user)}
defp data(user) do
%{
id: user.id,
email: user.email,
inserted_at: user.inserted_at
}
end
end
Checklist Before Writing
Source: Demerzels-lab/elsamultiskillagent — distributed by TomeVault.
1---2name: phoenix-api-gen3description: Generate a full Phoenix JSON API from an OpenAPI spec or natural language description. Creates contexts, Ecto schemas, migrations, controllers, JSON views/renderers, router entries, ExUnit tests with factories, auth plugs, and tenant scoping. Use when building a new Phoenix REST API, adding CRUD endpoints, scaffolding resources, or converting an OpenAPI YAML into a Phoenix project. Use when this capability is needed.4---56# Phoenix API Generator78## Workflow910### From OpenAPI YAML11121. Parse the OpenAPI spec — extract paths, schemas, request/response bodies.132. Map each schema to an Ecto schema + migration.143. Map each path to a controller action; group by resource context.154. Generate auth plugs from `securitySchemes`.165. Generate ExUnit tests covering happy path + validation errors.1718### From Natural Language19201. Extract resources, fields, types, and relationships from the description.212. Infer context boundaries (group related resources).223. Generate schemas, migrations, controllers, views, router, and tests.234. Ask the user to confirm before writing files.2425## File Generation Order26271. Migrations (timestamps prefix: `YYYYMMDDHHMMSS`)282. Ecto schemas + changesets293. Context modules (CRUD functions)304. Controllers + FallbackController315. JSON renderers (Phoenix 1.7+ `*JSON` modules, or `*View` for older)326. Router scope + pipelines337. Auth plugs348. Tests + factories3536## Phoenix Conventions3738See [references/phoenix-conventions.md](references/phoenix-conventions.md) for project structure, naming, context patterns.3940Key rules:41- One context per bounded domain (e.g., `Accounts`, `Billing`, `Notifications`).42- Context is the public API — controllers never call Repo directly.43- Schemas live under contexts: `MyApp.Accounts.User`.44- Controllers delegate to contexts; return `{:ok, resource}` or `{:error, changeset}`.45- Use `FallbackController` with `action_fallback/1` to handle error tuples.4647## Ecto Patterns4849See [references/ecto-patterns.md](references/ecto-patterns.md) for schema, changeset, migration details.5051Key rules:52- Always use `timestamps(type: :utc_datetime_usec)`.53- Binary IDs: `@primary_key {:id, :binary_id, autogenerate: true}` + `@foreign_key_type :binary_id`.54- Separate `create_changeset/2` and `update_changeset/2` when create/update fields differ.55- Validate required fields, formats, and constraints in changesets — not in controllers.5657## Multi-Tenancy5859Add `tenant_id :binary_id` to every tenant-scoped table. Pattern:6061```elixir62# In context63def list_resources(tenant_id) do64 Resource65 |> where(tenant_id: ^tenant_id)66 |> Repo.all()67end6869# In plug — extract tenant from conn and assign70defmodule MyAppWeb.Plugs.SetTenant do71 import Plug.Conn72 def init(opts), do: opts73 def call(conn, _opts) do74 tenant_id = get_req_header(conn, "x-tenant-id") |> List.first()75 assign(conn, :tenant_id, tenant_id)76 end77end78```7980Always add a composite index on `[:tenant_id, <resource_id or lookup field>]`.8182## Auth Plugs8384### API Key8586```elixir87defmodule MyAppWeb.Plugs.ApiKeyAuth do88 import Plug.Conn89 def init(opts), do: opts90 def call(conn, _opts) do91 with [key] <- get_req_header(conn, "x-api-key"),92 {:ok, account} <- Accounts.authenticate_api_key(key) do93 assign(conn, :current_account, account)94 else95 _ -> conn |> send_resp(401, "Unauthorized") |> halt()96 end97 end98end99```100101### Bearer Token102103```elixir104defmodule MyAppWeb.Plugs.BearerAuth do105 import Plug.Conn106 def init(opts), do: opts107 def call(conn, _opts) do108 with ["Bearer " <> token] <- get_req_header(conn, "authorization"),109 {:ok, claims} <- MyApp.Token.verify(token) do110 assign(conn, :current_user, claims)111 else112 _ -> conn |> send_resp(401, "Unauthorized") |> halt()113 end114 end115end116```117118## Router Structure119120```elixir121scope "/api/v1", MyAppWeb do122 pipe_through [:api, :authenticated]123124 resources "/users", UserController, except: [:new, :edit]125 resources "/teams", TeamController, except: [:new, :edit] do126 resources "/members", MemberController, only: [:index, :create, :delete]127 end128end129```130131## Test Generation132133See [references/test-patterns.md](references/test-patterns.md) for ExUnit, Mox, factory patterns.134135Key rules:136- Use `async: true` on all tests that don't share state.137- Use `Ecto.Adapters.SQL.Sandbox` for DB isolation.138- Factory module using `ex_machina` or hand-rolled `build/1`, `insert/1`.139- Test contexts and controllers separately.140- For controllers: test status codes, response body shape, and error cases.141- Mock external services with `Mox` — define behaviours, set expectations in test.142143### Controller Test Template144145```elixir146defmodule MyAppWeb.UserControllerTest do147 use MyAppWeb.ConnCase, async: true148149 import MyApp.Factory150151 setup %{conn: conn} do152 user = insert(:user)153 conn = put_req_header(conn, "authorization", "Bearer #{token_for(user)}")154 {:ok, conn: conn, user: user}155 end156157 describe "index" do158 test "lists users", %{conn: conn} do159 conn = get(conn, ~p"/api/v1/users")160 assert %{"data" => users} = json_response(conn, 200)161 assert is_list(users)162 end163 end164165 describe "create" do166 test "returns 201 with valid params", %{conn: conn} do167 params = params_for(:user)168 conn = post(conn, ~p"/api/v1/users", user: params)169 assert %{"data" => %{"id" => _}} = json_response(conn, 201)170 end171172 test "returns 422 with invalid params", %{conn: conn} do173 conn = post(conn, ~p"/api/v1/users", user: %{})174 assert json_response(conn, 422)["errors"] != %{}175 end176 end177end178```179180## JSON Renderer (Phoenix 1.7+)181182```elixir183defmodule MyAppWeb.UserJSON do184 def index(%{users: users}), do: %{data: for(u <- users, do: data(u))}185 def show(%{user: user}), do: %{data: data(user)}186187 defp data(user) do188 %{189 id: user.id,190 email: user.email,191 inserted_at: user.inserted_at192 }193 end194end195```196197## Checklist Before Writing198199- [ ] Migrations use `timestamps(type: :utc_datetime_usec)`200- [ ] Binary IDs configured if project uses UUIDs201- [ ] Tenant scoping applied where needed202- [ ] Auth plug wired in router pipeline203- [ ] FallbackController handles `{:error, changeset}` and `{:error, :not_found}`204- [ ] Tests cover 200, 201, 404, 422 status codes205- [ ] Factory defined for each schema206207---208> Source: [Demerzels-lab/elsamultiskillagent](https://github.com/Demerzels-lab/elsamultiskillagent) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).209<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-05-22 -->