Beyond Your First NIF - Advanced Techniques for High Performance Native Implemented Functions

Explore advanced Native Implemented Functions (NIFs) development in this conference talk that takes you beyond basic NIF creation to build high-performance integrations with the BEAM virtual machine. Learn essential techniques for avoiding scheduler blocking, the cardinal sin of NIF development, and discover how to handle complex data types including Elixir maps and binaries efficiently. Master the management of stateful resources that require proper cleanup by the BEAM's garbage collector, and explore advanced capabilities such as process monitoring from within NIFs and sending messages to GenServers using registered names. Understand the various ways NIFs can interact with the BEAM to extend functionality far beyond simple synchronous code execution. Gain practical debugging skills for troubleshooting segmentation faults and other critical issues that can crash the entire BEAM system. Examine implementation language choices and discover libraries that enhance ergonomics across different programming languages, with concepts applicable regardless of your chosen implementation approach.