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Erlang / Lists Maps and Binaries

Binary pattern matching

Learn Binary pattern matching in Erlang through a focused explanation, a dedicated topic-specific example, an engineering boundary, and a mastery check.

10 min read • Beginner

Binary pattern matching is a focused Erlang lesson inside Lists Maps and Binaries. The example uses the construct named in the lesson directly rather than reusing a generic placeholder.

Trace the example from its inputs through Binary pattern matching and identify the behavior that would change if that construct were removed or replaced. Pay attention to the language-specific rules shown by the syntax, because neighboring lessons intentionally exercise different mechanisms.

Topic-specific example

erlang-0028-28faede5d5.erl
erlang Try It Live 
-module(example).
-export([run/0]).
run() ->
    {ok, Value} = {ok, 42},
    io:format("~p~n", [Value]).
% Distinct check: maps:get(status, #{status => ok}).
Edge case / engineering note

For Binary pattern matching, test one realistic boundary: empty data, invalid input, unavailable resources, lifetime/cleanup, type constraints, or concurrency timing where applicable. A successful happy path is not enough to prove the construct is used correctly.

Content source & attribution
Original Syntaxis Content · Original Syntaxis Content

Lesson quizzes

Binary pattern matching Mastery Check →
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