AshPhoenix Guidelines

AshPhoenix Guidelines

AshPhoenix integrates Ash Framework with Phoenix, providing AshPhoenix.Form for forms backed by Ash resources.

Creating Forms

# For creating a new resource
form = AshPhoenix.Form.for_create(MyApp.Blog.Post, :create) |> to_form()

# For updating an existing resource
post = MyApp.Blog.get_post!(post_id)
form = AshPhoenix.Form.for_update(post, :update) |> to_form()

# With initial values
form = AshPhoenix.Form.for_create(MyApp.Blog.Post, :create,
  params: %{title: "Draft Title"}
) |> to_form()

Code Interface Forms

Add the AshPhoenix extension to domains for form_to_* functions:

# In domain
use Ash.Domain,
  extensions: [AshPhoenix]

resources do
  resource MyApp.Accounts.User do
    define :register_with_password, args: [:email, :password]
  end
end

# Usage - generates form_to_register_with_password
MyApp.Accounts.form_to_register_with_password(...opts)

Positional Arguments in Forms

By default, args from define are ignored for forms. Configure in forms section:

forms do
  form :register_with_password, args: [:email]
end

# Usage
MyApp.Accounts.form_to_register_with_password(email, ...)

Use positional arguments for values that shouldn't be editable in the form (e.g., user_id on a user-specific page).

Form Validation & Submission

def handle_event("validate", %{"form" => params}, socket) do
  form = AshPhoenix.Form.validate(socket.assigns.form, params)
  {:noreply, assign(socket, :form, form)}
end

def handle_event("submit", %{"form" => params}, socket) do
  case AshPhoenix.Form.submit(socket.assigns.form, params: params) do
    {:ok, post} ->
      socket =
        socket
        |> put_flash(:info, "Post created successfully")
        |> push_navigate(to: ~p"/​posts/#{post.id}")
      {:noreply, socket}

    {:error, form} ->
      {:noreply, assign(socket, :form, form)}
  end
end

Nested Forms

If your action has manage_relationship, AshPhoenix automatically infers nested forms:

# In resource
create :create do
  accept [:name]
  argument :locations, {:array, :map}
  change manage_relationship(:locations, type: :create)
end

<.simple_form for={@form} phx-change="validate" phx-submit="submit">
  <.input field={@form[:name]} />

  <.inputs_for :let={location} field={@form[:locations]}>
    <.input field={location[:name]} />
  </​.inputs_for>
</​.simple_form>

Adding Nested Forms

<.button type="button" phx-click="add-form" phx-value-path={@form.name <> "[locations]"}>
  <.icon name="hero-plus" />
</​.button>

def handle_event("add-form", %{"path" => path}, socket) do
  form = AshPhoenix.Form.add_form(socket.assigns.form, path)
  {:noreply, assign(socket, :form, form)}
end

Removing Nested Forms

<.button type="button" phx-click="remove-form" phx-value-path={location.name}>
  <.icon name="hero-x-mark" />
</​.button>

def handle_event("remove-form", %{"path" => path}, socket) do
  form = AshPhoenix.Form.remove_form(socket.assigns.form, path)
  {:noreply, assign(socket, :form, form)}
end

Union Forms

For union types with different inputs per type:

<.inputs_for :let={fc} field={@form[:content]}>
  <.input
    field={fc[:_union_type]}
    phx-change="type-changed"
    type="select"
    options={[Normal: "normal", Special: "special"]}
  />

  <%= case fc.params["_union_type"] do %>
    <% "normal" -> %>
      <.input type="text" field={fc[:body]} />
    <% "special" -> %>
      <.input type="text" field={fc[:text]} />
  <% end %>
</​.inputs_for>

def handle_event("type-changed", %{"_target" => path} = params, socket) do
  new_type = get_in(params, path)
  path = :lists.droplast(path)

  form =
    socket.assigns.form
    |> AshPhoenix.Form.remove_form(path)
    |> AshPhoenix.Form.add_form(path, params: %{"_union_type" => new_type})

  {:noreply, assign(socket, :form, form)}
end

Debugging Form Errors

Errors only display when they implement AshPhoenix.FormData.Error protocol and have field/fields set.

# See ALL errors (including ones not shown in UI)
AshPhoenix.Form.raw_errors(form, for_path: :all)

# See errors that will be displayed (implement protocol + have fields)
AshPhoenix.Form.errors(form, for_path: :all)

For action errors not tied to fields, display with flash messages or notices at form top/​bottom.

Best Practices

1. Let the Resource guide the UI - Well-defined resources with validations make AshPhoenix more effective
2. Use code interfaces - Define on domains for clean, consistent API
3. Load before editing - Use Ash.load!/​2 to load all required relationships before creating update forms