Phoenix as an API Powerhouse: Architecting JSON-First Backends for Real-World Frontends

For all its acclaim as a real-time framework, Phoenix’s quieter strength is how elegantly it handles the old-fashioned — building JSON APIs that serve the modern web. While LiveView and WebSockets dominate the conversation, the reality is that most production apps still depend on robust, well-structured HTTP APIs — for mobile clients, SPAs, embedded devices, and third-party integrations. Phoenix doesn’t force a single architectural style. It lets you build real-time WebSocket apps and JSON-first APIs side by side. But building a Phoenix API that scales — one that’s easy to maintain, fast to evolve, and safe to expose — takes intention. Start with the Router Phoenix promotes cohesion. You don’t need a separate app just for APIs. You can define an API pipeline and route precisely: pipeline :api do plug :accepts, ["json"] plug :put_secure_browser_headers end scope "/api/v1", MyAppWeb do pipe_through :api resources "/users", UserController, only: [:index, :show, :create] end Keep it: Stateless Session-free CSRF-disabled Exactly what a public or semi-public API demands. Think in Resources, Not Screens Don’t write controllers that mimic UI screens. Think in business objects: users, posts, orders, payments. Stick with show, create, update, delete where it makes sense. Introduce custom actions when needed — just be consistent. Design your API. Don’t just assemble it. Own Your Serialization Ecto schemas ≠ serializers. Don’t just: Repo.get!(User, id) |> json(conn) Instead, use Phoenix views to shape JSON explicitly: render(conn, "user.json", user: user) Inside the view: def render("user.json", %{user: user}) do %{ id: user.id, name: user.name, email: user.email, inserted_at: user.inserted_at } end ✅ Flatten relationships ✅ Consistently include timestamps ✅ Strip internal metadata Stable, predictable shapes are what your clients want. Validate Like a Pro Changesets aren’t just for DB writes — use them for input validation: def create(conn, %{"user" => user_params}) do case Accounts.create_user(user_params) do {:ok, user} -> conn |> put_status(:created) |> render("user.json", user: user) {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{} = changeset} -> conn |> put_status(:unprocessable_entity) |> render(MyAppWeb.ChangesetView, "error.json", changeset: changeset) end end Build structured error responses that frontends can parse, not raw 422s with cryptic messages. Auth Without the Bloat Phoenix doesn’t force you into sessions or cookies. That’s good. For APIs, token-based auth is the norm: Extract token from the header Validate it in a plug Assign user to conn.assigns plug MyAppWeb.Plugs.Authenticate # In the plug: def call(conn, _opts) do case get_token(conn) |> MyApp.Auth.verify_token() do {:ok, user} -> assign(conn, :current_user, user) :error -> conn |> send_resp(401, "Unauthorized") |> halt() end end Do this once, upstream in your pipeline. Downstream controllers stay clean and focused. Operability Isn’t Optional Rate limiting. Logging. Instrumentation. You can’t operate what you can’t see. Use Telemetry for endpoint timings and response codes Use structured logging: log user_id, request_id, params Logger.metadata(user_id: user.id, request_id: get_req_header(conn, "x-request-id")) Catch failures before your users do. Version from Day One Phoenix won’t force you to version your API. You still should. Use: /api/v1 Not: /api That way, when your data structure inevitably changes, you don’t break old clients. Lean on Context Modules Controllers are not your business layer. Your business logic lives in context modules: Accounts.create_user(params) Payments.approve_invoice(invoice_id) Projects.deactivate(project_id) That keeps your logic reusable — from CLI, background jobs, or LiveView. It also makes your API a clean interface, not the core of your system. Phoenix Performance: Built In Phoenix is: Fast Lightweight Concurrent Easy to scale horizontally When your API gets popular, or your mobile app goes viral — Phoenix holds up. That’s not fluff. That’s confidence. Real-Time + REST, Unified You don’t have to choose between LiveView and APIs. Phoenix lets you: Serve real-time LiveView interfaces Serve mobile apps and external clients from the same codebase Reuse context logic across both It’s not just flexibility — it’s consistency. Think Like a Systems Designer Not just “what controller do I write?” Ask: What contract am I exposing? What expectations am I setting? What happens when those expectations break? The more you think in terms of clear, stable, resilient interfaces, the better your Phoenix API will be. And the easier it becomes for: Frontend teams Integration partners

Jun 11, 2025 - 07:40

Phoenix as an API Powerhouse: Architecting JSON-First Backends for Real-World Frontends

For all its acclaim as a real-time framework, Phoenix’s quieter strength is how elegantly it handles the old-fashioned — building JSON APIs that serve the modern web.

While LiveView and WebSockets dominate the conversation, the reality is that most production apps still depend on robust, well-structured HTTP APIs — for mobile clients, SPAs, embedded devices, and third-party integrations.

Phoenix doesn’t force a single architectural style. It lets you build real-time WebSocket apps and JSON-first APIs side by side. But building a Phoenix API that scales — one that’s easy to maintain, fast to evolve, and safe to expose — takes intention.

Start with the Router

Phoenix promotes cohesion. You don’t need a separate app just for APIs.

You can define an API pipeline and route precisely:

pipeline :api do
  plug :accepts, ["json"]
  plug :put_secure_browser_headers
end

scope "/api/v1", MyAppWeb do
  pipe_through :api
  resources "/users", UserController, only: [:index, :show, :create]
end

Keep it:

Stateless
Session-free
CSRF-disabled

Exactly what a public or semi-public API demands.

Think in Resources, Not Screens

Don’t write controllers that mimic UI screens.

Think in business objects: users, posts, orders, payments.

Stick with show, create, update, delete where it makes sense.

Introduce custom actions when needed — just be consistent.

Design your API. Don’t just assemble it.

Own Your Serialization

Ecto schemas ≠ serializers.

Don’t just:

Repo.get!(User, id) |> json(conn)

Instead, use Phoenix views to shape JSON explicitly:

render(conn, "user.json", user: user)

Inside the view:

def render("user.json", %{user: user}) do
  %{
    id: user.id,
    name: user.name,
    email: user.email,
    inserted_at: user.inserted_at
  }
end

✅ Flatten relationships

✅ Consistently include timestamps

✅ Strip internal metadata

Stable, predictable shapes are what your clients want.

Validate Like a Pro

Changesets aren’t just for DB writes — use them for input validation:

def create(conn, %{"user" => user_params}) do
  case Accounts.create_user(user_params) do
    {:ok, user} ->
      conn
      |> put_status(:created)
      |> render("user.json", user: user)

    {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{} = changeset} ->
      conn
      |> put_status(:unprocessable_entity)
      |> render(MyAppWeb.ChangesetView, "error.json", changeset: changeset)
  end
end

Build structured error responses that frontends can parse, not raw 422s with cryptic messages.

Auth Without the Bloat

Phoenix doesn’t force you into sessions or cookies. That’s good.

For APIs, token-based auth is the norm:

Extract token from the header
Validate it in a plug
Assign user to conn.assigns

plug MyAppWeb.Plugs.Authenticate

# In the plug:
def call(conn, _opts) do
  case get_token(conn) |> MyApp.Auth.verify_token() do
    {:ok, user} -> assign(conn, :current_user, user)
    :error -> conn |> send_resp(401, "Unauthorized") |> halt()
  end
end

Do this once, upstream in your pipeline.

Downstream controllers stay clean and focused.

Operability Isn’t Optional

Rate limiting. Logging. Instrumentation.

You can’t operate what you can’t see.

Use Telemetry for endpoint timings and response codes
Use structured logging: log user_id, request_id, params

Logger.metadata(user_id: user.id, request_id: get_req_header(conn, "x-request-id"))

Catch failures before your users do.

Version from Day One

Phoenix won’t force you to version your API. You still should.

Use:

/api/v1

Not:

/api

That way, when your data structure inevitably changes, you don’t break old clients.

Lean on Context Modules

Controllers are not your business layer.

Your business logic lives in context modules:

Accounts.create_user(params)
Payments.approve_invoice(invoice_id)
Projects.deactivate(project_id)

That keeps your logic reusable — from CLI, background jobs, or LiveView.

It also makes your API a clean interface, not the core of your system.

Phoenix Performance: Built In

Phoenix is:

Fast
Lightweight
Concurrent
Easy to scale horizontally

When your API gets popular, or your mobile app goes viral — Phoenix holds up.

That’s not fluff. That’s confidence.

Real-Time + REST, Unified

You don’t have to choose between LiveView and APIs.

Phoenix lets you:

Serve real-time LiveView interfaces
Serve mobile apps and external clients from the same codebase
Reuse context logic across both

It’s not just flexibility — it’s consistency.

Think Like a Systems Designer

Not just “what controller do I write?”

Ask:

What contract am I exposing?
What expectations am I setting?
What happens when those expectations break?

The more you think in terms of clear, stable, resilient interfaces, the better your Phoenix API will be.

And the easier it becomes for:

Frontend teams
Integration partners
Your future self

To build confidently on top of it.

Want to Go Deeper?

If you're serious about using Phoenix LiveView like a pro, I’ve put together a detailed PDF guide:

Phoenix LiveView: The Pro’s Guide to Scalable Interfaces and UI Patterns

20-page deep dive
Advanced LiveView features
Architecture tips
Reusable design patterns

Whether you’re starting fresh or modernizing legacy apps, this guide will help you build confidently and scalably with Phoenix.