---
name: Ash Framework
slug: ash-framework
category: AI Engineering
description: Ash Framework guides generating and editing Ash resources, actions, policies, validations, and code interfaces in Phoenix and LiveView apps. Use it when working with Ash codegen, domain interfaces, or AshPhoenix.Form.
github: "https://github.com/oliver-kriska/claude-elixir-phoenix/tree/main/plugins/elixir-phoenix/skills/ash-framework"
language: Python
stars: 533
forks: 38
install: "npx degit https://github.com/oliver-kriska/claude-elixir-phoenix/tree/main/plugins/elixir-phoenix/skills/ash-framework ~/.claude/skills/ash-framework"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/ash-framework
source_path: plugins/elixir-phoenix/skills/ash-framework/SKILL.md
collection_size: 25
category_size: 2451
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/oliver-kriska/claude-elixir-phoenix"
added: 2026-08-26T05:11:32.275Z
last_synced: 2026-08-26T05:11:32.275Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/ash-framework"
---

# Ash Framework

Ash Framework guides generating and editing Ash resources, actions, policies, validations, and code interfaces in Phoenix and LiveView apps. Use it when working with Ash codegen, domain interfaces, or AshPhoenix.Form.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/oliver-kriska/claude-elixir-phoenix/tree/main/plugins/elixir-phoenix/skills/ash-framework ~/.claude/skills/ash-framework
```

## README

# Ash Framework Reference

Reference for Ash Framework in Phoenix/LiveView projects.
Ash complements Phoenix/Ecto — LiveView, security, and OTP Iron Laws still apply.
Only data access patterns shift toward Ash actions and domain code interfaces.

## Iron Laws

1. **USE DOMAIN CODE INTERFACES** — Never call `Ash.create/Ash.read` directly in LiveViews or Controllers; use domain code interfaces: `MyApp.Accounts.register_user()` not `Ash.create(User, attrs)`
2. **SET ACTOR/SCOPE AT QUERY PREP, NOT EXECUTION** — Pass `actor:` or `scope:` to
   `for_read/for_create/for_action` (prep), NOT to `Ash.read!/Ash.create!` (execution);
   execution-level actor bypasses row-level policy evaluation. If project uses `Ash.Scope`,
   pass `scope:` consistently instead of bare `actor:` — do not mix styles
3. **GENERATORS FIRST** — Before writing Ash code manually, run `mix ash.gen.resource` or `mix ash.gen.domain` with `--yes`; check `mix help ash.gen.<task>` for options
4. **CODEGEN AFTER RESOURCE CHANGES** — Always run `mix ash.codegen` after modifying resources; this generates migrations from resource snapshots — never write AshPostgres migrations by hand
5. **ACTIONS OVER FUNCTIONS** — Put business logic in named actions, not domain functions; expose via code interfaces defined on the domain
6. **NEVER EDIT RESOURCE SNAPSHOTS** — `priv/resource_snapshots/` is owned exclusively by `mix ash.codegen`; manual edits corrupt migration tracking
7. **NO DIRECT `Repo.*` IN ASH PROJECTS** — `Repo.all/get/insert` bypass Ash policies and notifications; use domain code interfaces. Any `Repo` call in an Ash project is an escape hatch and must be documented

## Quick Reference

### Domain Code Interface Pattern

```elixir
# Domain definition
defmodule MyApp.Accounts do
  use Ash.Domain

  resources do
    resource MyApp.Accounts.User do
      define :register_user, action: :create, args: [:email, :password]
      define :get_user_by_email, action: :read, get_by: [:email]
    end
  end
end

# In LiveView/Controller — always via domain, never Ash.create directly
{:ok, user} = MyApp.Accounts.register_user(email, password, actor: nil)
user = MyApp.Accounts.get_user_by_email!(email, actor: current_user)
```

### Authorization — Actor/Scope at Query Prep

```elixir
# CORRECT — actor at query prep, policies evaluated per-row
MyApp.Post
|> Ash.Query.for_read(:list_published, %{}, actor: current_user)
|> Ash.read!()

# CORRECT with Ash.Scope (carries actor + tenant + context; use if project adopts it)
MyApp.Post
|> Ash.Query.for_read(:list_published, %{}, scope: scope)
|> Ash.read!()

# WRONG — actor at execution bypasses row-level policy evaluation
MyApp.Post
|> Ash.Query.for_read(:list_published)
|> Ash.read!(actor: current_user)
```

### Ash.Scope — When the Project Uses It

`Ash.Scope` bundles `actor + tenant + context` into a single struct passed through actions.
Implement `Ash.Scope.ToOpts` on a project-defined scope struct:

```elixir
defimpl Ash.Scope.ToOpts, for: MyApp.Scope do
  def get_actor(%{current_user: u}), do: {:ok, u}
  def get_tenant(%{current_tenant: t}), do: {:ok, t}
  def get_context(%{locale: l}), do: {:ok, %{shared: %{locale: l}}}
  def get_tracer(_), do: :error
  def get_authorize?(_), do: :error
end
```

**Detection**: if the project has a `Scope` module implementing `Ash.Scope.ToOpts`, use
`scope:` everywhere instead of bare `actor:`. Do NOT mix the two styles in the same codebase.
See `mix usage_rules.docs Ash.Scope` for full protocol spec.

### File Conventions (from `mix ash.gen.*`)

| File           | Location                          | Behaviour                     |
| -------------- | --------------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| Changes        | `lib/app/ctx/changes/name.ex`     | `use Ash.Resource.Change`     |
| Policy Checks  | `lib/app/ctx/checks/name.ex`      | `use Ash.Policy.Check`        |
| Custom Actions | `lib/app/ctx/actions/name.ex`     | generic action logic          |
| Custom Types   | `lib/app/ctx/types/name.ex`       | `use Ash.Type`                |
| Validations    | `lib/app/ctx/validations/name.ex` | `use Ash.Resource.Validation` |

### Generator Workflow

```bash
mix ash.gen.resource MyApp.Accounts.User --yes
mix ash.gen.domain MyApp.Accounts --yes
mix ash.codegen        # reads resource snapshots → generates migration
mix ash.migrate
```

## Research

Prefer the highest-fidelity source available:

1. **Tidewave** (exact version from `mix.lock`):

   ```
   mcp__tidewave__get_docs(module: "Ash.Resource")
   mcp__tidewave__get_docs(module: "AshPhoenix.Form")
   ```

2. **usage_rules** (project-synced to your installed ash_* dep versions):

   ```bash
   mix usage_rules.search_docs "<topic>" -p ash -p ash_phoenix -p ash_postgres -p ash_authentication -p ash_oban
   mix usage_rules.docs Ash.Resource
   ```

3. **WebFetch hexdocs.pm** (fallback when neither is available):

   ```
   WebFetch(url: "https://hexdocs.pm/ash/Ash.Resource.html", prompt: "Extract module docs.")
   ```

If `usage_rules` is not configured, the SessionStart hook suggests how to install it.