What is Erlang programming?

Erlang is a functional, concurrent programming language designed for building scalable and fault-tolerant systems, especially in telecommunications and distributed environments. It features lightweight processes, robust error handling, and hot code swapping, making it ideal for systems that require high availability. Erlang's runtime environment, the BEAM virtual machine, allows it to handle millions of concurrent activities efficiently. Companies use Erlang for messaging systems, databases, and real-time applications due to its reliability and performance.