Structs in Elixir are special maps with a fixed set of keys, providing a way to define custom data types and enhancing code clarity and maintainability.

Structs are a powerful feature in Elixir that extend the capabilities of maps by introducing a fixed set of keys and providing additional structure to your data types. A struct is defined using the defstruct keyword within a module, allowing you to specify the keys that make up the struct. For example, you could define a User struct like this: defmodule User do defstruct [:name, :age] end. This definition allows you to create instances of the struct that enforce a specific shape, making your code more predictable and easier to work with. Structs also come with built-in functionality; they are automatically treated as maps but offer the benefit of compile-time checks for their keys. This helps catch errors early in development, as accessing undefined keys will raise an error. Moreover, structs can be pattern-matched, which is useful for handling complex data structures cleanly. By using structs, Elixir developers can create more organized and maintainable code, enhancing the overall clarity of their applications.