What is Angular? – Features and Advantages

Angular is a JavaScript framework that’s open-source and written in TypeScript. Maintained by Google, its main aim is to facilitate the development of single-page applications. Angular, as a framework, offers distinct advantages and provides a standardized structure for developers, enabling the creation of large, maintainable applications.

The Need for a Framework

Generally, frameworks enhance web development efficiency and performance by offering a consistent structure, saving developers from the repetitive task of coding from scratch. Frameworks are valuable time-savers, equipping developers with additional features that can be integrated into software effortlessly.

The Case for Angular

JavaScript is widely used for client-side scripting, embedded in HTML documents to interact with web pages in various ways. Its relative ease of learning and widespread support make it apt for modern application development.

However, JavaScript alone may not be the best fit for developing single-page applications that demand modularity, testability, and enhanced developer productivity.

Presently, there is a range of frameworks and libraries offering alternative solutions. Angular development services – Aimprosoft, specifically in front-end web development, addresses many challenges encountered when using JavaScript alone.

Angular Versions Explained

The term “Angular” encompasses various versions of the framework. Initially developed in 2009, Angular has seen numerous iterations over time.

Initially, there was Angular 1, later known as AngularJS. This was followed by Angular 2, then subsequent versions like 3, 4, 5, up to the latest, Angular 11, released on 11/11/2020. Each new version of Angular builds upon its predecessors, fixing bugs, resolving issues, and adapting to the increasing complexity of modern platforms.

For designing apps optimized for mobile devices or more intricate applications, updating to the latest version of Angular is advisable.

Angular’s Key Features

Document Object Model (DOM)

DOM, standing for Document Object Model, views an XML or HTML document as a tree structure, where each node is a part of the document. Angular utilizes the regular DOM. For instance, if there are ten updates on an HTML page, Angular updates the entire HTML tag tree structure instead of just the previously updated ones.

TypeScript

TypeScript adds a set of types to JavaScript, aiding users in writing more comprehensible JavaScript code. All TypeScript code compiles into JavaScript and runs effectively across any platform. While TypeScript is not mandatory for developing an Angular application, it is strongly advised due to its enhanced syntactic structure, making the codebase more understandable and maintainable.

Data Binding

Data binding allows users to manipulate web page elements through a web browser, using dynamic HTML without needing extensive scripting or programming. It’s commonly used in interactive web components like calculators, tutorials, forums, and games, and is beneficial for incrementally displaying web pages containing substantial data.

Angular implements two-way binding, where changes in UI elements are immediately reflected in the model state and vice versa. This binds the DOM to the model data via the controller, enhancing the framework’s ability to link changes between the UI and model data seamlessly. Angular’s data-binding feature significantly eases the real-time synchronization of applications’ user interfaces and is utilized effectively owing to libraries like Wijmo’s Angular Datagrid Component. This flexibility ensures comprehensive dynamic content management without extensive JS coding.

Testing in Angular

Angular employs the Jasmine testing framework, which offers a variety of functions for writing different types of test cases. Karma, a task-runner for these tests, relies on a configuration file to set parameters like start-up, reporters, and the testing framework.

Now familiar with Angular’s fundamental features, delving into its architecture is crucial for those working with Angular regularly. Expanding your Angular knowledge is possible through the Angular Certification Training Course, which covers topics like TypeScript, Bootstrap Grid System, dependency injections, SPAs, forms, pipes, promises, observables, and Angular class testing.

Advantages of Angular

One key challenge for Angular is its emergence in a domain heavily influenced by its primary competitor, React (as detailed in our React vs Angular comparison). The intense debate between Google’s framework and Facebook’s offering should be considered when selecting the most suitable tool for your upcoming project. Now, let’s examine the primary advantages that Angular offers to the engineering community and dedicated developers team https://www.aimprosoft.com/services/dedicated-software-development-team/. 

• Component-Based Architecture Enhancing Developer Productivity

Angular’s components are akin to small UI pieces, such as sections of an application. Each component is self-contained, with Angular establishing a strict component hierarchy.

• Built-In Tools for High Performance

Several factors contribute to application speed. Angular’s performance is boosted by features like hierarchical dependency injection, Angular Universal, the Ivy renderer, differential loading, and other tools.

Hierarchical Dependency Injection: Angular employs an advanced hierarchical dependency injection model. This system decouples components from their dependencies, allowing parallel operation. Angular forms a distinct tree of dependency injectors that can be modified without altering components, thus dependencies are external rather than internal.

• Google’s Support and Comprehensive Documentation

Many engineers regard Google’s backing of Angular as a significant advantage. Google not only uses Angular for its internal tools and public-facing sites like Google Cloud Platform and AdWords but also regularly updates the framework, provides robust technical support, and maintains detailed documentation.

• Angular Material for Aesthetic UIs

Material Design, a set of visual elements for UI creation in Android, iOS, Flutter, and web projects, is constantly updated by the Angular team. Angular Material prioritizes user interaction with digital products, aiming for seamless and visually appealing experiences.

Angular Material provides prebuilt components, including form controls, navigation elements, layouts, buttons, indicators, popups, modal windows, and data tables, all tailored for Angular and easily integrated into projects.

• Extensive Ecosystem

Angular’s longstanding presence has resulted in a wealth of packages, plugins, add-ons, and development tools. The Angular Resources list offers a glimpse into this, featuring IDEs, tooling, UI environments, Angular Universal for server-side rendering, analytics tools, ASP .NET facilities, data libraries, and more.

• Angular Elements for Cross-Environment Compatibility

Angular Elements can be used in non-Angular projects, such as those built with Vue.js, React, or jQuery. Angular components can be wrapped as DOM elements (Custom Elements) for reuse, facilitating technology switches within diverse project environments.