Angular Introduction


Overview of Angular Framework:

It utilizes the model-view-controller (MVC) architecture whereby application logic, presentation layer, and data are divided into different components.

TypeScript, which is a superset of JavaScript providing static typing and other advanced features to JavaScript programming language, is the main language used in building applications with angular.

The core building blocks of Angular include:

  • Components: These are independent units that make up Angular applications including HTML templates, TypeScript code as well as CSS styles. Components wrap specific functionalities which can be reused throughout the application.
  • Directives: They give additional behavior to HTML and help developers create their own customized reusable HTML elements or attributes.
  • Services: These encapsulate reusable business logic and data manipulation tasks. By doing this they enable modularization of code which promotes maintainability by sharing functionality among different components.
  • Modules: Angular applications are organized into modules, which are containers for related components, directives, pipes, and services. Modules help manage the application's complexity and enable modularization and lazy loading of features.
  • Templates: Angular templates are HTML files that define the user interface of the application. They can include Angular-specific syntax for data binding, event handling, and structural directives.

Key Features and Advantages of Angular:

  • Angular’s Two-Way Data Binding: This framework has strong capabilities in data binding such that it allows for smooth and automatic synchronization of data between the model and the view i.e. any change in the model will be reflected on the view automatically.
  • Dependency Injection: Angular comes with a built-in dependency injection system which simplifies managing dependencies and encourages loosely coupled, easily testable components.
  • Routing: For single page applications with multiple views, Angular provides powerful routing functionality. Developers can define routes, assign them to corresponding components, and implement navigation between different views.
  • Forms: Angular supports template-driven forms as well as reactive forms which are useful when building complex forms with validation, error handling and data binding features.
  • HTTP Client: The powerful HTTP client module in Angular enables developers to make HTTP requests to backend servers. It offers request/response interception, error handling, observables support amongst others.
  • Testing Support: Angular includes built-in support for unit testing and end-to-end testing. It has tools like TestBed that can be used to test components, services and other angular artifacts.

Angular Ecosystem and Version History:

The Angular ecosystem consists of a wide range of tools, libraries, and extensions that complement the core Angular framework. Some popular tools and libraries in the Angular ecosystem include Angular CLI (Command Line Interface) for project scaffolding and build automation, Angular Material for implementing Material Design components, NgRx for state management using Redux principles, and AngularFire for integrating Angular with Firebase.

Angular has undergone several major releases since its initial launch, with each release introducing new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes. The version history of Angular includes AngularJS (1.x), Angular 2, Angular 4, Angular 5, Angular 6, Angular 7, Angular 8, Angular 9, Angular 10, Angular 11, and the latest version as of now, Angular 12. Angular follows Semantic Versioning (SemVer), where major releases introduce breaking changes, while minor and patch releases include backward-compatible enhancements and bug fixes.