AngularJS, developed by Google, has revolutionized web development by simplifying the creation of dynamic, single-page applications (SPAs). Released in 2010, it quickly gained popularity among developers for its flexibility, efficiency, and extensive feature set. In this essay, we will delve into the world of AngularJS, exploring its key features, advantages, and its impact on modern web development.
I. Understanding AngularJS
AngularJS is an open-source JavaScript framework designed for building web applications with a focus on enhancing the user experience. It employs a declarative approach to programming, which means developers describe what they want to achieve rather than writing extensive code to achieve it. The framework extends the capabilities of HTML by adding custom attributes and elements, making it more dynamic and suitable for SPA development.
II. Key Features of AngularJS
- Two-Way Data Binding: One of AngularJS’s defining features is its two-way data binding. Changes made in the user interface (UI) are automatically reflected in the underlying data model and vice versa. This eliminates the need for manual synchronization between the UI and data, simplifying code maintenance.
- Modularity and Dependency Injection: AngularJS promotes modularity by allowing developers to create reusable components and modules. Dependency injection facilitates the management of component dependencies, making the application more maintainable and testable.
- Directives: AngularJS introduces custom HTML directives that extend the functionality of HTML tags. Developers can create their own directives or use built-in ones like ng-repeat, ng-model, and ng-if to manipulate the DOM and enhance UI interactivity.
- Routing: AngularJS offers a powerful routing system that enables developers to build SPAs with multiple views. This allows for seamless navigation between different sections of an application without reloading the entire page.
- Services: Services are singleton objects that perform specific tasks, such as handling HTTP requests or sharing data between components. AngularJS’s service architecture encourages the development of reusable and maintainable code.
III. Advantages of AngularJS
- Rapid Development: AngularJS accelerates development by providing ready-made solutions for common web development tasks. Developers can focus on business logic rather than low-level infrastructure.
- Maintainability: Its modular structure, dependency injection, and separation of concerns make AngularJS applications highly maintainable. This is especially beneficial for large-scale projects.
- Community and Ecosystem: AngularJS boasts a vast and active community, offering a wealth of resources, tutorials, and third-party libraries. This support network facilitates problem-solving and continuous improvement.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: AngularJS allows developers to build applications that work seamlessly on different platforms, including web browsers and mobile devices.
- Testing: AngularJS was designed with testing in mind. It provides built-in support for unit testing, end-to-end testing, and mocking, ensuring the reliability of applications.
IV. Impact on Web Development
AngularJS has had a profound impact on the web development landscape. It influenced the development of other JavaScript frameworks, such as React and Vue.js, which adopted similar concepts like component-based architecture and virtual DOM. Its popularity also led to the emergence of the MEAN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js), which offers a full-stack JavaScript solution for building web applications.
Furthermore, the principles introduced by AngularJS have shaped modern web development practices. Concepts like declarative programming, component-based architecture, and two-way data binding have become industry standards, making it easier for developers to create dynamic and responsive web applications.
Conclusion
AngularJS, with its innovative features and benefits, has played a pivotal role in the evolution of web development. It has empowered developers to build sophisticated SPAs with ease, fostering a thriving community and ecosystem. As the web development landscape continues to evolve, AngularJS’s influence remains palpable, making it an enduring and significant framework in the world of technology.
There are a lot of JS frameworks available on the internet. AngularJS was one of them and it could be used to for developing mobile and web applications. A lot of Apps developed in AngularJS are still working around the internet.
AngularJS Local computer setup process:
Local setup link: https://angular.io/guide/setup-local
A. To install through terminal window, download a text editor eg. ‘Atom‘
(Once Atom installed and opened first time, better to right click on it and click on ‘Pin to taskbar’, for easy access later.)
B. Install terminal window in Atom. To install:
- Open file>settings.
- Click “+” (install)
- Search for a terminal package called “platformio-ide-terminal”
- Click “install”.
- Press Crtl + ` to toggle the terminal.
C. Create a folder for project in your computer. Open ‘Atom’. Click on ‘File’ menu on top left corner of Atom and click on ‘Add Project Folder’ in Atom. Add the empty created in computer, for project.
D. After that paste this npm command inside Terminal window and press Enter:
npm install -g @angular/cli
(If it don’t install, there maybe need to install NodeJS on your computer first.
Read all the messages showing in terminal to understand if any error comes. They can be copied and searched on google for possible solutions.)
E. Once, the execution of last command completes, next run this command in terminal:
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
F. After that run this command:
ng new my-app
(‘my-app’ is the name of your project, in above command. You can change its name as per your project.)
G. Enter ‘y’ for yes, when asked during setup process.
H. Change path of project in terminal window by typing:
cd my-app
(Remember ‘my-app’ is the name of your project, which you need to change in above command.)
I. After that enter enter command:
ng serve --open
(After that press Enter key on keyboard and for message shown press Enter again.
It will automatically open a new browser window with output of current AngularJS files on Computer installed.)
J. Click on ‘Learn Angular’ to follow learning procedure.
K. Once you completed working on project, you can close ongoing process in CLI by press Ctrl+C
Learn AngularJS:
A. To start coding in it, go to app.component.ts file in project,
Your Project Folder > src > app > app.component.ts
(Here you can change your project’s Title text. Changes you make in files, automatically reflect in output browser window opened by command
ng serve --open
.)
B. HTML part of project can be coded in file app.component.html in ‘app’ folder.
(You can leave the toolbar, <style> or CSS code related to it and {{ title }} part of code, to get readymade toolbar and delete rest of the HTML code, to code own project. You can change logo image and menu items in this code, related to project.)
C. In src/styles.css file you can type your CSS code.
D. Follow rest of the instructions at Angular – Create a new project to learn basic coding pattern of AngularJS.
Move AngularJS Project to Live Server:
Run command:
ng build
(It will create ‘dist’ folder in project. Copy inner files of ‘dist’ folder and upload on live server. It will run the project on live website.
All app.component files mixed code move to “main.js” file. So best to create project on local and once ready, then move to live server. Editing can be best done on local files as well, then upload on live server.)
AngularJS support for any further issues or upgradations has been ended on December 31, 2021 however there a lot of other JS frameworks available now like ReactJS, VueJS, etc. Contact for tasks in AngularJS.