The Difference Between AngularJS and Angular: All You Need To Know

AngularJS and Angular are frameworks used for building predominantly SPAs or Single Page Web Applications. Angular is the successor to AngularJS.

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What are the key differences Between AngularJS and Angular?

AngularJS and Angular are both developed and maintained by Google for building web applications but whilst they have many of the same features, they so have significant differences. AngularJS, released in 2010, is the original version and uses JavaScript which supports the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture. It has a two-way data binding approach, which can lead to performance issues in complex applications. Angular on the other hand, (often referred to as Angular 2+), was introduced in 2016 and it is essentially a complete rewrite of AngularJS, built with TypeScript. It offers improved performance, a component-based architecture and features such as dependency injection, reactive programming with RxJS and a more modular structure.

Language

• • AngularJS - This is a JavaScript framework.
  • Angular - TypeScript is the primary language - a statically typed superset of JavaScript which offers improved tooling, type checking and advanced features.

Versions

• • AngularJS - This is the original version (1.x) of the framework, released in 2010.
  • Angular - Refers to versions 2 and above which are essentially a total rewrite of AngularJS, starting from 2016.

Architecture

• • AngularJS - Based on the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture.
  • Angular - Uses a component-based architecture which makes it more modular and means it’s easier to manage.

Tooling and CLI

• • AngularJS - Limited support for modern tooling.
  • Angular - Inclusive of Angular CLI (Command Line Interface) which streamlines development tasks such as scaffolding, building, testing and ultimately deploying applications.

Performance

• • AngularJS - Uses a two-way data binding mechanism that can directly impact performance, particularly in large applications with many bindings.
  • Angular - Uses a more efficient unidirectional data flow with one-way data binding and change detection mechanisms such as zones, which in turn improve performance and scalability.

Dependency Injection System

• • AngularJS - A simpler, less flexible dependency injection system.
  • Angular - A more powerful and flexible dependency injection system that allows developers to create more test friendly and maintainable code.

Templates

• • AngularJS - Templates are based on HTML with additional directives that add behaviour to the HTML.
  • Angular - Uses an enhanced version of HTML-based templates with powerful directives and Angular-specific syntax, including event binding and property binding as well as structural directives.

Mobile Support

• • AngularJS - Has a lack of in-built support for mobile development.
  • Angular - Designed with mobile support in mind, making it more suitable for building mobile apps.

Community and Ecosystem

• • AngularJS - A smaller and less active community due to the fact many developers have switched their focus to Angular.
  • Angular - A large and active community with a wide variety of third-party libraries, tools and support.

Backward Compatibility

• AngularJS - Not compatible with Angular.
• Angular - Angular is not backward compatible with AngularJS due to the fundamental changes in the framework

Why Choose Angular over AngularJS?

Performance

• Angular, being the more modern framework offers enhanced performance when compared with AngularJS. It's efficient one-way data binding and improved change detection mechanisms make it more suitable for developing large and complex applications.

TypeScript

• Angular is built with TypeScript which offers static typing, improved code quality as well as better tooling support. TypeScript helps identify any errors during the development phase which in turn, leads to more robust and maintainable code.

Component-Based Architecture

• Angular’s component-based architecture provides modularity and reusability, making it easier to manage and scale applications. Components are self-contained and can be reused across the application which can lead to significant time efficiencies.

Mobile Support

• Angular has been designed with mobile support in mind, enabling the creation of responsive and performant mobile apps. This is of course crucial for modern web applications that need to work seamlessly across different devices.

Tooling and CLI

• Angular CLI (Command Line Interface) streamlines the development process by automating common tasks such as project setup, building, testing and deployment. This improves productivity and ensures consistency across projects.

Dependency Injection

• Angular features a more advanced dependency injection system which improves code organisation, testability and facilitates the management of dependencies.

Modern Features and Ecosystem

• Angular offers support for modern mobile and web development practices and Angular features are more extensive including reactive programming with RxJS, which facilitates the handling of asynchronous data streams and complex state management.

Improved Routing

• Angular’s intelligent and flexible routing module supports advanced routing features including lazy loading, nested routes and route guards which enhances the performance and user experience of the SPAs (single page applications) it is used to develop.

Active Development and Community Support

• Angular has an active development team and a far reaching community. This allows for continuous improvements, regular updates and a library of extensive resources. This in turn ensures the framework stays up-to-date with the latest web development trends and practices.

Future-Proof

• As a modern framework, Angular is more aligned with current web development standards and best practices. Choosing Angular over AngularJS positions your project for future growth and compatibility with evolving technologies.

Summary

Whilst AngularJS is still a functional framework for developing single-page web applications, it's successor Angular, has been developed to address it's limitations and offers a much more robust architecture, enhanced tooling & performance and support for mobile app development. Therefore, it is generally safe to say that providing you have the option, Angular is usually the better choice for developing your web applications.