Angular

Definition

Angular is an open-source web application framework developed and maintained by Google. It is designed for building scalable, enterprise-grade applications with a structured and opinionated approach. Unlike libraries such as React, Angular is a full-featured framework that includes tools for routing, state management, forms, and HTTP communication.

Angular uses TypeScript as its primary language, offering strong typing, modularity, and maintainability. Its component-based architecture allows developers to create reusable UI elements and manage complex application logic in an organised way.

Advanced

At an advanced level, Angular provides features such as Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compilation, dependency injection, and change detection strategies for optimised performance. Angular CLI simplifies project setup, testing, and deployment with built-in tooling.

The framework also supports RxJS for reactive programming, enabling advanced data streams and event handling. Angular Universal enables server-side rendering to improve SEO and performance. Its ecosystem is well-suited for large teams and long-term projects requiring consistency.

Why it matters

• Offers a complete solution for large-scale, complex applications.
• Ensures maintainability with strong typing through TypeScript.
• Provides a standardised approach that reduces fragmentation.
• Backed by Google, ensuring long-term support and enterprise adoption.

Use cases

• Building enterprise web applications with complex workflows.
• Developing large-scale dashboards or portals.
• Creating single-page applications with robust functionality.
• Supporting projects requiring long-term maintenance and team collaboration.

Metrics

• Application performance benchmarks (load times, rendering speed).
• Code maintainability and scalability over time.
• Developer adoption and learning curve.
• Ecosystem maturity and library compatibility.

Issues

• Steeper learning curve compared to lightweight frameworks.
• Verbose syntax and boilerplate code may slow development.
• Performance overhead for smaller projects is not optimised.
• Requires ongoing updates to stay aligned with Angular releases.

Example

A healthcare company develops a patient management portal using Angular. The framework’s built-in tools for forms, data handling, and authentication streamline development. With Angular Universal for server-side rendering, the portal loads quickly and ranks well in search results, improving accessibility for patients.