In this article, we figure out the key differences between Angular and AngularJS open source tools for front end developers to make the usage of these frameworks, terms, and names more conscious. But before we start to compare, let’s clarify what these names mean.
Versions of Angular
Angular (a.k.a. Angular 1) is a popular framework to build small and big web apps. While Angular is written in TypeScript (which is a superset of JavaScript), AngularJS is based on JavaScript itself. Actually, AngularJS is the first major version of Angular released by Google in 2012.
The second major version of Angular was completely rewritten and lost “JS” in its name since it’s not based on JavaScript anymore and doesn’t have an upgrade patch from AngularJS. These are completely different (on implementation level) frameworks. When we talk about Angular, we mean Angular 2, Angular 4-8 and the latest version of Angular – Angular 9, which was released in 2020.
Here’s a list of Angular 9 features:
- Smaller bundle sizes and augmented performance
- Faster testing
- Better debugging
- Improved CSS class and style binding
- Improved type checking
- Improved build errors
- Improved build times, enabling AOT on by default
- Improved Internationalization
- The Ivy compiler: The default use of the Ivy compiler is the most important feature of Angular 9, Ivy is what actually designed to solve the major problems of Angular i.e the performance and large file size
- Selector-less bindings support for Angular Ivy
- Support for TypeScript Diagnostics Format
- Support for more scopes in providedIn
- A New Type-Safe TestBed.inject() Method Instead of TestBed.get()
- Improvements to differential loading
- AOT compilation everywhere
- Bundle sizes
- Globalization
- Additional provider scopes
- Improved developer experience
- New debugging API in development mode
- Strict mode
- Improved component and directive class inheritance
- Latest TypeScript versions
- Improved server-side rendering with Angular Universal
- Improved styling experience
- Stable Bazel release as an opt-in option
- Angular Components
- Testing
Also, it allows you to use Google Maps and YouTube in a more essential way, compared to the previous versions of Angular.
Key differences between Angular and AngularJS
Architecture
AngularJS works on MVC, Model View Controller Design. The model is the central component that expresses the application's behavior and manages its data, logic, and rules. The view generates an output based on the information in the model. The controller accepts input, converts it into commands and sends the commands to the model and the view.
Angular uses components and directives. Here component is directive with a template.
Language
As previously mentioned, AngularJS code is written in JavaScript, while Angular code is written in TypeScript. Any JavaScript program is also a valid TypeScript program, but it doesn’t always work in the opposite direction. There is an article on Hackernoon about the main advantages of AngularJS usage.
TypeScript enhances JavaScript by allowing for static typing and allowing developers to program in more object-oriented ways than are possible with JavaScript. TypeScript is open-source and was developed by Microsoft as a way to better build and maintain large JavaScript programs. Have a look at the table: TypeScript and JavaScript comparison to feel the difference.
Mobile development
In the era of mobile-first development, AngularJS looks kinda outdated, because it doesn’t support mobile browsers at all. Angular is mobile browser friendly.
Expression syntax
If you want to bind an image/property or an event with AngularJS, you have to remember the right ng directive. Angular focuses on “( )” for event binding and “[ ]” for property binding.
Dependency Injection
Angular has the Hierarchical DI system.
Routing
@routeProvider.when, then are used in AngularJS to provide routing information. In Angular, @Route configuration is used to define routing information.
Management and scalability
AngularJS project is difficult to manage with increasing size of the source code. Angular code is better structured, is easy to create and manage bigger applications. It is a way faster compared to AngularJS. Also, it has modular design, angular CLI and easy to develop.
Conclusion
First of all, AngularJS and Angular are open source products of Google corporation, it means that you’ll have long lasting support by a big community of professional developers. What to study? I’d choose the latest version of Angular, obviously. If you need a modern framework that will stay relevant in the changing world of web development, Angular 9 is the best choice on the market today. Here are some useful tips for frontenders and admin templates for Angular – check them out to make your work with Angular significantly better.