Table of Contents
The development of web apps consists of many structured steps that lead to the final result. One of the main steps is choosing a suitable framework. In this article, we will talk about AngularJS and its latest version Angular. What is the difference between these two versions and how one can replace another one? If you are interested in answers to these questions, then continue reading.
What is AngularJS?
AngularJS is a Javascript client-side framework that is used for the development of web applications. This framework was initially created by Google, so only they have access to it. Now it is an open-source for companies that produce software. AngularJS is based on Javascript and HTML, so only these programming languages are involved in the development. AngularJS makes the process of creating a web app more simple and flexible by showing a high level of abstraction to the team of developers. It means that this framework doesn’t fit all types of applications.
There are many successful projects built on AngularjJS. We would like to highlight several of them:
- PayPal – it is the world’s largest payment system that gives the ability to make payments from any point in the world.
- Upwork – it is huge and the world spread marketplace for freelancers where everyone can find a project in diverse spheres and earn money.
- Netflix – very popular American media services provider, where users can buy a membership and watch movies and series at any time.
- Weather – if you are an iOS user, you should know this widget on your iPhone, also it is a website where you can take a look at the weather forecast in detail – the strength of wind, time of sunrise and sunset, degrees, humidity, etc.
It is important to mention that today AngulaJS is outdated technology and the official support of this framework is stopped. At the same time, Angular develops swiftly and regularly releases updates with certain improvements. For this moment there is already the 10th version of this framework.
What is Angular in 2020?
Angular 10 is the latest version of the Angular framework released in June 2020.
Angular is a complete rewrite of AngularJS; it’s a modern, faster, and highly scalable framework. The process of updating AngularJS apps to Angular becomes more and more popular among owners of applications. You may ask – why do I need to rewrite my app if these two frameworks have many similarities. However, the Angular framework is a much more improved version and has new benefits for your project. That’s why updating is crucial.
Let’s have a look at some changes in this version that should be emphasized:
- Improved Modularity
Built-in nested lazy-loading mechanism.
Modularity is the separation of a system’s functionality into a set of logically independent pieces. A modular system is easier to understand, to maintain, reuse, and to extend.
- Improved Performance
Angular developers claim that if built correctly Angular applications can be up to five times faster than AngularJS applications. Ahead of Time compilation (AOT) improves rendering speed.
- Support for server-side rendering
With Angular Universal, you will be able to build SPAs that render on the server as plain HTML and so are very SEO friendly, but still, take over on the browser as a single page application. It allows us to build a whole new category of apps: engaging and extremely intuitive but still 100% SEO friendly.
- Improved testability
The introduction of a separate rendering layer allows us to make unit tests super fast and with minimal dependencies, making them easier to write and maintain and allowing them to run them much more often.
- Angular CLI
The Angular CLI is a command-line interface tool that is used to initialize, develop, scaffold, and maintain Angular applications directly from a command shell.
- Mobile-orientation
An angular will allows supporting the notion of: «Learn once, write anywhere»
This means the knowledge of Angular can be reused to build native applications as well as web applications, although there will always be some differences. Also, Angular can be used to easily set-up a PWA project.
- Typescript
TypeScript is the superset of JavaScript that compiles to regular vanilla JavaScript but provides a syntax for type checking, annotations, and ES6 based extensions.
TS provides static typing during the development process.
Static typing not just improves performance but avoids many runtime pitfalls that help to build large and complex applications.
- Entirely component-based
Isolated pieces of functionality are defined in components. It is crucial to keep one component per file.
Difference between AngularJS and Angular in 2020
As we already mentioned that AngularJS isn’t used so widely, and there are also some crucial differences between it and Angular. We would like to describe key changes in the outdated and the latest versions of Angular shortly:
| Angular JS | Angular |
| Released by Google in the year 2010. | Released in Sept 2016. |
| Still supported but no longer will be developed. | It’s updated versions are regularly released because of Semantic Versioning. |
| The architecture of AngularJS is based on MVC. | Web components based architecture |
| AngularJS was not developed with a mobile base in mind. | Angular is a mobile-oriented framework. |
| AngularJS code can write by using only ES5, ES6, and Dart. | We can use Typescript to write an Angular code. |
| Based on controllers whose scope is now over. | Nowadays, the controllers are replaced by components, and Angular is completely component-based. |
| Factory, service, provider, value and constant are used for services | The class is the only method to define services in Angular2 |
| Run-on only client-side | Runs on client-side & server-side |
Migration from AngularJS to Angular
The complexity and duration of updating of one version to the new one depending on the stuffing of the app. There are three techniques of migrating from AngularJS to Angular, and we will write about it below.
- So the first technique implies the full rewriting of application from the very beginning. It means to reverse engineering of the AngularJS app to write a new one.
In the case of migration, there is no modification of the AngularJS version. As the final result, we will get the same application in two diverse frameworks – AngularJS and Angular. In fact, we will have two different apps. This process is long-lasting compared to others but it gives confidence to the client that this development will be maintainable and a good chance to correct the business logic. Also, this technique gives the assurance of the absence of the search problems of developers that could support their development all the time.
To add one more benefit, this way of migration allows the client to update the app regularly as this version has no dependencies. - The hybrid approach is the second and more complicated technique of framework migration. This technique implies writing Angular code into an AngularJS application. There are several key actions that should be taken in this case:
- the functionality has to be fully isolated
- after the process of migration, this app will become more complex and more weighty that can influence the workflow of the app in general
- it is more difficult to find and solve all errors and bugs, so there is a bigger possibility of improper operations
- The third technique is the migration of the AngularJS app to Angular. It implies rewriting the AngularJS framework and Angular framework. This case takes not much time, as the first one, for example. Choosing this technique, there is no ability to update new versions regularly as there is a necessity to wait for the full recovery of logic integrity.
Anyway, besides the type of migration, you will have to choose for your project, there is a need for a regular process of testing and regression, as the consistency of the application can be ruined.
Main steps of upgrading from AngularJS to Angular
AngularJS to Angular migration has its own strategy, like any other process of development. It depends on the complexity of your future updated application. As some apps can easily be integrated but some can take much time and effort to come back to the normal workflow.
For easy implementing the new version of the framework, you need to follow some rules. Here they are:
- To assure that the migrating process of your app will be successful, try to keep one element for one file, it will make the navigation more appropriate.
- Take control of multiple parts of the development, they have to be situated in diverse directories.
- Your app must have an accurate structure of all layers of the development to import one part when it is needed, this step is very important before the upgrading.
The process of AngulaJS to Angular migration is a complicated task. For this update, you’ll need a team of experienced specialists – developers, QA, code quality assurance specialist. It is important to assign this task to real professionals. Our developers have already dealt with apps` migration and know how to build a structure of the developing process and produce a highly qualified app for you.
Conclusion
Following all recommendations and steps mentioned above can lead to a successful updating of your application from AngularJS to Angular. The latest version of the Angular framework has official support and you can easily find a team of developers that can perform this support during the time of app usage. So Angular automatically makes your app more modern and takes the reputation and trust in your solution on a higher level. Implementing the newest technologies even to already existing applications is necessary, more or less simple and fast. If you are interested in migration for your project, contact our Business Analyst to develop an individual strategy.
