What is Angular? A Beginner’s Guide to Angular Basics

In the last lesson, we covered TypeScript basics, which is the language Angular uses. TypeScript helps you write cleaner and more structured code, which is key to building web apps. Now, let’s dive into Angular, a powerful framework that makes web development faster and easier.

Angular is a platform that helps you build web apps. It’s open-source and backed by Google, which means it’s trusted by many developers. I remember when I first started using Angular, I was amazed by how it simplified complex tasks. For example, I needed to build a dynamic form that updated in real-time. Angular made it easy with its two-way data binding feature. This is just one of the many reasons why Angular is so popular.

Why Use Angular?

Angular has many features that make it stand out. One of the biggest benefits is its ability to create single-page applications (SPAs). SPAs load once and then update content dynamically, which makes them fast and smooth. I’ve built several SPAs using Angular, and the user experience is always top-notch.

Another feature I love is Angular’s dependency injection. This helps you manage your code better by making it modular and reusable. For instance, if you have a service that fetches data, you can inject it into any component that needs it. This saves time and reduces errors.

Angular also comes with a powerful CLI (Command Line Interface). The CLI lets you create projects, add files, and run tests with just a few commands. When I first used the CLI, I was able to set up a new project in minutes. This is a huge time-saver, especially for beginners.

Angular vs React vs Vue

When I started learning web development, I wondered which framework to choose: Angular, React, or Vue. Each has its strengths, but Angular is my go-to for large projects.

React is great for its simplicity and flexibility, but it’s just a library, not a full framework. This means you need to add other tools for routing, state management, and more. Vue is easy to learn and lightweight, but it lacks the robust features Angular offers.

Angular, on the other hand, is a complete framework. It comes with everything you need, from routing to form handling. This makes it ideal for complex apps. For example, I once worked on a project that required real-time updates, user authentication, and a dashboard. Angular handled all of this seamlessly.

Steps to Get Started with Angular

We will learn more about each of these steps in the up-coming lessons.

• Install Node.js and npm: Angular requires Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager). You can download them from the official Node.js website.

• Install Angular CLI: Open your terminal and run the command npm install -g @angular/cli. This installs the Angular CLI globally on your system.

• Create a New Project: Use the command ng new my-first-app to create a new Angular project. The CLI will ask you a few questions, like whether you want to include routing or use CSS.

• Run the Development Server: Navigate to your project folder using cd my-first-app and run ng serve. This starts a local server, and you can view your app at http://localhost:4200.

• Explore the Project Structure: Angular projects have a specific structure. The src/app folder contains your components, services, and modules. Take some time to explore these files and understand how they work.

Your First Angular Component

Let’s create a simple component that displays a message. Open your project in a code editor and run the command ng generate component hello-world. This creates a new component called hello-world.

In the hello-world.component.ts file, you’ll see this code:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-hello-world',
  templateUrl: './hello-world.component.html',
  styleUrls: ['./hello-world.component.css']
})
export class HelloWorldComponent {
  message = 'Hello, World!';
}

In the hello-world.component.html file, add this line:

<p>{{ message }}</p>

Finally, open the app.component.html file and add the selector for your new component:

<app-hello-world></app-hello-world>

Now, when you run ng serve, you’ll see “Hello, World!” displayed on the screen.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we learned what Angular is, its key features, and why it’s a great choice for web development. We also compared Angular with React and Vue, and walked through the steps to create your first Angular project.

Angular’s power lies in its ability to handle complex tasks with ease. Whether you’re building a small app or a large-scale project, Angular has the tools you need.

In the next lesson, we’ll set up the development environment and dive deeper into Angular’s features. Don’t miss it!