AngularJS is a structural framework for dynamic web apps which was originally developed by Misko Hevery in 2009 at Brat Tech LLC. The software was maintained by Google but moved on to become an open-source software. Business giants like PayPal, Netflix have been associated with the software. Angular JS uses HTML as a template language letting a developer extend the HTML syntax to represent the components of your application clearly. AngularJS operates on data binding and dependency injection. This means that developer’s who work on AngularJS can eliminate a lot of code avoiding repetitive work, which makes it an ideal platform for any server.
AngularJS is used for client-side Javascript. Developers who work in AngularJS application development do not need to learn an additional language as the software is capable of changing static HTML into dynamic HTML. AngularJS can also be used to create custom attributes in an application using just Javascript. AngularJS does require a skilled professional which is why it is recommended to hire experts from AngularJS development company when you want to create a large scale, high-performance, and easy-to-maintain application. The general features of AngularJS are as follows:
- 1. AngularJS can create Rich Interface Applications. It also provides the option to create single-page applications providing functionality with shortcode.
- 2. In AngularJS application development, it provides the developers with a clean method to write client-side applications.
- 3. Any application developed through AngularJS web application development is a cross-platform application. This means that it can be used across multiple browsers as the Javascript is automatically adapted by the browser.
AngularJS provides data-binding allowing automatic synchronization of data between model and view components. It also has several built-in services such as $http to make XMLHttpRequests which need to be instated only once in the app. This helps developers working in AngularJS application development cut down on redundancy saving time and cost for the businesses that hire experts from an AngularJS development company to develop their applications.
The directives in Angular JS can be used to custom HTML tags that serve as new widgets in the app. Along with this AngularJS also allows deep linking to bookmark the state of the application in the URL. In case of bugs, the application can be restored to the same state using this bookmark. Testing is a difficult task in application development but AngularJS makes it easy with its dependency injection allowing developers to test, create and understand application easily.
It is imperative to know the design goals of AngularJS before you dive into the application development using the software. AngularJS works on a few design principles:
- 1. Separating DOM manipulation from application logic. The difficulty of decoupling this process depends on how the overall code is structured.
- 2. AngularJS web application development separates the server side from the client-side. The separation allows the developers to work simultaneously and helps progress both sides.
- 3. AngularJS helps to structure the application development process including designing the user interface, business logic to testing the application.
There are numerous advantages to using AngularJS to develop your application. Some of these are as follows:
Easy to Use
The framework in AngularJS is a platform rich in features making it easy for professional developers to use as well as maintain. An extension of HTML attributes, AngularJS allows the development of a customized web application tailored to the needs of the business. It also allows the business to enter into a single contract with developers as it is written in Javascript. This means that even if the developers change, clients can still change the codes of the application.
The MVC structure
MVC stands for the model view controller. Using AngularJS is convenient to create a dynamic web application. The MVC can be used to maintain data which includes but is not limited to displaying the data with the help of view. The controller in AngularJS web development also establishes a connection between the model and the view, saving time spent on development.
Flexibility
AngularJS is flexible in nature providing stability and functionality in the app. Hiring an AngularJS development company ensures an improved user experience. The software also enables a sturdy workflow. The business can also achieve the desired results with fewer tweaks on HTML and Java rather than restarting the whole process to make small changes.
Modules
AngularJS divides tasks across teams and organizes code to accomplish the development process. The experts in AngularJS web application development can make the best of these modules enhancing productivity with new modules and widgets making continued improvements to the app.
Modular Structure
The software allows the code to be organized in buckets based on characteristics like components, directives and services. The code being uniformly segregated saves time for the developers as they can later refer to these buckets to bring the app to a particular state. They also have access to ‘lazy load’ through which the application can be loaded quickly on-demand and even in the background.
Testing
Testing is a complicated process as it requires a certain level of expertise at the developer’s end. The developer has to consider various rare and common bugs that might occur within the app and weed them out to allow for a pleasant user experience. With AngularJS, testing is made simple with its modules which are also easy to manipulate. By segregating modules developers can load the services and set automatic testing.
User-Interface
Depending upon HTML, AngularJS has one of the cleanest user-interface out of all the open-source platforms. The developers can choose to define the programs in an organised as well as a flexible way. Since HTML is more straightforward than Javascript, the user interface can be made more intuitive.
Data Binding
The two-way data binding is one of the unique features of the AngularJS framework. Data binding helps the developers keep track of the application’s features and functions.
Plain Old JavaScript Object
Plain Old JavaScript Object allows for easy addition and elimination of properties of objects within the app. It also enables the developers to loop functions over properties within the app whenever needed. This feature provides the developers with more traditional Javascript functionalities.
As incredible as developing an application in AngularJS is, the software does come with a set of disadvantages listed as below:
- In a world where SEO functions as a crucial element to websites, AngularJS has a major drawback of limited SEO options. The platform also does not provide proper accessibility to search engine crawlers which can harm the visibility of an e-commerce site in the long run. However, experts say that since Google was maintaining the software at one point, a solution to this problem is not very far.
- If you are an aspiring developer, AngularJS can be a difficult platform to master. The software has a complex web of modules, languages, integration and customizations that make it difficult to learn. This problem has been widely recognised and online tutorials are offered on the software which can give a budding developer a fair chance at learning the software. AngularJS also provides in-built support that can help you learn it.
- With a lot of small scale businesses exploring the e-commerce industry, and trying to develop applications of their own, the need of the hour is a convenient platform. However, AngularJS is not recommended for small scale sites. The project needs to be of the appropriate size and functionality for a business to be able to use the software to its full potential. The complexities in the software can easily weigh down developers.
- The two-way binding system is a boon to the software but also acts as a drawback. The binding process works by allowing developers to check each scope of the application. The system advises about 2000 users per page. However, it has been observed that developers tend to normally surpass that number which can lead to lags on the application.
- A heavy-weight framework is another drawback of the software. With the evolution of many developmental platforms, developers prefer lightweight frameworks like React to carry the bulk of their work. However, AngularJS has a set number of features that cannot be avoided as they are embedded into the software. The lightweight frameworks can be coupled with other Javascript frameworks to create a flexible coding environment. This is unfortunately not possible with Angular JS as it demands its own ecosystem due to various modules, integrations and abstractions in the framework.
- The AngularJS framework is difficult to upgrade. With new features and versions of AngularJS being introduced into the development sphere, businesses find it difficult to integrate the new features with the existing ones. This results in wastage of resources incurring additional costs in the long run.
- AngularJS has been called an ‘Opinionated ecosystem’ in the sense that it does not get along with developers who want to keep their style flexible. The default features provided to developers tend to limit their exploration of other frameworks.
It is advisable to do thorough research before you choose AngularJS as the platform for your business. Look at trends in app development and analyse your competition to get an accurate idea of the framework that your business can scale towards a global audience in the long run.
