Angular and AngularJS: A Comprehensive Guide to Latest Framework Versions

AngularJS was a groundbreaking framework introduced by Google in 2010. Initially, it was the main framework for building web applications. However, as the needs of web developers evolved, AngularJS entered a new phase with the introduction of Angular. Angular, a complete rewrite of the original framework, is now the go-to choice for web application development.

The Latest Version of AngularJS in 2020

As of 2020, the latest version of AJAX (AngularJS) was 1.8.2, which was released on July 30, 2020. This version belonged to the 1.x series, the initial version of the framework. Since then, AngularJS has been officially deprecated, and developers moved onto the new version, Angular.

Why AngularJS Was Deprecated

The nature of AngularJS posed significant challenges in managing large projects, particularly with the organization of code loading, JavaScript file debugging, and the use of third-party libraries. These challenges spurred the development of a newer, improved version.

Transition to Angular: A New Era

In response to these issues, Google developed and released Angular, a completely rewritten framework. Angular comes with several enhancements, including support for CLI (Command-Line Interface), TypeScript, and Ivy, which compiles applications with advanced optimization techniques.

The Current Version of Angular: Angular 9

As of the time of writing, the latest version of Angular is 9, released on February 7, 2020. Below are the key features of Angular 9:

Default Ivy Compilation: Angular 9 uses Ivy, which is the default compiler for compiling Angular applications. Ivy creates a more efficient virtual DOM, improving performance and reducing the load on the browser. AOT Compilation: Angular applications are now compiled Ahead-of-Time (AOT). This means that the Angular AOT compiler compiles all the HTML and TypeScript in your code into JavaScript before your browser downloads and runs it. The conversion takes place during the build process and includes type-checking. Typescript 3.7 Requirement: Angular 9 requires TypeScript 3.7. Lower versions are not supported. tslib Dependency: The TypeScript runtime library, tslib, is now a peer dependency rather than a direct one. You will need to install this library explicitly via npm or yarn.

Why You Should Consider Angular 5

While Angular 9 is the latest version, it's worth noting that Angular 5, released as an extended version of the original AngularJS, offers additional features. Angular 5 enhanced the build optimization feature by default and improved TypeScript transforms. These features make it a strong choice for web and mobile application development.

Conclusion

Angular and its predecessor AngularJS have both played significant roles in the evolution of web development. With Angular 9, the framework continues to lead the charge in providing robust, scalable, and performant web applications. If you're considering a move from AngularJS to Angular or looking for the latest features, Angular 9 is the version you should be focusing on.