AngularJS and Angular are both frameworks developed by Google for building dynamic web applications. However, they differ significantly in terms of architecture, performance, and features. Below is a detailed comparison between AngularJS (Angular 1.x) and Angular (Angular 2+).
1. Architecture
- AngularJS: Based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture.
- Angular: Uses a Component-Based Architecture (CBA), making it more modular and reusable.
2. Language
- AngularJS: Uses JavaScript.
- Angular: Uses TypeScript, which is a superset of JavaScript with static typing and better tooling support.
3. Performance
- AngularJS: Slower due to two-way data binding and digest cycles.
- Angular: Faster and optimized with unidirectional data flow and change detection using Zone.js.
4. Mobile Support
- AngularJS: Does not support mobile development efficiently.
- Angular: Designed with mobile-first architecture, making it more suitable for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and mobile apps.
5. Data Binding
- AngularJS: Uses two-way data binding, which means changes in the model automatically update the view and vice versa.
- Angular: Uses one-way data binding, improving performance and maintainability.
6. Dependency Injection (DI)
- AngularJS: Has a basic dependency injection system.
- Angular: Offers a more advanced hierarchical dependency injection system.
7. Directives
- AngularJS: Uses ng-directives such as
ng-model,ng-bind, andng-repeat. - Angular: Uses improved directives like
[property],(event), and*ngFor.
8. Routing
- AngularJS: Uses the
ngRoutemodule for routing. - Angular: Uses the @angular/router module, which is more powerful and feature-rich.
9. Testing
- AngularJS: Supports unit testing but lacks built-in tools.
- Angular: Comes with testing tools like Jasmine, Karma, and Protractor.
10. SEO Friendliness
- AngularJS: Not SEO-friendly as it relies heavily on JavaScript rendering.
- Angular: Supports Server-Side Rendering (SSR) using Angular Universal, improving SEO.
11. Support and Updates
- AngularJS: Google has officially ended its support in December 2021.
- Angular: Actively maintained with regular updates and long-term support (LTS).
Comparison Table: AngularJS vs. Angular
| Feature | AngularJS (1.x) | Angular (2+) |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | MVC | Component-Based |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Performance | Slower | Faster |
| Mobile Support | No | Yes |
| Data Binding | Two-way | One-way |
| Dependency Injection | Basic | Advanced |
| Directives | Uses ng- directives | Uses [property], (event), and *ngFor |
| Routing | ngRoute | @angular/router |
| Testing Tools | Limited support | Jasmine, Karma, Protractor |
| SEO Friendly | No | Yes (Supports SSR) |
| Support | Ended in 2021 | Ongoing updates |