Angular: A Developer’s First Choice

The job of a web developer is becoming more complex. With the number of browsers increasing at a rapid rate and developed web pages behaving differently in each one of them, cross browser testing has emerged as a necessity to every web developer as the browser preferred by the end-user is unknown to them. However, there are many new frameworks that have made it easy for web developers to create browser compatible websites. The most famous framework is the one developed by Google, Angular. In this article, we shall discuss why Angular has become developers' first choice and how its features are used by renowned web apps.

Why Angular Is Popular Among Developers

The main reason behind the popularity of Angular is its robustness, platform independence, and browser support. Currently, all major browsers are supporting Angular. The Angular team releases new updates at frequent intervals and new features are constantly added for enhanced user experience. Although certain custom elements are not natively supported by Firefox, but they are compatible with the upcoming release.

RxJS Rejuvenated

RxJS was never a core part of Angular. However, developers tend to use it because of its properties like Observables and Subjects and its flexibility for developing responsive web applications. In the latest release, i.e. Angular 6, RxJS version 6 was added, which brings in certain bug fixes and more support for the responsive web programming paradigm.

Improved Performance of Animations

In the previous versions of Angular, developers needed to use polyfills for rendering animations properly in all browsers. With the recent release, Angular developers have refreshed the execution of animations. Web developers can now remove polyfills, sparing about 47KB of bundle space, while expanding the execution of animations in Safari and other native browsers for iOS and MacOS. However, it is good practice to include polyfills for proper rendering of the application in mobile devices where the operating system is below Android 4.1.

Improved CLI and TypeScript

In Angular 6, the CLI has been reconfigured to empower numerous useful ventures to be contained within one file. Angular-cli.json has been replaced with angular.json. It is helping developers to use Angular in a much simpler way. Monotonous setup tasks are now automated and developers can now set up and update libraries in mobile and desktop without any difficulty.

Moreover, Angular 6 uses the latest version of TypeScript, which includes all the new ES6 JavaScript features. Hence, browsers which previously failed to compile Angular applications using ES5 JavaScript can now render the application without any difficulty.

Top Applications Developed in Angular

Not only small-scale developers, but even large-scale web applications are using Angular to develop their cross-browser compatible web applications. Here are some of the big names in the software world who have backed up Angular for achieving cross-browser compatibility with ease.

PayPal

One of the leading payment companies that deals with Internet payment. PayPal is an application used by people all around the world in desktop as well as mobile devices. A quick look at the application will make anyone realize the fact that Angular can be used to successfully develop a secure, compatible, and responsive application that can handle a huge amount of internet traffic without causing anything to break.

Netflix 

Gone are the days when people used to sit in front of the television waiting for the favorite TV series or movies to be telecasted. The trend is shifting towards streaming media, which can be viewed anywhere, anytime, using any device. Netflix is one of the largest entertainment companies that focuses mainly on streaming media. The entire desktop, as well as mobile application, is developed using Angular. A Netflix user can undoubtedly say that the site can efficiently handle millions of users while effectively streaming media for its viewers.

LambdaTest

Referring to cross compatibility across different browsers and devices, LambdaTest provides an intuitive UI for a cross-browser testing ecosystem. Their web-app is a great example of Angular design and deployment for achieving a pixel-perfect experience when rendered through various screen sizes.

Lego

One of the largest play material manufacturers in the world, dealing with constructive toys made of interlocking bricks, Lego also uses Angular for its official website. The Lego website is fully responsive and compatible across different browsers and devices, with which users can virtually explore and purchase the products.

Freelancer

The largest platform where business owners, as well as professional service providers, collaborate together to understand each other’s needs. The latest version of Angular is used to develop this global online marketplace, that can run efficiently in all devices as well as browsers.

The Guardian

A leading arena for publishing and design, The Guardian sponsors several awards in the creative field. The user interface of this application is designed using Angular. The web application is loved by all for its dynamic behavior and compatibility across different devices and browsers.

Browser Usage Statistics and Latest Trends

According to statistics provided by W3C, 97% of end-users use Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and IE. Among them, Chrome is the preferred one, followed by Firefox. It is needless to say that a developer should focus on creating an application so that it is rendered properly on all major browsers. In IE, for example, the most used version is IE8. Although previous versions of Angular created many errors while rendering on older versions of internet explorer, the latest release of Angular overcomes this problem with an improved CLI and use of TypeScript. Thus, it provides a developer with all the raw materials needed for developing an application that is capable enough to attract new users and increase traffic.

With continuous updates, Angular appears to be a great platform for developing modern websites. Backed by major software companies, it is emerging as the first choice for web developers from all around the globe. It would be no overstatement to consider Angular as the future of web development.