Angular 17, the most recent major release of the popular JavaScript framework, includes some interesting new features and improvements. In this blog article, we’ll look at some of the most important additions to Angular 17.
Table of Contents
Ivy Compiler By Default
One of the most notable changes in Angular 17 is that the Ivy compiler is now enabled by default for all apps. Ivy is Angular’s next-generation rendering pipeline and compilation technology, introduced in Angular 8.
With Ivy enabled, you can expect faster re-build times, more debugging options, improved CSS class and style binding, faster testing, smaller bundle sizes, and other advantages. Apps developed with Angular 17 will have Ivy enabled by default, allowing you to take advantage of all of these functionalities with no additional settings.
Improved Differential Loading
Angular 17 improves on the differential loading mechanism first introduced in Angular 9. Differential loading allows you to generate two separate bundles for your application: one for modern browsers that support new JavaScript features, and another for older browsers that do not.
In Angular 17, this function was improved by using browser lists to more accurately determine which browsers to target. There is also increased support for differential loading throughout the CLI and core framework.
These modifications enable differential loading to perform better out of the box, guaranteeing that contemporary browsers receive the most optimal bundle while legacy browsers maintain broad compatibility.
New Deprecation Strategy
Beginning with version 17, the Angular team developed a new deprecation strategy. When APIs and capabilities are tagged for deprecation, they will now undergo a one-year transition phase during which usage is permitted but warnings are issued. After the transition period is complete, deprecated APIs will be withdrawn.
This should make it easier for developers to gradually transition away from deprecated APIs and plan for their removal. Developers can now fix deprecations ahead of time before they cause problems.
Overall, the new technique leads to a considerably smoother deprecation process.
TypeScript 4.6 Support
Angular 17 officially supports TypeScript 4.6, the newest version of the popular typed superset of JavaScript that compiles to ordinary JavaScript.
TypeScript 4.6 itself brings some nice improvements, including:
- Recursive Conditional Types
- Expanded Template String Transform
- Improved
unknownandneverTypes
By upgrading to Angular 17, you will be able to use these TypeScript capabilities and improvements in your Angular applications immediately.
Dropped Support for IE11
With Angular 17, the team has officially removed support for Internet Explorer 11. The historic browser has reached the end of its life cycle, therefore sustaining it is no longer possible.
This enables Angular to reduce polyfills in the future, relying more heavily on contemporary JavaScript and browser capabilities. It also improves framework performance, package sizes, and the overall developer experience.
While the removal of IE11 compatibility may pose problems for some enterprise users, it is a significant step forward in terms of leveraging the most recent web capabilities for the majority of apps.
Component Test Harnesses
Angular 17 offers an intriguing new idea known as “Component Test Harnesses”. Test harnesses enable you to interact with components in your tests from the outside in, rather than having to access internal attributes, functions, or implementation details directly.
This enhances the abstraction between your tests and components, allowing for easier testing and avoiding brittle tests that fail when components are refactored internally. It enables you to validate and interact with components based solely on their public API surface.
Harnesses will greatly simplify future testing of Angular components.
Improved Browser Support Info
Another useful feature in Angular 17 is more thorough browser support information when developing your project.
When built for production, the output will clearly specify which browsers it supports, as well as links to configuration instructions. No more wondering whether your build will run with a particular browser!
This makes it much easier to determine which browser versions your Angular application targets and supports.
Dependency Updates
Angular 17, like each new major framework release, includes a number of significant third-party dependent modifications, including:
- RxJS 7.5
- TypeScript 4.6
- Zone.js 0.11.4
Updating these key libraries ensures you get the most recent features, performance improvements, and bug fixes.
Smaller and Faster
With Angular 17, you may expect lower bundle sizes and overall performance improvements. Changes under the hood, as well as the removal of old browser support, allow the framework to run quicker and more efficiently.
With these latest performance improvements, your apps will develop faster, bootstrap faster, and feel much more responsive on current devices.
Long-Term Support (LTS)
Angular 17, like Angular 15, is a long-term support (LTS) release, which means it will be supported with updates and fixes for an extended period of time.
Angular 17 will receive support until October 2024, a full two years after its first release. Because of its reliability and continuing patch maintenance, it is a reliable option for both new and existing commercial applications.
Conclusion
Angular 17 includes several useful changes, such as Ivy by default, new test harnesses, the removal of IE11 support, RxJS 7.5, smaller bundles, faster performance, and more.
These enhancements, taken collectively, continue Angular’s objective of developing faster, smaller, and more successful online programs. You may also use Angular 17 in production apps with confidence for a long time due to the longer LTS support tenure.
Upgrading to v17 for any currently in-use Angular applications should be simple, with some clear migration processes to follow. Furthermore, all new apps include all of the latest features straight out of the box.
Overall, Angular 17 highlights how the framework continues to evolve smoothly, increasing the developer experience, updating the technology stack, maintaining stability, and making minor but continuous improvements in performance and bundle size.
FAQ
Angular 17 has various upgrades, including as increased performance, additional tools, and features that improve the development experience.
Yes, Angular offers upgrading guidelines to help developers seamlessly shift from earlier versions to Angular 17, assuring compatibility and minimal disruptions.
To update your project dependencies, follow the Angular update recommendations and run the Angular CLI. These recommendations allow for a smooth transition to the most recent version.
Angular versions frequently incorporate performance enhancements. Examine the release notes for Angular 17 to see if there are any specific improvements to web application performance.
Angular generally retains backward compatibility across major versions. However, while updating existing apps to Angular 17, extensive testing is suggested.