What's New in Angular 18?

As we dive deeper into the world of modern web development, Angular continues to evolve, introducing new features and improvements that can enhance our applications and streamline our workflows. Angular 18 has been released with a host of exciting updates that cater to developers' needs while also embracing the latest trends in frontend technology.

In this post, we'll explore the key features and enhancements that Angular 18 brings to the table. Whether you're a seasoned Angular developer or just starting, this blog will help you get up to speed with the latest in Angular 18.

Enhanced Type Safety

One of the most significant changes in Angular 18 is the focus on improved type safety. With the rise of TypeScript, Angular frameworks have become more type-safe and better at catching errors during development. Angular 18 builds on this foundation by introducing stricter type-checking and new API enhancements.

Changes in the @Input and @Output Decorators

With the latest update, Angular 18 ensures better type inference for @Input and @Output decorators. This means that you can now define the types more explicitly, making your components more predictable and reducing runtime errors.

Code Sample: Strongly Typed Inputs and Outputs

import { Component, Input, Output, EventEmitter } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-user-card',
  template: `<h2>{{ user.name }}</h2>
             <button (click)="deleteUser()">Delete</button>`,
})
export class UserCardComponent {
  @Input() user!: { name: string; id: number };
  @Output() userDeleted = new EventEmitter<number>();

  deleteUser() {
    this.userDeleted.emit(this.user.id);
  }
}

In this example, the user input property now explicitly defines its type, enhancing both clarity and safety.

Automatic Bindings with Directives

Angular 18 includes a revolutionary feature for automatic bindings in directives, which simplifies the process of setting up reactive forms and handling repetitive tasks in forms.

Reactive Forms Simplified

With this new feature, directive developers can create automatic two-way data bindings with less boilerplate code. Angular 18 now allows you to use template syntax to automatically bind your data.

Code Sample: Update Form Control Automatically

import { Directive, Input } from '@angular/core';
import { FormControl, ControlValueAccessor } from '@angular/forms';

@Directive({
  selector: '[appAutoBind]'
})
export class AutoBindDirective implements ControlValueAccessor {
  @Input() set appAutoBind(value: string) {
    this._value = value;
    this.onChange(this._value);
  }

  private _value: string = '';
  onChange = (value: string) => {};
  onTouched = () => {};

  writeValue(value: string) {
    this._value = value;
  }

  registerOnChange(fn: any) {
    this.onChange = fn;
  }

  registerOnTouched(fn: any) {
    this.onTouched = fn;
  }
}

This code snippet allows for automatic updates of reactive form controls without needing extensive boilerplate code, streamlining the developer experience.

Improved Developer Experience with ng serve

Angular 18 brings enhancements to the ng serve command that makes local development even smoother. Now, you can benefit from the following improvements:

• Faster Build Times: Performance improvements have significantly reduced build times during development.
• Live Reloading: Changes are instantly reflected in the browser without needing a full page reload.

These enhancements allow developers to spend less time waiting and more time coding, enhancing the overall development experience.

New Angular CLI Features

Angular CLI continues to evolve, and Angular 18 introduces several new features to help streamline project management and automation.

Improved Project Generation

The CLI has been outfitted with new schematics that allow you to generate components, services, and modules with a single command, including more standard configurations.

Code Sample: Generating a New Service

ng generate service user --skipTests

This command will quickly scaffold a new service for you, avoiding the creation of test files if not needed. The new CLI capabilities encourage better coding practices by providing a consistent way to generate boilerplate code.

Deprecation of legacy APIs

As Angular continues its journey toward a more streamlined and optimized framework, some legacy APIs have been deprecated. Moving forward, it is advisable for developers to migrate away from older constructs to ensure compatibility with future releases.

Migrating Away from Deprecated APIs

Angular 18 offers clear guidance on how to transition away from these deprecated APIs, helping developers refactor their codebases efficiently. You can check the official Angular documentation for specifics on deprecated APIs and recommended alternatives.

Conclusion

Angular 18 is packed with features that not only make development easier but also enrich the overall ecosystem of Angular applications. From enhanced type safety and improved directives to better build times and a more powerful CLI, this release marks a significant milestone.

As the Angular community continues to grow, it becomes essential for developers to stay up to date with the latest changes and adopt best practices. We encourage you to explore Angular 18, try out its new features, and migrate your projects accordingly.

Are you excited about Angular 18? What features are you looking forward to most? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and let's continue the conversation about the future of Angular development!