Upgrading Your Angular Application to it's latest

Introduction

Upgrading an Angular application from an older version like Angular 7 to the latest version, Angular 17, can be a challenging task. This article will guide you through the process, highlighting the challenges you might encounter and providing remedies for these issues. We will also consider the impact of Node and npm versions on the upgrade process.

Prerequisites

Before starting the upgrade process, ensure that your development environment meets the following requirements:

• Node.js: Angular 17 requires a Node.js version of 12.20.0 or later. If you're using an older version, you'll need to upgrade Node.js first.
• npm: Similarly, ensure that you're using npm version 6.11.0 or later. You can check your current versions by running node -v and npm -v in your terminal.

Step-by-Step Upgrade Process

1. Update Your Node.js and npm: As mentioned earlier before you can upgrade Angular, you need to ensure that your Node.js and npm versions are compatible with Angular 17. You can update Node.js by downloading the latest version from the official Node.js website. To update npm, you can run the command npm install -g npm.

2. Update Angular CLI: The next step is to update your Angular CLI. You can do this by running the command npm install -g @angular/cli@latest. This command will update your global Angular CLI to the latest version.
   For example, if you're using Angular CLI version 7, running this command will upgrade it to version 17.

3. Update Angular Packages: Now you can update the Angular packages in your project. Run the command ng update @angular/core@latest. This command will update all the Angular packages in your project to their latest versions.

Challenges and Remedies

During the upgrade process, you might encounter several challenges. Here are some common ones and their remedies:

Breaking Changes: Angular 17 might introduce breaking changes that affect your application. To remedy this, refer to the Angular Update Guide, which provides information on breaking changes and how to handle them.
For example, if a method you're using in your application has been removed in Angular 17, the Angular Update Guide will provide information on what method you should use instead.

Deprecated APIs: Some APIs that your application uses might be deprecated in Angular 17. In this case, you'll need to update your application to use the new APIs.
For example, if you're using the Http module in your application, you'll need to replace it with the HttpClient module, as the Http module has been deprecated.

Package Incompatibilities: Some npm packages that your application depends on might not be compatible with Angular 17. You might need to update these packages or find alternatives.
For example, if you're using a package that hasn't been updated to work with Angular 17, you might need to find an alternative package that provides the same functionality and is compatible with Angular 17.

Note: Always back up your code before starting the upgrade process and thoroughly test your application after the upgrade to ensure everything works as expected.

Thank's for your time, see you soon in another one :)