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Flow of Execution in an Angular Application

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Seshu Cherukuri
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Flow of Execution in an Angular Application

Uploaded by

Seshu Cherukuri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Flow of Execution in an Angular Application: From Start to Running State

Understanding the flow of execution in an Angular application—from startup to the running


state—is crucial for developing efficient and maintainable applications. This guide walks you
through the step-by-step process that Angular follows when launching an app, detailing the
role of each key file involved in this journey.

1. Project Structure Overview


Before diving into the execution flow, it's essential to understand the typical structure of an
Angular project. Here's a simplified view of the essential files and directories:
css
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my-angular-app/
├── src/
│ ├── app/
│ │ ├── app.component.ts
│ │ ├── app.component.html
│ │ ├── app.component.css
│ │ └── app.module.ts
│ ├── assets/
│ ├── environments/
│ │ ├── environment.ts
│ │ └── environment.prod.ts
│ ├── main.ts
│ ├── index.html
│ ├── styles.css
│ ├── polyfills.ts
│ └── ... other configuration files
├── angular.json
├── package.json
└── ... other root-level files

2. Execution Flow Overview


When an Angular application starts, it undergoes several key phases:
1. Loading and Parsing index.html
2. Executing main.ts
3. Bootstrapping the Root Module or Standalone Component
4. Initializing Components and Services
5. Rendering the Application in the Browser
Let’s explore each phase in detail, along with the relevant files involved.

3. Detailed Execution Flow


Step 1: Loading and Parsing index.html
 File Involved: src/index.html
 Role:
o Acts as the entry point for the Angular application in the browser.
o Contains the <app-root></app-root> selector where the Angular app will
render.
o Includes references to necessary scripts and styles.
 Process:
o When a user navigates to the Angular application in the browser, the server
serves the index.html file.
o The browser parses index.html, identifying the <app-root></app-root>
element as the placeholder for the Angular application.
 Example Content:
html
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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<title>MyAngularApp</title>
<base href="/" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<!-- Styles and scripts can be included here -->
</head>
<body>
<app-root></app-root> <!-- Angular app will render here -->
</body>
</html>
Step 2: Executing main.ts
 File Involved: src/main.ts
 Role:
o Serves as the entry point for the Angular application’s execution.
o Initiates the bootstrapping process to launch the app.
 Process:
o After index.html is loaded, the browser executes the main.ts script.
o main.ts bootstraps the root module or standalone component, kicking off the
Angular application.
 Example Content (Traditional NgModule Approach):
typescript
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import { platformBrowserDynamic } from '@angular/platform-browser-dynamic';
import { AppModule } from './app/app.module';

platformBrowserDynamic()
.bootstrapModule(AppModule)
.catch(err => console.error(err));
 Example Content (Standalone Component Approach):
typescript
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import { bootstrapApplication } from '@angular/platform-browser';
import { AppComponent } from './app/app.component';

bootstrapApplication(AppComponent)
.catch(err => console.error(err));
Step 3: Bootstrapping the Root Module or Standalone Component
Angular offers two primary methods for bootstrapping an application:
1. Using a Root Module (AppModule)
2. Using a Standalone Root Component (AppComponent)
A. Using a Root Module (AppModule)
 File Involved: src/app/app.module.ts
 Role:
o Defines the root module that organizes the application.
o Declares components, imports other modules, and provides services.
 Process:
o main.ts uses platformBrowserDynamic().bootstrapModule(AppModule) to
bootstrap the application.
o Angular compiles the module and its components, setting up dependency
injection and other configurations.
 Example Content:
typescript
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import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
import { BrowserModule } from '@angular/platform-browser';
import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
import { SomeFeatureModule } from './some-feature/some-feature.module';

@NgModule({
declarations: [
AppComponent,
// other components
],
imports: [
BrowserModule,
SomeFeatureModule,
// other modules
],
providers: [
// services
],
bootstrap: [AppComponent] // Specifies the root component
})
export class AppModule { }
B. Using a Standalone Root Component (AppComponent)
 File Involved: src/app/app.component.ts
 Role:
o Acts as the root component without requiring an NgModule.
o Utilizes Angular’s standalone component feature for a more streamlined
setup.
 Process:
o main.ts uses bootstrapApplication(AppComponent) to bootstrap the
application.
o Angular directly bootstraps the standalone component, eliminating the need
for a root module.
 Example Content:
typescript
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import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
selector: 'app-root',
templateUrl: './app.component.html',
styleUrls: ['./app.component.css'],
standalone: true, // Marks the component as standalone
imports: [
// other components or modules
]
})
export class AppComponent {
title = 'my-angular-app';
}
Note: The standalone component approach is part of Angular's newer features aimed at
simplifying the module system.
Step 4: Initializing Components and Services
Once the root module or standalone component is bootstrapped, Angular initializes the
component tree and sets up dependency injection.
 Key Files Involved:
o app.component.ts (Root Component)
o Other components and services declared or imported in the
module/component
 Process:
o Angular creates instances of the root component and its child components.
o It injects necessary services into components based on the providers defined.
o Lifecycle hooks (like ngOnInit) are called to allow components to perform
initialization logic.
 Example Content (app.component.ts):
typescript
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import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
import { SomeService } from './services/some.service';

@Component({
selector: 'app-root',
templateUrl: './app.component.html',
styleUrls: ['./app.component.css']
})
export class AppComponent implements OnInit {
constructor(private someService: SomeService) { }

ngOnInit() {
this.someService.initialize();
}
}
Step 5: Rendering the Application in the Browser
Finally, Angular renders the application’s components into the DOM, making the app
interactive and visible to the user.
 File Involved: src/app/app.component.html and other component templates
 Role:
o Define the HTML structure and bindings for the components.
o Utilize Angular’s templating syntax for dynamic content and interactions.
 Process:
o Angular compiles the templates into HTML and updates the DOM accordingly.
o It handles data binding, event handling, and rendering logic based on
component states and user interactions.
 Example Content (app.component.html):
html
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<div>
<h1>Welcome to {{ title }}!</h1>
<app-some-feature></app-some-feature> <!-- Child component -->
</div>

4. Additional Key Files and Their Roles


While the above steps cover the primary execution flow, several other files play supporting
roles in an Angular application’s startup and runtime behavior:
A. angular.json
 Role:
o Configuration file for Angular CLI.
o Defines project structure, build and development settings, file replacements,
asset management, and more.
 Key Sections:
o Projects: Contains configurations for different project targets (e.g.,
application, library).
o Architect/Build: Settings related to building the application, such as output
paths, file configurations, and optimization settings.
o Architect/Serve: Development server settings, including proxy configurations
and port numbers.
 Example Content:
json
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{
"$schema": "./node_modules/@angular/cli/lib/config/schema.json",
"projects": {
"my-angular-app": {
"projectType": "application",
"schematics": {},
"root": "",
"sourceRoot": "src",
"architect": {
"build": {
"builder": "@angular-devkit/build-angular:browser",
"options": {
"outputPath": "dist/my-angular-app",
"index": "src/index.html",
"main": "src/main.ts",
"polyfills": "src/polyfills.ts",
"tsConfig": "tsconfig.app.json",
"assets": ["src/favicon.ico", "src/assets"],
"styles": ["src/styles.css"],
"scripts": []
},
// ... other build configurations
},
"serve": {
"builder": "@angular-devkit/build-angular:dev-server",
"options": {
"browserTarget": "my-angular-app:build"
},
// ... other serve configurations
}
// ... other architect targets
}
}
},
"defaultProject": "my-angular-app"
}
B. polyfills.ts
 Role:
o Provides support for older browsers by including polyfills (JavaScript code
that implements modern features on older browsers).
 Process:
o Angular uses this file to load necessary polyfills before the application starts.
o Ensures compatibility across different browsers by adding missing
functionalities.
 Example Content:
typescript
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import 'zone.js'; // Included with Angular CLI.

// Other polyfills can be imported here as needed.


C. styles.css
 Role:
o Contains global styles applied across the entire Angular application.
 Process:
o Styles defined here are loaded before component-specific styles.
o Can include CSS, SCSS, or other preprocessed styles based on
configuration.
 Example Content:
css
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body {
margin: 0;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
background-color: #f5f5f5;
}

h1 {
color: #333;
}
D. environment.ts and environment.prod.ts
 Role:
o Define environment-specific variables and configurations (e.g., development
vs. production).
 Process:
o During the build process, Angular replaces environment.ts with
environment.prod.ts for production builds.
o Allows for different settings, such as API endpoints or feature flags, based on
the environment.
 Example Content (environment.ts):
typescript
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export const environment = {
production: false,
apiUrl: 'http://localhost:3000/api'
};
 Example Content (environment.prod.ts):
typescript
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export const environment = {
production: true,
apiUrl: 'https://api.my-angular-app.com/api'
};
E. tsconfig.json
 Role:
o TypeScript configuration file.
o Specifies compiler options, type checking, and file inclusions/exclusions.
 Process:
o Angular uses this file to compile TypeScript code into JavaScript.
o Configures settings like module resolution, target ECMAScript version, and
more.
 Example Content:
json
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{
"compileOnSave": false,
"compilerOptions": {
"baseUrl": "./",
"outDir": "./dist/out-tsc",
"sourceMap": true,
"declaration": false,
"downlevelIteration": true,
"experimentalDecorators": true,
"module": "es2020",
"moduleResolution": "node",
"importHelpers": true,
"target": "es2015",
"typeRoots": ["node_modules/@types"],
"lib": ["es2018", "dom"]
}
}

5. Standalone Components vs. NgModules


Angular has introduced standalone components to simplify the module system.
Understanding the differences between these two approaches is essential, especially since
the execution flow can vary slightly.
A. Traditional NgModule Approach
 Files Involved:
o app.module.ts (Root Module)
o Component Modules (if any)
 Process:
o main.ts bootstraps the root module (AppModule).
o AppModule declares and imports all necessary components, directives, and
services.
o Components are instantiated based on the module’s declarations and
imports.
B. Standalone Component Approach
 Files Involved:
o app.component.ts (Standalone Root Component)
 Process:
o main.ts bootstraps the standalone root component (AppComponent).
o The root component directly imports other components, directives, and
services it depends on.
o Eliminates the need for a separate NgModule, simplifying the architecture.
 Advantages:
o Reduces boilerplate by removing the need for NgModules.
o Simplifies component dependencies and imports.
o Facilitates better tree-shaking and potentially smaller bundle sizes.

6. Bootstrapping in Detail
Let’s delve deeper into what happens during the bootstrapping phase, regardless of whether
you’re using a root module or a standalone component.
A. Initializing the Platform
 Function Called: platformBrowserDynamic() (for JIT) or platformBrowser() (for AOT)
 Role:
o Sets up the Angular platform for running in a browser.
o Configures the environment for Just-In-Time (JIT) or Ahead-Of-Time (AOT)
compilation.
B. Compiling the Application
 For JIT (Just-In-Time) Compilation:
o Compiles components and modules in the browser at runtime.
o Slower initial load but allows for dynamic template compilation.
 For AOT (Ahead-Of-Time) Compilation:
o Compiles components and modules during the build process.
o Faster initial load and better performance since the browser receives
precompiled code.
C. Creating Dependency Injection (DI) Hierarchy
 Role:
o Angular sets up a hierarchical DI system where services and other
dependencies are provided and injected into components as needed.
o Ensures that each component receives the correct instances of services.
D. Instantiating the Root Component
 Role:
o Angular creates an instance of the root component (AppComponent).
o Renders the component’s template within the <app-root></app-root> selector
in index.html.
E. Rendering the Component Tree
 Process:
o Angular processes the component’s template, resolving bindings, directives,
and child components.
o Recursively instantiates and renders child components, building the complete
UI.

7. Lifecycle Hooks During Bootstrapping


Angular components go through a series of lifecycle hooks during initialization.
Understanding these hooks helps in managing component behavior effectively.
A. ngOnChanges
 When Called: Before ngOnInit, when any data-bound input properties change.
B. ngOnInit
 When Called: After the first ngOnChanges.
 Purpose: Initialize component properties and fetch data.
C. ngDoCheck
 When Called: During every change detection run.
 Purpose: Detect and act upon changes that Angular doesn’t catch on its own.
D. ngAfterContentInit and ngAfterContentChecked
 When Called: After Angular projects external content into the component’s view.
E. ngAfterViewInit and ngAfterViewChecked
 When Called: After Angular initializes the component’s views and child views.
F. ngOnDestroy
 When Called: Just before Angular destroys the component.
 Purpose: Cleanup tasks like unsubscribing from observables.

8. Example Walkthrough
To solidify the understanding, let’s walk through an example of how these files interact during
the application's startup.
A. User Navigates to the Application
1. Browser Requests index.html:
o Server serves src/index.html.
o Browser parses index.html and identifies <app-root></app-root>.
B. index.html Loads Scripts
2. Scripts and Styles Loading:
o Angular CLI injects script tags for bundled JavaScript files (e.g., main.js) into
index.html.
o Browser loads these scripts, including main.ts transpiled to JavaScript.
C. Executing main.ts
3. Bootstrapping:
o main.ts is executed, calling either:
 platformBrowserDynamic().bootstrapModule(AppModule) (NgModule
approach)
 bootstrapApplication(AppComponent) (Standalone component
approach)
D. Angular Initializes the Platform
4. Platform Setup:
o Angular initializes the platform (browser in this case).
o Sets up providers, services, and other configurations.
E. Compiling Components
5. Component Compilation:
o Angular compiles the root module or standalone component.
o Resolves component templates, styles, and dependencies.
F. Dependency Injection Setup
6. DI Hierarchy:
o Angular creates the dependency injection hierarchy.
o Injects services and other dependencies into components as defined.
G. Instantiating and Rendering Components
7. Component Instantiation:
o Angular creates an instance of AppComponent.
o Executes lifecycle hooks (ngOnInit, etc.).
8. Rendering:
o AppComponent’s template is rendered inside <app-root></app-root>.
o Child components are instantiated and rendered recursively.
H. Application Becomes Interactive
9. User Interaction:
o The application is now fully loaded and interactive.
o Users can interact with the UI, triggering events and data bindings.

9. Handling Errors During Bootstrapping


Angular provides mechanisms to handle errors that might occur during the bootstrapping
process.
Example in main.ts:
typescript
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bootstrapApplication(AppComponent)
.catch((err) => console.error(err)); // Logs any bootstrapping errors
 Purpose:
o Catches and logs errors that occur during the initialization of the application.
o Helps in debugging issues that prevent the app from starting correctly.

10. Optimizations and Production Builds


When preparing an Angular application for production, several optimizations are applied to
enhance performance and reduce bundle sizes.
A. Ahead-of-Time (AOT) Compilation
 Process:
o Compiles Angular templates during the build process.
o Produces highly optimized JavaScript code.
 Benefits:
o Faster rendering in the browser.
o Smaller bundle sizes.
o Early detection of template errors.
B. Tree Shaking
 Process:
o Removes unused code from the final bundle.
 Benefits:
o Reduces the size of JavaScript files.
o Improves load times and performance.
C. Minification and Uglification
 Process:
o Compresses and obfuscates JavaScript code.
 Benefits:
o Further reduces bundle sizes.
o Enhances code security by making it harder to read.
D. Environment Configuration
 Process:
o Replaces environment.ts with environment.prod.ts during production builds.
 Benefits:
o Uses production-specific settings like optimized API endpoints and feature
flags.
E. Lazy Loading Modules
 Process:
o Splits the application into multiple bundles loaded on demand.
 Benefits:
o Decreases initial load time.
o Improves application performance by loading only necessary code.
Example Build Command:
bash
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ng build --prod

11. Summary of Key Execution Steps and Files

Step Description Key Files Involved

Entry point loaded by the


1. Load index.html browser, contains <app- src/index.html
root></app-root>.

Bootstraps the Angular


2. Execute main.ts src/main.ts
application.
Step Description Key Files Involved

3. Bootstrap Initializes root module or src/app/app.module.ts or


Module/Component standalone component. src/app/app.component.ts

Sets up component tree,


4. Initialize src/app/app.component.ts, other
dependency injection, and
Components components
lifecycle hooks.

Renders the component


src/app/app.component.html,
5. Render Application templates into the DOM,
other templates
making the app interactive.

Catches and logs any errors


6. Handle Errors src/main.ts
during bootstrapping.

Applies AOT, tree shaking,


7. Optimize for
minification, and other angular.json, build configurations
Production
optimizations for deployment.

12. Visualizing the Flow


To better visualize the execution flow, here's a simplified diagram:
yaml
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Browser Requests App URL
|
v
Server Serves `index.html`
|
v
Browser Parses `index.html`
|
v
Browser Loads and Executes `main.ts`
|
v
Bootstrap Root Module or Standalone Component
|
v
Initialize DI and Services
|
v
Instantiate and Render Root Component
|
v
Render Child Components Recursively
|
v
Application is Fully Loaded and Interactive

13. Additional Considerations


A. Routing
 File Involved: app-routing.module.ts (if using routing)
 Role:
o Defines navigation paths and associated components.
o Manages browser URL changes and component rendering based on routes.
 Process:
o Angular Router listens to URL changes.
o Loads and displays components based on the defined routes.
B. State Management
 Tools Used:
o Services, NgRx, Akita, etc.
 Role:
o Manages the application’s state in a predictable and centralized manner.
o Facilitates communication between components and services.
C. HTTP Interactions
 File Involved: Services (e.g., data.service.ts)
 Role:
o Handles HTTP requests and interactions with backend APIs.
o Uses Angular’s HttpClient for communication.
 Example Content:
typescript
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import { Injectable } from '@angular/core';
import { HttpClient } from '@angular/common/http';
import { Observable } from 'rxjs';

@Injectable({
providedIn: 'root'
})
export class DataService {
private apiUrl = 'https://api.my-angular-app.com/data';

constructor(private http: HttpClient) { }

getData(): Observable<Data[]> {
return this.http.get<Data[]>(this.apiUrl);
}
}
D. Testing
 Files Involved:
o *.spec.ts files for unit tests.
o Protractor or Cypress configurations for end-to-end (E2E) tests.
 Role:
o Ensures application components and services behave as expected.
o Facilitates automated testing during development and deployment.
E. Build and Deployment
 Process:
o Use Angular CLI commands to build the application for different
environments.
o Deploy the built assets to a web server or cloud platform.
 Example Build Command:
bash
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ng build --configuration=production

14. Conclusion
The execution flow of an Angular application involves a well-orchestrated series of steps that
transform your code into a dynamic, interactive web application. Here's a recap of the critical
phases and files involved:
1. index.html serves as the entry point, loading scripts and defining where the app
renders.
2. main.ts bootstraps the application by initializing the root module or standalone
component.
3. Root Module (AppModule) or Standalone Component (AppComponent) sets up
the application's structure, declarations, imports, and providers.
4. Dependency Injection ensures that components receive the necessary services and
dependencies.
5. Component Initialization and Rendering bring the application to life, rendering
templates and handling user interactions.
6. Supporting Files like angular.json, polyfills.ts, and environment configurations
ensure the app is optimized, compatible, and configurable for different environments.
7. Lifecycle Hooks within components manage initialization, updates, and cleanup
tasks.
8. Optimizations during the build process enhance performance and reduce bundle
sizes for production deployments.
Understanding this flow empowers you to build, debug, and optimize Angular applications
effectively. As Angular continues to evolve, features like standalone components simplify the
architecture, making it easier to manage and scale your applications.

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