Angular 1 vs Angular 2 vs Angular 4 – Essential differences that enhance your Application Performance!

It has been 5 years when Angularjs version 1.0 released and it’s evolved much with Angularjs 2.0 and latest version Angularjs 4.0. Many articles published which outlined new features but as an Angularjs Consultant, I like to tell how Angular 1.0 to 4.0 features impact on your application performance, scalability, security. I believe everyone knows that there is no Angularjs version 3.0.

Architecture

1.0 vs 2.0

Angularjs 2.0 entirely rewritten compare to 1.0 and it’s a significant structural change. There are few upgrade possibilities of 1.0 to 2.0 and most of the cases only suitable possible option are to rewrite the application in Angularjs 2.0.

2.0 vs 4.0

Though Angularjs 4.0 have under the hood changes over 2.0 and which make it faster and reduce file of generated code of component by 60%. Same generated code can be used for debugging and prod mode.

Javascript vs TypeScript

1.0 vs 2.0

Angularjs 1.0 application build on Javascript but Angular 2.0 comes with Typescripts which is a superset of Javascript which helps developers to write more structured and robust code. Along with Typescripts, developers can use Dart with 2.0.

2.0 vs 4.0

Latest Angular version 4.0 compatible with Typescript 2.1 and 2.2 which improve type checking throughout the application.

Component-based UI

1.0 vs 2.0

Angularjs 2.0 changed to component based UI and dropped controller concept which was in Angular 1.0. As a developer intent, we can split application features into various components and call required UI. Which increase reusability and flexibility over 1.0. If you worked on reactjs then might aware of component-based structure already.

Mobile Support

1.0 vs 2.0

With Angular 2.0, they accomplish a goal to make native applications like React Native. Angular 2.0 have application layer and the rendering layer. So, a separate view can be rendered in runtime by associating with a required component. based on need

SEO Friendly

1.0 vs 2.0

Search engine friendliness was a major issue with Angular 1.0 while developing single page applications but in angularjs 2.0 they eliminate this bottleneck. With Angular Universal, now it’s possible to build single page application SEO friendly by rendering plain HTML at the server side.

Related read: Angular 4 is coming in 2017 – No Angular 3, why it does not matter?

Additional new features in Angular 4.0

• Angular Universal was a community driven project but now adopted by the Angular team. It’s great news and opens a new dimension to build powerful SPA yet 100% SEO friendly.
• New service to easily get or update meta tags
• New Validators for valid email
• Animation has an own package and pulled out from @angular/core which reduces code if your production package not using Animation.
• Better Debugging with Source Maps for Templates

Conclusion

If you are planning a new project then you must start with Angular 4.0 with Angular Universal as tech stack and which definitely provide the scalable, secure and flexible path.
If you are planning an upgrade from Angular 2.0 to Angular 4.0 then it will be easy and developer should do only if the application demands it.
I feel application which was built on Angular 1.0 demands future upgrade with Angular 4.0. However, still, you should check that what kind of bottlenecks application facing and how latest version of Angular can help to improve that.
We are an established Angularjs Web Development Company in India helping clients to define a robust architecture for Angularjs projects. If you need any help for next web or native mobile application, please don’t hesitate to contact us.