Being a popular front-end framework for creating online apps, Angular offers a wide range of capabilities and resources. However, no framework can deliver every feature out of the box. Third-party libraries can help with this. You can incorporate third-party libraries, which are pre-built packages of code that offer extra functionality to your Angular apps.
Though, it is always a worthy step to hire angularjs developer from a reliable development company. But still in this blog we’ll walk you through the process of utilizing third-party libraries in Angular in this comprehensive guide. We’ll go over everything, from selecting the best library to incorporating it into your project and resolving typical roadblocks.
Introduction
Before we go into the specifics, let’s define why you might wish to incorporate third-party libraries into your Angular projects:
– Time Savings: Using third-party libraries can cut your development time significantly. Utilizing pre-existing solutions will save you from having to construct complex features from scratch.
– Specialized Features: A lot of third-party libraries are made to address certain issues, such as charting, manipulating data, or authentication. Your application may gain specialized functionality by integrating these libraries.
Popular libraries frequently have a significant user base and vibrant communities. This makes it simpler for you to find resources, documentation, and help.
– Maintainability: Using existing libraries can result in code that is easier to maintain. These libraries frequently go through continual improvement and testing.
Now that the advantages have been proven, let’s look at how to use third-party libraries in Angular.
How to Choose the Best Third-Party Library
Selecting the appropriate third-party library for your project is the first step in employing one. Here are some things to think about:
-
Identify the Needs of Your Project
It’s essential to have a good understanding of your project’s requirements before you begin looking for a library. What precise attributes or capabilities do you require? Your search will be aided by knowing this.
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Analyze and compare
After defining the requirements for your project, look up the libraries that can meet those requirements. Check out popular package registries like npm (Node Package Manager) or yarn for libraries. Examine the alternatives and read the documentation.
Take into account the following elements:
– Community Support: Updates and bug fixes are more likely to reach a library with an active community. It’s also simpler to find data and support.
– Documentation: Effective documentation is crucial. It must be clear, up-to-date, and supported by examples.
– Popularity: In general, a widely used library is a safer option. Don’t discount modern libraries, either; they might provide creative answers.
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Compatibility
Make sure the library you select is compatible with the Angular version you are using. Because Angular is a dynamic framework, libraries might not always support the most recent updates.
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Consider Extensibility and Customization
Examine whether the library can be modified or expanded to fit the particular needs of your project. While some libraries offer a lot of configuration options, some have stronger opinions.
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license
Verify that the license terms governing the library comply with the licensing needs of your project. There can be limitations on commercial use in some libraries.
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Dependencies
Look at the dependencies of the library. Consider the size of the library and its dependencies, and make sure they don’t conflict with any already existing dependencies on your project.
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Security
Security is essential. Verify the library’s track record for quickly correcting vulnerabilities. Also, take into account the library’s security procedures and whether it needs access to confidential information.
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Performance
Take into account how the library will affect your application’s performance. Some libraries could add overhead, especially if they’re not utilized properly.
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Testing
Verify the library’s testing capabilities and test coverage. You may feel more assured in its dependability as a result.
Keep in mind that picking the right library is an important choice. Spend some time researching before making a decision.
Installation
Installation comes next after you’ve selected a third-party library for your Angular project. To manage dependencies, Angular employs package managers like npm (Node Package Manager) or yarn. Using npm, follow these steps to install a library:
npm install library-name
Change “library-name” to the precise name of the library you want to use. You may install the library using yarn if you prefer:
yarn add library-name
Through this command, the library and all of its dependencies will be downloaded and installed in the ‘node_modules’ directory of your project.
Bringing the Library in
To make the library’s features and components available in your code after installation, you must import them into your Angular application. The import statements may differ based on the organization of the library and the individual parts or modules you plan to use.
To import a third-party library into your Angular application, follow these general instructions:
Importing a Module, first
If the library offers an Angular module, you ought to import it into the module for your application. By doing this, Angular can recognize and utilize the directives, services, and components of the library.
typescript
import { LibraryModule } from ‘library-name’;
@NgModule({
declarations: […],
imports: [
// …
LibraryModule, // Import the library’s module here
// …
],
providers: […],
bootstrap: […],
})
export class AppModule { }
‘LibraryModule’ and ‘library-name’ must be changed to the actual module and library names listed in the library’s documentation.
- Importing Components, Services, or Directives
You must import any specific components, services, or directives that the library exposes into the appropriate Angular component or service files. For instance:
typescript
import { ComponentName, LibraryService } from ‘library-name’;
@Component({
selector: ‘app-your-component’,
templateUrl: ‘./your-component.component.html’,
styleUrls: [‘./your-component.component.css’]
})
export class YourComponent implements OnInit {
constructor(private libraryService: LibraryService) {
// Use the imported component or service here
}
ngOnInit() {
// …
}
}
Integrating LibraryFeaturesÂ
After importing the library, you can now begin incorporating its functions and elements into your Angular application. Depending on the goal of the library and the particular functionality you want to include, the integration procedure will change. Here are a few typical situations:
-
Making use of UI Components
You can include library components in your Angular templates if you’re using a UI framework like Angular Material. These parts frequently include pre-styled UI elements that are simple to change.
The’mat-card’ component from Angular Material, for instance, can be used in your template:
html
<!– In your component’s HTML file –>
<mat-card>
<mat-card-header>
<mat-card-title>
Welcome to My Angular App
</mat-card-title>
</mat-card-header>
<mat-card-content>
This is a card from Angular Material!
</mat-card-content>
</mat-card>
The library’s documentation contains comprehensive instructions on how to utilize each of its components.
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Integrating with Services
A lot of libraries offer services for certain functionality. Inject these services into your Angular components or services to utilize them. You can use these services’ methods or attributes to interact with the features of the library.
To handle user authentication and authorization, for instance, if you’re using an authentication library, you may inject its authentication service into your component.
typescript
import { AuthService } from ‘library-name’;
@Component({
// …
})
export class YourComponent implements OnInit {
constructor(private authService: AuthService) {
// Use the library’s authentication service methods here
}
ngOnInit() {
// …
}
}
-
Incorporating Routing
In your application, you must configure and declare routes if you’re using a routing module like Angular Router. You can map particular URLs to application components using route settings.
Make sure to adhere to the library’s documentation while defining route guards, setting up routing, and handling navigation events.
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State management
Follow the suggested patterns and practices for managing the application state with reducers, actions, and selectors when utilizing state management libraries like NgRx. When maintaining shared data amongst components of complicated applications, state management is especially helpful.
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Customizing UI Components
Consult the documentation for the library for instructions on how to use custom styles or increase component functionality if you need to modify the look or behavior of UI components that the library provides. To meet the needs of your application’s design, the majority of UI libraries provide customization possibilities.
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Handling Events
Implement callbacks & event handlers as needed to react to user input or library-specific events. These event handlers will be reliant on the functionality and API of the library.
Configuration and Customization
Many 3rd-party libraries have configuration options that let you modify their behavior to meet the unique requirements of your application. Normally, configuration options are configured when you import the library or in the configuration files for your application.
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Configuration via Import.
When importing their modules, several libraries let you pass configuration parameters. This can help with application-level customization of the library’s behavior.
For instance, when importing an authentication library into a module for your application, you may configure it with API endpoints and other settings:
typescript
import { AuthModule } from ‘library-name’;
@NgModule({
declarations: […],
imports: [
// …
AuthModule.forRoot({
apiUrl: ‘https://api.example.com’,
// other configuration options
}),
// …
],
providers: […],
bootstrap: […],
})
export class AppModule { }
-
Library-Specific Configuration
To modify the behavior of some libraries, you can use specific configuration files. These configuration files are frequently added to the library’s npm package or are usually placed in a dedicated directory.
For information on how to efficiently build and use configuration files, refer to the library’s documentation.
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Environment Variables
Environment variables are a convenient place to keep private or environment-specific configuration values, like API keys or endpoints. ‘environment.ts’ and ‘environment.prod.ts’ are configuration files that Angular supports using for different environments.
These environment variables can be imported and used in your program to customize third-party libraries according to the current situation.
typescript
import { environment } from ‘../environments/environment’;
const apiUrl = environment.production
? ‘https://api.example.com’
: ‘https://dev-api.example.com’;
// Use the apiUrl in your application’s configuration
Consult the library’s documentation for instructions on how to customize it to suit your needs since customization and configuration options vary from library to library.
Debugging and Testing
Software development must include testing, especially when employing third-party libraries. It is always recommended to hire dedicated developer who knows the importance of testing, so they will deliver you the smoothly running mobile App. When testing and debugging your Angular application using third-party modules, keep the following in mind:
-
Unit Testing
Make sure to mock the library’s dependencies and services when building unit tests for your components and services that use them in order to isolate the component or service under test. You are thus able to concentrate on the particular functionality of your code.
You may set up and run unit tests for your components with the use of testing facilities like TestBed and ComponentFixture which Angular offers.
-
Integration Testing
Integration tests ensure that your application’s various components interact as intended. To make sure that the integration between your code and the library works properly, take into account creating integration tests when testing components that use third-party libraries.
Data flow, component interactions, and the proper use of library components are all issues that integration testing can assist in identifying.
-
Debugging
Use the browser developer tools to investigate the state of the program, look for error messages in the console, and establish breakpoints in your code to better understand the execution path when dealing with problems with third-party libraries.
Additionally, many libraries offer debugging tools or settings that can be used to identify issues with their functioning.
-
Library-Specific Testing
Some libraries might offer their own testing tools or best practices. Always refer to the library’s documentation for suggestions on testing procedures.
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Update Dependencies
Update your third-party library dependencies frequently to take advantage of bug fixes, security updates, and new functionality. Be mindful of potential breaking changes that can impact your application when updating, though. After each update, thoroughly test your application to ensure compatibility.
Performance Improvement
Third-party libraries can improve your application’s capabilities, but if they aren’t used properly, they can also cause performance costs. In order to maximize speed when utilizing third-party libraries, consider the following advice:
-
Lazy Loading
Consider modules that use third-party libraries named lazy loading modules. Only loading the library code when it’s required, can assist in speeding up the initial load of your application.
-
Tree Shaking
Make use of the built-in tree-shaking feature of Angular. Tree shaking reduces the bundle size by removing unused code during the production build. To make this functionality available, make sure your application is set up for production builds.
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Code Splitting
Use code-splitting to break large bundles into smaller ones that only load the code required for particular routes or components. This might speed up the initial page load.
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Minification and Compression
Including the code from third-party libraries, enables minification and compression for the assets in your application. By doing this, the size of the files supplied to the client is reduced, speeding up load times.
-
Profile and enhance
Identify performance constraints caused by third-party libraries using profiling tools. Based on the findings of the profiling, optimize your code and configuration.
Updating 3rd-party Libraries
Updates to third-party libraries frequently contain security patches, new functionality, and bug fixes. To guarantee the long-term stability and security of your application, it is critical to keep your dependencies up to date.
Here is a methodical procedure for updating external libraries:
-
Regularly Check for Updates
Review the dependencies of your project on a regular basis to spot out-of-date libraries. To check for available updates, you can use package management tools like npm or yarn:
npm outdated
yarn outdated
-
Review Release Notes
Review the dependencies of your project on a regular basis to spot outdated libraries. To check for updates, you can use package management tools like npm or yarn, read the release notes or changelog of a library before updating it to learn about the modifications and advancements made. Pay close attention to any deprecations or breaking changes that may have an impact on your code.
-
Update Incrementally
In general, updating libraries one at a time incrementally is safer than updating all of them at once. This enables you to evaluate how each change affects your application.
-
Execute tests
Run the tests for your application after a library upgrade to make sure there are no regressions or compatibility concerns.
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Address Breaking Changes
Consult the library’s documentation or migration guidelines if you run into breaking changes during an upgrade to learn how to modify your code. To account for the changes, you might need to modify your code.
-
Update Application Code
In certain cases, library updates could need adjustments to your application code. For instance, you would need to update the portions of your code that interface with a library’s API if it changed.
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Automate Dependency Updates
To automate the process of checking for and applying updates to your project’s dependencies, take into account using tools like Renovate or Depend a bot. Pull request made using these methods can include updated versions of the dependencies.
-
Stay Informed
Keep up with any security alerts affecting the dependencies of your project. Some tools and services can alert you to security flaws in your dependencies so you can respond quickly.
