Exploring the top resources to learn Angular for free in 2023.
Think of the most complex website you use regularly.
The elaborate web app for your bank with pages and pages of features.
Or the massive e-commerce site you can explore for hours.
Chances are, these sites leverage a framework to manage all that front-end complexity.
One of those frameworks could be Angular.
Thereâs a reason Angular is often brought up in the same breath as React and Vue as a top JavaScript framework.
Since its release from Google in 2010, Angular has rapidly risen to become an essential tool for ambitious web development.
What is Angular?
Angular is an open-source web application framework led by Google and a community of individual developers and corporations.
Angular is used to build dynamic single-page applications and multi-page web apps with complex user interfaces.
It is written in TypeScript and relies on core web development languages like HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
As a framework, Angular provides structure for web apps by connecting and coordinating different components and services.
Some of Angularâs main features include:
- Two-way data binding which automatically syncs data between the model and view
- A component system for encapsulating reusable code into modules
- Routing for building single-page web apps with multiple views
- Forms handling and validation for easier form building
- Dependency injection to provide services to components
- Powerful tooling like the CLI, debugging, and testing features
With Angular handling much of the core functionality, developers can build complex web applications while writing less boilerplate code.
It simplifies web development by providing a modular, feature-rich platform for building scalable frontends.
And it's strong toolset and large community make Angular suitable for everything from small projects to enterprise solutions.
Comparing Angular to Other Frameworks
As a full-featured JavaScript framework, Angular takes a different approach than lighter-weight libraries like React:
- It has more built-in functionality like routing, a CLI, and forms handling
- Code is written in TypeScript instead of standard JavaScript
- Applications follow a Module-Component structure with dependency injection
- Data flows one way from Services down through Components
In contrast, React focuses solely on the view layer. This makes React more flexible for developers who want to pick their own architecture.
Vue provides a hybrid approach between Angular's kitchen-sink framework and React's minimalist library. Many find its component API simpler to work with.
As I hope youâre able to tell right now, there are many great reasons to learn Angular.
And as with any great framework, there are plenty of learning materials available online.
Here are five top resources where you can learn Angular for free today:
#1 - The Official Angular Docs
The Official Angular Docs offers insightful tutorials for beginners in Angular application development.
The âFirst App Tutorial - Angular Homesâ introduces you to fundamental concepts including standalone components and data binding.
The âTour of Heroesâ tutorial goes further by demonstrating more intricate functions like one-way and two-way data binding, user event interactions, and component creation to handle various user inputs and display tasks.
Additionally, the âBuilding a template-driven formâ tutorial focuses on form creation and emphasises the role of input validation and two-way data binding in ensuring data integrity and optimising user experience.
These tutorials collectively offer a structured learning path, covering a range of Angularâs fundamental aspects, designed for all types of learners.
#2 - Codecademy
Codecademy's Learn AngularJS course will give you the skills to develop single-page web applications using AngularJS.
The course introduces the Model-View-Controller (MVC) programming pattern, enabling you to construct an application from scratch.
Itâs structured with four lessons, inclusive of 14 projects and four quizzes, covering fundamental topics like creating the first app, learning directives for standalone UI components, utilising services for server communication, and implementing routing to enhance single-page applications.
They recommend having a good understanding of JavaScript and basic HTML to be able to fully benefit from this course.
#3 - W3Schools
The W3Schools AngularJS Tutorial is specially designed to make learning AngularJS a breeze.
Youâll start off learning the basics like directives, expressions, filters, modules, and controllers. Once youâve got those down, you'll dive into all the other cool stuff like Events, DOM, Forms, Input, Validation, and Http.
Each chapter comes with âTry it Yourselfâ examples, so you can play around with the examples online, tweak them as you like, and see the results immediately.
Itâs all about learning in a way thatâs engaging and hands-on, making sure you get the most out of every lesson.
#4 - MDN Web Docs
One of the best ways to get started with Angular is to jump right in and build something â the MDN Web Docs offers an excellent interactive Getting Started with Angular tutorial that guides you through creating a to-do list app.
Providing beginner-friendly hands-on practice with all the core aspects of Angular development including using components to structure your app, creating forms with two-way data binding, fetching and displaying data from services, employing dependency injection to connect components, dynamically adding, editing and deleting to-do items, and filtering and searching your to-dos.
Completing this practical crash course from start to finish will reinforce key concepts like directives, pipes and services that you can apply to any Angular project and give you the confidence to take on more advanced topics and tutorials.
#5 - TekTutorialsHub
The TekTutorialsHub Angular Tutorial for beginners is an all-inclusive resource that takes you through all the core concepts needed to build Angular applications.
Using a straightforward, step-by-step approach enriched with abundant examples and code snippets â youâll learn how to create components, directives, pipes, organise code into modules, handle routing, leverage two-way data binding, make HTTP calls, and more.
It also includes advanced topics like observables and SEO, with the content spanning across Angular versions from 2 through the latest editions to ensure a well-rounded understanding suitable for any project.
Bonus - YouTube Videos
As well as the above, there are a bunch of great video tutorials available on YouTube for learning Angular.
Here are a few of them:
- Angular Tutorial for Beginners - by Programming with Mosh
- Angular for Beginners Course - by freeCodeCamp
- Angular Crash Course - by Traversy Media
In conclusion, with its hefty feature set and ability to scale, Angular is a worthwhile investment for any web developer's skillset.
The abundance of high-quality tutorials and documentation makes Angular one of the easiest frameworks to learn.
Whether you prefer text-based lessons, interactive code samples, or video tutorials, this collection of free resources has something for every learning style.
By combining fundamentals from the Angular docs with hands-on projects, youâll be building dynamic Angular apps in no time.
The knowledge you gain from these materials will enable you to create smooth, fast web experiences that users love.
Go with Angular, be spectacular!
From your fellow ever-growing dev,
Cherlock Code
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