Top Related Projects
A progressive Node.js framework for building efficient, scalable, and enterprise-grade server-side applications with TypeScript/JavaScript 🚀
The Intuitive Vue Framework.
The React Framework
Cybernetically enhanced web apps
The best React-based framework with performance, scalability and security built in.
Build Better Websites. Create modern, resilient user experiences with web fundamentals.
Quick Overview
Angular Universal is a technology that enables server-side rendering (SSR) for Angular applications. It allows Angular apps to run on the server, generating static HTML content that can be sent to the client, improving initial load times and SEO performance.
Pros
- Improved initial load time and performance, especially on slower devices or networks
- Better search engine optimization (SEO) as search engines can crawl the pre-rendered content
- Enhanced user experience with faster time-to-first-content
- Supports progressive enhancement, allowing the app to work without JavaScript enabled
Cons
- Increased complexity in application architecture and deployment
- Potential for higher server costs due to increased server-side processing
- Some third-party libraries may not be compatible with server-side rendering
- Debugging can be more challenging due to the dual environments (server and client)
Code Examples
- Basic server-side rendering setup:
import { ngExpressEngine } from '@nguniversal/express-engine';
import { AppServerModule } from './src/main.server';
app.engine('html', ngExpressEngine({
bootstrap: AppServerModule,
}));
app.set('view engine', 'html');
app.set('views', distFolder);
app.get('*', (req, res) => {
res.render('index', { req });
});
This code sets up an Express server to use Angular Universal for server-side rendering.
- Transferring state from server to client:
import { TransferState, makeStateKey } from '@angular/platform-browser';
const HEROES_KEY = makeStateKey<string>('heroes');
@Component({...})
export class AppComponent implements OnInit {
heroes: string[];
constructor(private transferState: TransferState) {}
ngOnInit() {
this.heroes = this.transferState.get(HEROES_KEY, null);
if (!this.heroes) {
// Fetch heroes if not available in transfer state
this.fetchHeroes();
}
}
fetchHeroes() {
// Fetch heroes and set in transfer state
this.heroes = ['Superman', 'Batman', 'Wonder Woman'];
this.transferState.set(HEROES_KEY, this.heroes);
}
}
This example demonstrates how to transfer state from the server to the client using TransferState.
- Platform-specific code:
import { isPlatformBrowser, isPlatformServer } from '@angular/common';
@Component({...})
export class MyComponent {
constructor(@Inject(PLATFORM_ID) private platformId: Object) {}
ngOnInit() {
if (isPlatformBrowser(this.platformId)) {
// Browser-only code
console.log('Running in the browser');
}
if (isPlatformServer(this.platformId)) {
// Server-only code
console.log('Running on the server');
}
}
}
This code shows how to write platform-specific logic using Angular Universal.
Getting Started
To get started with Angular Universal:
-
Install the necessary packages:
ng add @nguniversal/express-engine
-
Build and run the SSR version of your app:
npm run build:ssr && npm run serve:ssr
-
Navigate to
http://localhost:4000
to see your server-side rendered Angular app.
Competitor Comparisons
A progressive Node.js framework for building efficient, scalable, and enterprise-grade server-side applications with TypeScript/JavaScript 🚀
Pros of Nest
- More versatile and can be used for various backend applications, not limited to Angular
- Built-in support for microservices architecture
- Extensive ecosystem with many official and community modules
Cons of Nest
- Steeper learning curve, especially for developers new to TypeScript or decorators
- Potentially more complex setup for simple applications
- May introduce overhead for small projects that don't require its full feature set
Code Comparison
Universal (Angular Server-Side Rendering):
import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
import { ServerModule } from '@angular/platform-server';
import { AppModule } from './app.module';
import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
@NgModule({
imports: [AppModule, ServerModule],
bootstrap: [AppComponent],
})
export class AppServerModule {}
Nest (Basic Controller):
import { Controller, Get } from '@nestjs/common';
@Controller('cats')
export class CatsController {
@Get()
findAll(): string {
return 'This action returns all cats';
}
}
Universal focuses on server-side rendering for Angular applications, while Nest provides a full-featured backend framework. Universal is more specialized for Angular projects, whereas Nest offers greater flexibility for various backend scenarios. The code examples highlight the difference in approach, with Universal extending Angular's module system and Nest using decorators for defining routes and controllers.
The Intuitive Vue Framework.
Pros of Nuxt
- Easier setup and configuration out of the box
- Better performance due to automatic code splitting
- More flexible routing system with file-based routing
Cons of Nuxt
- Less mature ecosystem compared to Angular
- Limited to Vue.js framework, while Universal supports multiple frameworks
- Steeper learning curve for developers not familiar with Vue.js
Code Comparison
Nuxt (pages/index.vue):
<template>
<h1>{{ title }}</h1>
</template>
<script>
export default {
asyncData() {
return { title: 'Hello World' }
}
}
</script>
Universal (app.component.ts):
import { Component } from '@angular/core';
@Component({
selector: 'app-root',
template: '<h1>{{ title }}</h1>'
})
export class AppComponent {
title = 'Hello World';
}
Both frameworks aim to provide server-side rendering capabilities, but they differ in their approach and ecosystem. Nuxt is specifically designed for Vue.js applications, offering a more opinionated and streamlined development experience. Universal, on the other hand, is more flexible and can be used with various frameworks, including Angular.
Nuxt excels in its simplicity and performance optimizations, while Universal benefits from Angular's robust ecosystem and tooling. The choice between the two largely depends on the preferred framework (Vue.js vs Angular) and the specific requirements of the project.
The React Framework
Pros of Next.js
- Easier learning curve and more intuitive API
- Better performance and smaller bundle sizes
- More extensive ecosystem and community support
Cons of Next.js
- Less flexibility for complex server-side rendering scenarios
- Limited to React, while Universal supports Angular applications
- Opinionated structure may not suit all project requirements
Code Comparison
Next.js:
// pages/index.js
export async function getServerSideProps() {
const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data')
const data = await res.json()
return { props: { data } }
}
export default function Home({ data }) {
return <div>{data.title}</div>
}
Universal:
// app.server.module.ts
@NgModule({
imports: [
AppModule,
ServerModule,
],
bootstrap: [AppComponent],
})
export class AppServerModule {}
// server.ts
app.get('*', (req, res) => {
res.render('index', { req, providers: [{ provide: APP_BASE_HREF, useValue: req.baseUrl }] });
});
Both Next.js and Universal aim to provide server-side rendering capabilities, but they cater to different frameworks and have distinct approaches. Next.js offers a more streamlined development experience for React applications, while Universal provides server-side rendering solutions for Angular projects. The choice between them largely depends on the framework preference and specific project requirements.
Cybernetically enhanced web apps
Pros of Svelte
- Smaller bundle size and faster runtime performance
- Simpler learning curve with less boilerplate code
- Compile-time framework with no virtual DOM overhead
Cons of Svelte
- Smaller ecosystem and community compared to Angular
- Fewer enterprise-level features out of the box
- Less mature tooling and third-party library support
Code Comparison
Svelte component:
<script>
let count = 0;
function increment() {
count += 1;
}
</script>
<button on:click={increment}>
Clicks: {count}
</button>
Angular component:
@Component({
selector: 'app-counter',
template: `
<button (click)="increment()">
Clicks: {{count}}
</button>
`
})
export class CounterComponent {
count = 0;
increment() {
this.count += 1;
}
}
Summary
Svelte offers a more lightweight and performant approach to building web applications, with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. It shines in smaller to medium-sized projects where rapid development and minimal overhead are priorities. Universal, being part of the Angular ecosystem, provides a more comprehensive solution for large-scale, enterprise applications with built-in server-side rendering capabilities. The choice between the two depends on project requirements, team expertise, and scalability needs.
The best React-based framework with performance, scalability and security built in.
Pros of Gatsby
- Faster initial page load times due to static site generation
- Extensive plugin ecosystem for easy integration of various features
- GraphQL-based data layer for efficient data management
Cons of Gatsby
- Steeper learning curve, especially for developers new to React and GraphQL
- Longer build times for large sites with many pages
- Less suitable for highly dynamic content that requires frequent updates
Code Comparison
Universal (Angular):
import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
import { ServerModule } from '@angular/platform-server';
import { AppModule } from './app.module';
import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
@NgModule({
imports: [AppModule, ServerModule],
bootstrap: [AppComponent],
})
export class AppServerModule {}
Gatsby:
exports.createPages = async ({ actions }) => {
const { createPage } = actions;
createPage({
path: "/using-dsg",
component: path.resolve(`src/templates/using-dsg.js`),
context: {},
defer: true,
});
};
Both frameworks offer server-side rendering capabilities, but Gatsby focuses on static site generation while Universal provides server-side rendering for Angular applications. Gatsby's approach is more suited for content-heavy sites, while Universal is better for dynamic, application-like experiences.
Build Better Websites. Create modern, resilient user experiences with web fundamentals.
Pros of Remix
- Built-in server-side rendering and data loading, simplifying the development of full-stack applications
- Seamless integration with modern web APIs and progressive enhancement
- Efficient code splitting and asset loading out of the box
Cons of Remix
- Steeper learning curve for developers new to server-side rendering concepts
- Smaller ecosystem and community compared to Angular
- Limited support for static site generation
Code Comparison
Remix (server-side data loading):
export async function loader({ params }) {
const user = await getUser(params.id);
return json({ user });
}
Universal (server-side rendering):
@Component({
selector: 'app-root',
template: `<h1>{{ title }}</h1>`
})
export class AppComponent {
title = 'Server-side Rendered App';
}
Both frameworks aim to provide server-side rendering capabilities, but they approach it differently. Remix focuses on a more integrated full-stack approach, while Universal extends Angular's client-side framework to support server-side rendering.
Remix offers a more streamlined development experience for full-stack applications, but Universal benefits from Angular's extensive ecosystem and tooling. The choice between the two depends on project requirements, team expertise, and existing technology stack.
Convert designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual CopilotREADME
Angular Universal
Angular Universal was a project to expand on the core APIs from Angular (platform-server) to enable developers to do server side rendering of Angular applications in a variety of scenarios.
This repository has been merged into the Angular CLI repo
In version 17, Universal has been moved into the
Angular CLI repo. Code has been
refactored and renamed (mostly under
@angular/ssr
now), but the core functionality and architecture is unchanged.
Universal features such as server-side rendering and build-time prerendering are now directly supported in Angular CLI and do not require a separate integration with Universal.
As a result, this repository is effectively in maintenance mode and is no longer accepting contributions. Improvements to Angular's SSR/prerendering tooling should be made against the CLI repo directly. Universal versions under long-term support (LTS) are still maintained by the Angular team and will continue to receive security fixes until they fall out of LTS.
Top Related Projects
A progressive Node.js framework for building efficient, scalable, and enterprise-grade server-side applications with TypeScript/JavaScript 🚀
The Intuitive Vue Framework.
The React Framework
Cybernetically enhanced web apps
The best React-based framework with performance, scalability and security built in.
Build Better Websites. Create modern, resilient user experiences with web fundamentals.
Convert designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual Copilot