Section 2.1: @defer is Now Stable

One of the most awaited features, @defer, has reached stability. This decorator allows for the deferral of component loading, significantly improving application speed and responsiveness. By prioritizing essential components, it optimizes load times effectively. For instance, bill.com successfully reduced the bundle size of one of their web applications by 50% using deferrable views.

Section 2.2: Stable Control Flow

The introduction of a stable control flow provides a more reliable and efficient method for managing complex logic in web applications. This ensures smoother execution of your code, especially when navigating intricate control structures.

Section 2.3: Enhanced Forms API

A standout enhancement in Angular 18 is the upgraded Forms API. This update simplifies reactive forms, making them more user-friendly and easier to manage. The new API not only boosts type safety but also enhances validation capabilities.

import { FormBuilder, FormGroup, Validators } from '@angular/forms';

export class ProfileFormComponent {

profileForm: FormGroup;

constructor(private fb: FormBuilder) {

this.profileForm = this.fb.group({

firstName: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.minLength(2)]],

lastName: ['', Validators.required],

age: ['', [Validators.required, Validators.min(18)]]

});

}

}

This streamlined method reduces boilerplate code and simplifies form validation significantly.

Section 2.4: Type Narrowing of Signals

Type narrowing of signals enhances type safety within Angular applications. This improvement allows developers to write more precise, error-free code by leveraging TypeScript's robust type-checking features.

Section 2.5: Zoneless Change Detection

Angular 18 introduces zoneless change detection, which significantly boosts performance by removing the need for zone.js in specific contexts. This change is especially advantageous for large-scale applications with complex change detection needs.

import { Component, ChangeDetectionStrategy } from '@angular/core';

@Component({

selector: 'app-fast-component',

template: Fast Component,

changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush

})

export class FastComponent {}

Section 2.6: Change Detection Scheduler

The Scheduler in Angular's change detection system determines when and how change detection cycles are initiated, ensuring the UI remains synchronized with the application's data model. The new scheduler enhances efficiency in zone applications, reducing performance overhead and enhancing responsiveness.

Section 2.7: Zone Coalescing by Default

Zone Coalescing refers to an optimization technique that minimizes the frequency of change detection cycles triggered by numerous events occurring in rapid succession. This is particularly useful for event-heavy templates or frequent state updates. Zone coalescing is now enabled by default, which automatically optimizes change detection cycle scheduling for better performance.

Section 2.8: Enhanced Component Support

Component support for zoneless change detection allows developers to create components that do not rely on zone.js, further optimizing performance and simplifying the development process.

Section 2.9: Model Inputs Improvement

Angular 18 brings enhanced support for model inputs, offering a more intuitive approach to handling data binding and validation. Defining a model input closely resembles creating a standard input, allowing you to bind values easily into properties.

Section 2.10: Default Content for ng-content

The feature enabling default content for <ng-content> ensures that components remain functional, even when projected content is absent. This is instrumental in creating resilient components capable of managing missing or incomplete content, thereby avoiding code duplication.

Example output when AppComponent doesn't provide content for the header section:

Hello again

Custom main content

All rights reserved

Section 4.1: New RedirectCommand Class

The latest version of Angular introduces the RedirectCommand class for managing NavigationExtras, enhancing redirection capabilities in Angular applications with Guards and Resolvers.

Section 4.2: Route Redirects as Functions

In Angular v18, the redirectTo property within the Routes configuration can now accept a function that returns a string, enabling developers to implement more complex logic for determining the target route based on various conditions.

Section 4.3: Parameterized Routes for SSG

The support for parameterized routes in Static Site Generation (SSG) proves beneficial for developers aiming to utilize Angular for static site generation, enabling dynamic and SEO-friendly static sites.

Section 4.4: Hydrated i18n Blocks in SSR Mode

Collaboration with Aurora has led to hydration support for i18n blocks, enhancing internationalization in Server-Side Rendered (SSR) applications. This feature guarantees that translations are accurately rendered on the server, reducing the Time To First Paint (TTFP).

Section 4.5: Partial Hydration

Partial hydration enhances Server-Side Rendering by hydrating only the necessary parts of the DOM, leading to quicker initial load times and improved user experience.

Section 4.6: Event Replay During Hydration

Event replay during hydration mimics JsAction behavior, offering a smoother and more responsive user experience by replaying user actions post-hydration.

Section 5.1: Optional Migration to Application Builder

Angular 18 prompts an optional migration to the new application builder, streamlining the build process and enhancing performance and flexibility.

Section 5.2: Webpack as an Optional Dependency

Webpack is now an optional dependency, allowing developers to choose their preferred build tools without being constrained to Webpack, facilitating easier integration with various build systems.

Section 5.3: Compatibility with TypeScript 5.4

Angular 18 is now exclusively compatible with TypeScript 5.4, enabling developers to take advantage of the latest TypeScript features and improvements for enhanced type safety and developer experience.

Section 6.1: Enhanced Debugging Tools

This release includes enhanced debugging tools that offer deeper insights into application performance and state. The updated Angular DevTools extension provides new profiling and debugging features, simplifying the identification and resolution of issues.

Section 6.2: Performance Enhancements

Angular 18 also brings numerous performance improvements, such as faster compilation times and improved change detection, ensuring that web applications operate more quickly and efficiently.

Section 6.3: Bug Fixes

This version addresses various community-reported bugs, enhancing the framework's stability and reliability.