Angular is known for the development of robust, stunning and lightweight web applications. This TypeScript framework is valued for its resilience, graspable concepts and for its ability to be moulded effortlessly, but it is particularly known for making front-end development an elegant affair.
This open-source web framework that is led and supported by Google is widely used by developers for the creation of avant-garde web apps including single page applications and progressive web applications. However, given the surmounting amount of development tasks and the varied requirements of the web development industry, developers need something extra to make Angular web application development simpler, more minimal yet effective.
Enter the different Angular frameworks that come to the rescue of developers with their handy features and resourceful tools. This article discusses seven popular, robust, practical and AngularJS frameworks that are great to work with.
7 Best Angular Frameworks for Developers
1) Angular ngx Bootstrap
A product of Valor software, this open-source, MIT licensed package helps developers with the creation of highly responsive and interactive website coupled with great styling components. Its Bootstrap components are powered by Angular and do not require JS components.
Angular ngx Bootstrap encloses several components that can be used for multiple purposes. For example, its Alert component can assist with getting contextual feedback messages for user actions while its Progressbar component is capable of giving updated feedback on the progress of a task. Apart from its functional components, it is also known for its flexibility, code extensibility, and a comprehensive set of demos.
2) Kendo UI
A modern, elegant and precisely designed UI is the key to garnering visitors’ immediate attention. Kendo UI is an award-winning framework that helps developers fine-tune their UI designing with its extensive set of UI components. It has charts, grids, customizable stock themes, theme builder and whatnot to cater to any type of UI needs.
An added advantage of Kendo UI is that it can be easily integrated with third-party applications. Kendo UI for Angular contains over 100 native components that are used to address various app requirements including UX design and data handling. Kendo is also popular for its simplified controls, detailed documentation and thriving community support.
3) Angular UI Grid
Built on top of AngularJS, this dexterous framework is packed with cutting-edge features and development tools. Besides providing standard features like sorting and filtering, it supplies developers with advanced features which include grouping, column pinning, expandable rows and virtualization. It can be easily configured, comes with customizable templates and can work smoothly with huge data sets.
Since it is a native framework, it does not require jQuery. In addition, it has a plug-in architecture which means that developers only need to implement features they need instead of keeping everything and making the app heavier.
4) Videogular/Videogular2
Thinking of creating a high-quality video app? Videogular is the framework to choose. Initially powered by AngularJS, Videogular ported to Angular 2.0 in 2015. It serves as an excellent video app development framework with its impressive collection of resourceful plug-ins, built-in multi-cam support, media file streaming with DASH or HLS and dynamic control of cue points and text tracks.
Videogular also allows developers to create their own plug-ins by using Videogular API and extend their video apps by crafting their own custom elements. You can even empower it with Analytics to track the performance of your content. So when it comes down to creating a productive video app, Videogular is your good-to-go Angular framework.
5) Angular Material
Based on the concept of Google’s Material Design Specification, Angular Material is a comprehensive set of accessible, reusable and thoroughly tested UI components meant exclusively for Angular web development. It consists of declarative syntax, customizable features, and easily configurable themes.
Starting from button toggle and form field to expansion panel and progress bar, Angular Material features almost all vital elements that are needed to build a neat and comprehensible UI. Further, developers can use its theming system with their own custom components and can also configure the settings of typography for Material’s components.
6) LumX
LumX is often considered one of the most competent and flexible CSS frameworks for Angular web application development. Its official site declares LumX as ‘the first responsive and front-end framework’ which works on the principles of Google Material Design. Its CSS framework is a combination of AngularJS components and Sass which makes front-end development easy, elegant and effective.
Because of its useful CSS components, customizable features and easy configuration, LumX is often favoured by developers for building productive, visually appealing and tailored applications.
7) Protractor
Protractor is another useful and versatile open-source framework that declares itself as an ‘end-to-end testing framework for Angular applications’. It is rightly so as it provides developers with the complete setup required to run thorough testing of applications. The interesting part is that tests on Protractor can be carried out like real users. You can run your apps in an actual browser and can track the errors in real-time.
The best part of using Protractor is that it offers the feature of automatic waiting. This means that once the web pages are done with the pending tasks, the next step is automatically executed. There is no need to wait for the webpage and the test to sync. Another huge advantage of using Protractor is test highlights which result in the removal of excess ‘pause’ and ‘rest’ time. Overall, when it comes to Angular app testing, Protractor certainly needs to be considered.
Summing Up
The intricacies involved in app development have increased in the last few years. But frameworks like Angular help developers cope with the ever-escalating and diversified requirements of the app industry. As a TypeScript framework, Angular is popular with developers because of its dexterity and agility and as a robust front-end frameworks.
The frameworks described here are known to significantly bring down the hassles involved with Angular web development. They are reliable, have a wide range of usability, are packed with various useful components, and feature advanced developmental tools that make coding easier.
