Angular is a framework for the JavaScript programming language, built for developers to create web, mobile, and desktop applications. It takes the complexity out of mission critical tasks in modern app development projects.
Angular started in the same manner as many other great technologies have – as a side project. The creators, Miško Hevery and Adam Abrons, first published the project in 2009.
Apart from a powerful programming framework, Angular comes with a number of conventions for application development. These type of conventions can be really helpful for large teams that have to work on the same bit of software. Additionally, Angular provides a style guide with useful guidelines for writing code for this framework.
Angular could be used to build any application, however it does have certain applications where it works best. One particularly popular use for Angular is building apps which collect data through forms, and perform operations on that data – in other words, form-based applications.
But that might just be because this type of application is the easiest to build in Angular compared to other JavaScript frameworks, and it doesn’t mean that the framework is in any way limited. Some developers have built games with Angular, or even virtual reality software.
For small projects which don’t require many functionalities, simpler frameworks like jQuery might be of better use. Angular is a powerful framework, and as such it is neither the easiest, nor the smallest – it’s more the opposite, which makes it suitable for medium and large development teams.