What is the latest version of Angular and Angular JS?

As of November 2024, the latest version of Angular is v18, released on May 22, 2024, while the final version of AngularJS remains at 1.8.3, released on April 7, 2022. Official support for AngularJS ended on December 31, 2021.

Why Use Angular over Angular JS?

The following are the reasons why you should choose Angular over Angular JS: Latest updates and fix bugs every six months Secure and scalable Compatible with future technologies Ideal for large applications

Can I migrate directly to the latest version of Angular from any AngularJS version?

You can easily migrate directly to the latest version of Angular from any Angular JS version. However, it is suitable to migrate to the latest version of Angular JS first and then upgrade to Angular.

Do I need to migrate the entire application during the upgrade?

No, you can rewrite the entire application or rebuild specific features and functionalities while upgrading from Angular JS to Angular.

AngularJS to Angular Upgrade - A Complete Guide

The IT world is evolving rapidly. If you are still stuck with the old technology, consider yourself outdated and out of competition. Therefore, numerous companies are determined to upgrade their applications from AngularJS to Angular because of its obsolete features and lack of security fixes. Moreover, business owners and even developers do not prefer Angular JS; according to StackOver Flow Developer Survey 2024, AngularJS ranks in 16th position in terms of developer preference with only 6.8% of votes, while Angular ranks as the sixth most demanding framework among developers with 17.1% votes making Angular a better choice for developers.

Although many think Angular JS is obsolete now, very few of us know that the first version of Angular Js introduced in 2009 was a star performer. As soon as Google stopped supporting it from 31st December 2019, Angular Js vanished off the radar. Although Angular JS is still operational (562,604 Companies use AngularJS and have a market share of 7.09%) and operating, you cannot fix bugs and show no compatibility with current frameworks or technologies, and the latest updates.

Meanwhile, Angular is one of the most robust frameworks by Google and offers numerous benefits that can brace your application to be ahead of the game. Angular is used by 77,643 companies and has a market share of 62.67%. If the stats are not enough, let’s simplify it further by discussing the difference between Angular JS and Angular. Also, despite being so popular, we will find out why AngularJS is no longer part of the framework, upgrading AngularJS to Angular, and much more.

Difference Between AngularJS to Angular

To understand Angular JS and Angular upgradation, it is crucial to know their differences. The following points show how diverse and different both frameworks are and how they provide different outcomes for your business.

Factors	Angular js	Angular
Language	JavaScript	TypeScript
Architecture	Model-View-Controller (MVC) basedion	Controller-based architecture
Mobile App Support	No mobile app support	Supports mobile applications
Speed	Slower because of two-way data binding	Faster performance because of data binding and virtual DOM
Material Design	Need third-party library support	Built-in support
Reusability	Limited code reusability	Easily accessible for reusability
Performance	Low performance because of two-way binding and DOM	High performance because of continuous updates and no-binding
Directives	Set of directives for diverse development	Hierarchy of components

Why Should You Migrate Angular JS to Angular?

Migrating from Angular JS to Angular is like upgrading from a classic framework to a modern technology. Google no longer supports Angular JS or rolling out new features or versions. However, that’s not merely a reason to upgrade to Angular. Let’s glance at vital reasons why you should migrate your application or software to Angular from Angular JS.

1. Constant Updates

Angular keeps introducing the latest versions and innovative features every six months: May and November. On the other hand, Angular JS was last updated three years ago. Besides, Google officially ended up supporting Angular JS in January 2022.

With new updates, you receive a new version of the software that is more secure, more robust, and more productive. A regularly updated framework takes good care of data breaches and vulnerabilities. It is crucial to keep your application or software secure and reliable from all security. In addition, you need a framework that allows you to develop an innovative and dynamic Angular application – you get all these possibilities in Angular.

2. Less Downtime

It takes a lot of effort and time to build an application. Even a single bug that occurred during the development phase has the potential to affect the entire process. The Angular migration process is designed to minimize downtime and ensure that your application continues to operate without hampering performance throughout the transition.

For instance, an application with migration will reduce downtime by 70%. Additionally, implementing hot module replacement and server-side rendering decreases downtime after migrating From AngularJS to Angular.

3. High Performance

After migrating from Angular JS to Angular, you will acquire a scalable and flexible application. As a result, your application will have high performance and decrease the overall bundle size. Angular’s render engine offers features like Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compatibility that entails faster app loading and reduced essential bundles.

Contrary to that, the performance of Angular JS ultimately depends on third-party tools, which later become a daunting task to manage. The beauty of all, Angular employs a Command Line Interface (CLI) to reduce development time and streamline the process. Also, Angular migration helps applications to be flexible and error-free, thereby boosting their performance.

4. Boost Support

Another robust reason for AngularJS to Angular migration is that it increases support for performance and compatibility with third-party tools and existing libraries. The upgrade allows them to add extensive features and create large-sized applications efficiently.

Initially, Angular JS used to be flexible, but it provided less stability. Conversely, Angular incorporates a component-based approach that offers particular methods to exchange among components. In addition, Angular provides a comprehensive ecosystem and an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) integration that improves development efficiency and makes it easy for your developers to build web applications.

5. Future Proof

No wonder, Angular JS once used to be one of the most preferred front-end frameworks. Eventually, with a lack of support, it stopped receiving important updates, highlighting the lack of future technology support. Meanwhile, Angular embraces the latest and advanced features, which is necessary to make your software future-ready.

Migrating it into Angular can help you stay ahead of the curve and equip endless possibilities for your application. For instance, it will be like ditching an old resource for dynamic and evolving resources with the latest knowledge and updates.

Top 6 Benefits of Upgrading Angular JS to Angular

Factors	Before Upgrading	After Upgrading	Business Impact
Page Loading Time	5+ seconds	0.1- 5 seconds	Increase 15-20% conversation rate
User Engagement	3-5 min average session	5+ min average session	Streamline user experience and build customer engagement
Maintenance Cost	30-40% of development cost	10-20% of development cost	Decrease maintenance cost by 20%
Scalability	Limited to 10,000-20,000 user base	Extended to a million user base	Accelerate performance and boost flexible expansion
Compliance	High cybersecurity risk	Google-backed compliance and low-risk	Protect data and minimize breach
Future Proof	Obsolete versions	Integrated with AI/ML, Big Data, and more	Adoption of modern technologies and framework

Migrations are not just about the upgrades but provide various advantages to your application. Following are the points that justify choosing migration that can benefit your business. These six points are the benefits you can leverage while upgrading your application into Angular from Angular Js.

1. Better Security

Security vulnerabilities are real fortes you cannot afford to risk for your business. AngularJS does not provide security fixes, as it is no longer part of the Google framework. Hence, it becomes one of the crucial benefits of using Angular.

With every new and latest version of Angular, you will get enhancement in terms of software security. As cybersecurity is a serious concern nowadays, it is better to say that Angular would be an ideal choice.

2. Increase Development Speed

One of the core reasons for migrating is that it boosts your application development speed. As you upgrade your software, you get immediate benefits like faster time to market and decreased development costs. However, it also helps with long-term advantages like modernizing the codebase and reducing technical debt.

Moreover, migrating into Angular improves scalability and performance compared to Angular Js. The modern framework allows you to manage increasing traffic and data volume that enhance your application’s growth.

3. Enhance User Experience

Angular migration can improve user experience by optimizing performance and mobile-first approach. With Angular js, you have limited resources and updates, through which you cannot modernize your application user experience.

However, using Angular can help you offer an innovative and dynamic user interface, which leads to a user-friendly experience. The front-end frameworks have built-in features and best practices that ensure engaging and evolving experiences.

4. Decrease Cost

Angular reduces development cycle efforts, leading to decreased maintenance and debugging time. As a result, it facilitates cost savings as you do not need to rewrite code or spend hours on it. With efficiency in the development process, there is a substantial increase in the testing and quality assurance parameters.

Angular JS is an obsolete framework that requires more effort in coding and testing to add features. However, migrating it into Angular will eliminate the cost of third-party tools like WebStorm or Brackets and optimize your application with in-built functionality.

5. Mobile-oriented Approach

Since its launch in 2009, Angular JS does not support its framework on mobile devices. Contrary to that, Angular is an open-source framework that operates on both web and mobile. Angular is a component-based structure and lazy loading, which helps to make applications more lightweight and user-friendly.

Also, you can use lazy loading in Angular js, so you do not have to revamp completely. Moreover, Angular JS to Angular migration ensures a faster loading page experience with high performance using specific modules and lazy scripting.

6. Long-term Support

It is crucial to have long-term support in every software, as you will only rewrite or rebuild your application once and then. Hence, upgrading Angular will benefit because Angular JS last had long-term support in 2021.

With long-term support in Angular migration, you can develop a scalable and flexible application without worrying about bug fixes and security threats. In addition, it will make it easier to maintain and minimize solution costs.

How to Migrate AngularJS to Angular?

With the right planning and approach, you can easily migrate Angular JS to Angular. We will take you through the Angular Js to Angular upgrade process in a step-by-step manner. It will show you how to do it, what libraries to upgrade, which tools to use, and precise routing for the development process.

1. Roadmap to your strategy

Before upgrading, you must plan your project’s process, resources, technologies, and timeline. For instance, you need to determine what components of modules you want to implement first, migrate to TypeScript, and implement Angular component directives for the development process.

Also, you must identify non-essential features in your Angular JS application, like outdated functionality or less-used widgets. It enables you to strategize critical components and features while migrating and minimizing disruption. Moreover, setting up the TypeScript compiler before you start the migration process is recommended. Use @types/angular package and Typescript module integration for interoperability with Angular’s JavaScript.

2. Use ngUpgrade

Later, utilize the ngUpgrade library to mix and match Angular JS and Angular components. The library acts as a bridge between two frameworks, facilitating Angular features into the existing codebase without completely rewriting it.

The use of ngUpgrade enables you to migrate your software or application in stages, one step at a time. This helps to decrease errors and unnecessary hampering. Moreover, it allows you to test new functionality and features before fully leaving Angular JS.

3. Rewrite your code

If your application is quite old, you might be required to rewrite your code as it would be less compatible with modern browsers, which turns out to be a challenge in migration. Also, the recent application requires rewriting or refactoring code because of precise features and functionality.

However, the rewrite could be more manageable but needs more time, effort, and planning. Rewrite also indicates re-implementing the same features utilizing Angular syntax and best practices. Also, rewriting applications from scratch is feasible for small-size applications.

4. Use Online tools

Yet another effective way to do Angular migration is to use online tools for a seamless transition. Numerous migration tools can automate the process and simplify the upgrading process step-by-step with small steps. Also, with online tools, you can downgrade components to create newer parts to be available in your project.

Following is the list of tools you can implement to migrate Angular Js to Angular:

This tool provides step-by-step instructions, insight knowledge on migration, and code samples, which will help you go through the entire process efficiently. The Angular Update Guide (https://update.angular.io/) suggests guidance on handling pitfalls of migration elements and recommends best practices for upgrading.

TSLint is the static tool TypeScript uses for code analysis. Codelyzer is a tool for setting rules on static code of Angular TypeScript projects. Both tools help address which part of your Angular JS code requires programming in the migration process. Also, it identifies errors, inconsistencies, and typos in coding.

Last but not least is using manual conversation tools for migrating AngularJS to Angular. This tool helps address common patterns and scripts to understand mistakes in migration. It also helps to convert individual functionalities and components for complex projects and customize upgrades. You can hire Angular developers to customize coding and functionality as per your business objectives.

Roll of AI in Upgrading AngularJS to Angular

Today, the role of AI in code refactoring and rewriting is dominant. As AI is everywhere, how can it be left behind in the Angular framework’s migration? Numerous organizations ask if they can use or implement AI to upgrade Angular JS to Angular. Well, you likely can implement AI for coding and rewriting specific functions. However, you can only depend on them partially because it does not support several migration tools.

Challenges Faced While Migrating Angular JS to Angular

Good things come with several challenges. Migrating from Angular Js to Angular is a daunting and complex process requiring effort and expertise. Let’s look at the challenges you can face while migrating from Angular JS to Angular.

Notable Companies Enjoying Success After AngularJS to Angular Upgradation

Having understood the necessity to upgrade AngularJS to Angular, here are some notable companies that are enjoying the perks after a successful Angular JS Angular Migration.

1. Practo

Practo is a revolutionary healthcare app that has successfully migrated from Angular JS to Angular. With the frequent scalable and security vulnerable issues faced due to the aging Angular JS platform, Practo adapted the migration concept and witnessed the outcome in terms of performance, scalability, and security.

The migration resulted in increased loading times, reduced server-side rendering time, a revamped user interface, and optimized performance.

2. Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com is a global freelancing service, which has been using Angular JS for a long time but was unable to add new features and functionalities. Besides, they were unable to handle heavy traffic and were struggling with performance issues. They decided to say Goodbye to the obsolete Angular Js framework and say Hi to Angular.

The successful migration empowered them to handle increased user traffic without downtime, and mobile-friendliness helped to achieve higher search engine rankings and streamlined the development process for future scalability and growth.

3. Upwork

Upwork, a leading freelance platform with a complex front end and limited features, struggled to adopt modern front-end practices. Having found the root cause in Angular JS, they decided to embrace a combination of manual refactoring and automated tools to migrate from Angular JS to Angular.

After a seamless migration and precise code-refactoring, Upwork was able to increase user satisfaction and retention, streamline workflows, and reduce technical debt.

Alternatives of Upgrading AngularJS to Angular

Upgrading is indeed a great choice. Still, if you are a small organization or a business looking to update, we have alternatives for you. These alternatives are the cherry on top for revamping their application from Angular JS to Angular. Below are how you can migrate into Angular:

1. Rebuilt

It includes re-writing the application from scratch. It can be employed by using different frameworks and adapting Angular js module configuration to align the updated folder structure.

Pros: Future-ready, modern features and architecture
Cons: Time-consuming and requires lots of resources
Best for: Outdated application that needs significant functionality change

2. Hybrid Approach

This way is for mix and match during migration. The approach lets you mix Angular JS old features into Angular’s new features within the same application.

Pros: Modernization and minimizes disruption
Cons: Increased complexity and potential maintenance challenges
Best for: Applications with multiple features

3. Upgrade Incrementally

It helps to migrate parts of the AngularJS application to Angular one step at a time.

Pros: Low risk and less downtime.
Cons: Time-consuming and complex maintenance
Best for: Complex applications with rewrite requirements

Bacancy’s Expertise in AngularJS To Angular Upgrade

With over 12 years of industry experience and a team of 1,050+ agile-enabled professionals, Bacancy has successfully delivered more than 50 Angular upgrade projects to clients worldwide. Our skilled Angular developers are equipped to handle upgrades to the latest Angular 19 or any previous version, tailored to meet each client’s specific requirements. Whether you need a straightforward version update or a customized upgrade solution, Bacancy ensures your project succeeds.