Angular offers various methods for managing the state, which differ depending on the complexity and requirements of the application. Three of the most common options are presented below.
Component-based state
The simplest option is probably the component-based state. Here, the components save their own state internally and manage it independently. This approach is particularly advantageous for simple scenarios, as it is easy to implement and does not require any additional dependencies. However, it becomes difficult to share this state across multiple components, which can lead to confusing and difficult to maintain code if the state needs to be shared in larger applications.
Services with RxJS
A very flexible and widespread approach in Angular is the use of services and RxJS. Here, services store the application data. Components can subscribe to the state and react to changes. The state of the application is thus kept centralized, which facilitates the reuse and management of data and also provides excellent support for asynchronous operations. A disadvantage of this approach is that it requires a good understanding of RxJS and the implementation can become complex in extensive applications.
State management libraries
To manage the state of an application, there are libraries that cover this use case. NgRx is probably the best known and most widely used library for managing the state in Angular. NgRx uses the Redux principle to manage the state of the application.
NgRx uses a central store in which the entire application state is stored and relies on immutable state management through actions and reducers. This approach provides a structured and predictable way of state management, making it ideal for complex applications. However, NgRx requires a certain amount of training and often results in a significant amount of boilerplate code, making it less suitable for smaller projects.
Other libraries that are also based on Redux are Akita or Elf, for example, which promise less boilerplate code, which can be particularly charming for smaller projects.
Conclusion
Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages and is suitable for different application sizes and types. While NgRx can be ideal for large projects with extensive state management requirements, simple services with BehaviorSubject can be a good solution for small to medium sized projects. The choice of the right method ultimately depends on the specific needs and complexity of the project.
I hope this overview helps you to choose the right state management for your Angular application for your next project.
Sources
- https://ngrx.io/
- https://opensource.salesforce.com/akita/
- https://ngneat.github.io/elf/
- https://redux.js.org/
- https://rxjs.dev/
- https://angular.dev/guide/signals/rxjs-interop
- https://netbasal.com/get-some-elf-control-for-your-angular-state-management-32c0bdfd2b02
- https://dev.to/chintanonweb/angular-state-management-a-comparison-of-the-different-options-available-100e
- https://medium.com/@chitranshisengar.sengar/understanding-state-management-in-angular-fe80ea29ac27
