angular.js/docs/content/tutorial/step_02.ngdoc

@ngdoc overview
@name Tutorial: 2 - Angular Templates
@description

<ul doc:tutorial-nav="2"></ul>


Now it's time to make the web page dynamic -- with Angular. We'll also add a test that verifies the
code for the controller we are going to add.

There are many ways to structure the code for an application. For Angular apps, we encourage the
use of {@link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model–View–Controller the Model-View-Controller (MVC)
design pattern} to decouple the code and to separate concerns. With that in mind, let's use a
little Angular and JavaScript to add model, view, and controller components to our app.


<doc:tutorial-instructions step="2"></doc:tutorial-instructions>


The app now contains a list with three phones.

The most important changes are listed below. You can see the full diff on {@link
https://github.com/angular/angular-phonecat/compare/step-1...step-2 GitHub}:


## Template for the View

The __view__ component is constructed by Angular from this template:

__`app/index.html`:__
<pre>
<html ng:app>
...
<body ng:controller="PhoneListCtrl">

  <ul>
    <li ng:repeat="phone in phones">
      {{phone.name}}
      <p>{{phone.snippet}}</p>
    </li>
  </ul>

  <script src="lib/angular/angular.js"></script>
  <script src="js/controllers.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
</pre>

We replaced the hard-coded phone list with the {@link api/angular.widget.@ng:repeat ng:repeat
widget} and two {@link guide/dev_guide.expressions Angular expressions} enclosed in curly braces:
`{{phone.name}}` and `{{phone.snippet}}`:

* The `ng:repeat="phone in phones"` statement in the `<li>` tag is an Angular repeater. The
repeater tells Angular to create a `<li>` element for each phone in the list using the first `<li>`
tag as the template.

      <img src="img/tutorial/tutorial_02_final.png">

* The curly braces around `phone.name` and `phone.snippet` are examples of {@link
guide/dev_guide.compiler.markup Angular markup}. The curly markup is shorthand for the Angular
directive {@link api/angular.directive.ng:bind ng:bind}. An `ng:bind` directive indicates a
template binding point to Angular. Binding points are locations in a template where Angular creates
data-binding between the view and the model.

In Angular, the view is a projection of the model through the HTML template. This means that
whenever the model changes, Angular refreshes the appropriate binding points, which updates the
view.


## Model and Controller

The data __model__ (a simple array  of phones in object literal notation) is instantiated within
the __controller__ function(`PhoneListCtrl`):

__`app/js/controllers.js`:__
<pre>
function PhoneListCtrl() {
  this.phones = [{"name": "Nexus S",
                  "snippet": "Fast just got faster with Nexus S."},
                 {"name": "Motorola XOOM™ with Wi-Fi",
                  "snippet": "The Next, Next Generation tablet."},
                 {"name": "MOTOROLA XOOM™",
                  "snippet": "The Next, Next Generation tablet."}];
}
</pre>


Although the controller is not yet doing very much controlling, it is playing a crucial role. By
providing context for our data model, the controller allows us to establish data-binding between
the model and the view. We connected the dots between the presentation, data, and logic components
as follows:

* The name of our controller function(in the JavaScript file `controllers.js`) matches the {@link
api/angular.directive.ng:controller ng:controller} directive in the `<body>` tag (`PhoneListCtrl`).
* The data is instantiated within the *scope* of our controller function; our template binding
points are located within the block bounded by the `<body ng:controller="PhoneListCtrl">` tag.

  The concept of a scope in Angular is crucial; a scope can be seen as the glue which allows the
template, model and controller to work together. Angular uses scopes, along with the information
contained in the template, data model, and controller, to keep models and views separate, but in
sync. Any changes made to the model are reflected in the view; any changes that occur in the view
are reflected in the model.

  To learn more about Angular scopes, see the {@link api/angular.module.ng.$rootScope.Scope angular scope documentation}.


## Tests

The "Angular way" makes it easy to test code as it is being developed. Take a look at the following
unit test for your newly created controller:

__`test/unit/controllersSpec.js`:__
<pre>
describe('PhoneCat controllers', function() {

  describe('PhoneListCtrl', function() {

    it('should create "phones" model with 3 phones', function() {
      var ctrl = new PhoneListCtrl();
      expect(ctrl.phones.length).toBe(3);
    });
  });
});
</pre>

The test verifies that we have three records in the phones array and the example demonstrates how
easy it is to create a unit test for code in Angular. Since testing is such a critical part of
software development, we make it easy to create tests in Angular so that developers are encouraged
to write them.

Angular developers prefer the syntax of Jasmine's Behavior-driven Development  (BDD) framework when
writing tests. Although Angular does not require you to use Jasmine, we wrote all of the tests in
this tutorial in Jasmine. You can learn about Jasmine on the {@link
http://pivotal.github.com/jasmine/ Jasmine home page} and on the {@link
https://github.com/pivotal/jasmine/wiki Jasmine wiki}.

The angular-seed project is pre-configured to run all unit tests using {@link
http://code.google.com/p/js-test-driver/ JsTestDriver}. To run the test, do the following:

1. In a _separate_ terminal window or tab, go to the `angular-phonecat` directory and run
`./scripts/test-server.sh` to start the test web server.

2. Open a new browser tab or window and navigate to {@link http://localhost:9876}.

3. Choose "Capture this browser in strict mode".

   At this point, you can leave this tab open and forget about it. JsTestDriver will use it to
execute the tests and report the results in the terminal.

4. Execute the test by running `./scripts/test.sh`

   You should see the following or similar output:

             Chrome: Runner reset.
             .
             Total 1 tests (Passed: 1; Fails: 0; Errors: 0) (2.00 ms)
               Chrome 11.0.696.57 Mac OS: Run 1 tests (Passed: 1; Fails: 0; Errors 0) (2.00 ms)

  Yay! The test passed! Or not...

  Note: If you see errors after you run the test, close the browser tab and go back to the terminal
and kill the script, then repeat the procedure above.

# Experiments

* Add another binding to `index.html`. For example:

          <p>Total number of phones: {{phones.length}}</p>

* Create a new model property in the controller and bind to it from the template. For example:

          this.hello = "Hello, World!"

  Refresh your browser to make sure it says, "Hello, World!"

* Create a repeater that constructs a simple table:

          <table>
            <tr><th>row number</th></tr>
            <tr ng:repeat="i in [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]"><td>{{i}}</td></tr>
          </table>

  Now, make the list 1-based by incrementing `i` by one in the binding:

          <table>
            <tr><th>row number</th></tr>
            <tr ng:repeat="i in [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]"><td>{{i+1}}</td></tr>
          </table>

* Make the unit test fail by changing the `toBe(3)` statement to `toBe(4)`, and rerun the
`./scripts/test.sh` script.


# Summary

You now have a dynamic app that features separate model, view, and controller components, and you
are testing as you go. Now, let's go to {@link step_03 step 3} to learn how to add full text search
to the app.


<ul doc:tutorial-nav="2"></ul>
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+								@ngdoc overview
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								@name Tutorial: 2 - Angular Templates
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								@description
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
 								<ul doc:tutorial-nav="2"></ul>
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								Now it's time to make the web page dynamic -- with Angular. We'll also add a test that verifies the
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+								code for the controller we are going to add.
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								There are many ways to structure the code for an application. For Angular apps, we encourage the
 								use of {@link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model–View–Controller the Model-View-Controller (MVC)
 								design pattern} to decouple the code and to separate concerns. With that in mind, let's use a
 								little Angular and JavaScript to add model, view, and controller components to our app.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								<doc:tutorial-instructions step="2"></doc:tutorial-instructions>
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								The app now contains a list with three phones.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								The most important changes are listed below. You can see the full diff on {@link
 								https://github.com/angular/angular-phonecat/compare/step-1...step-2 GitHub}:
 								## Template for the View
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								The __view__ component is constructed by Angular from this template:
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								__`app/index.html`:__
 								<pre>
-												feat(module): new module loader

											
										
										
											2012-01-07 02:10:47 +00:00
+								<html ng:app>
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								...
 								<body ng:controller="PhoneListCtrl">
 								  <ul>
 								    <li ng:repeat="phone in phones">
 								      {{phone.name}}
 								      <p>{{phone.snippet}}</p>
 								    </li>
 								  </ul>
-												feat(module): new module loader

											
										
										
											2012-01-07 02:10:47 +00:00
+								  <script src="lib/angular/angular.js"></script>
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								  <script src="js/controllers.js"></script>
 								</body>
 								</html>
 								</pre>
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								We replaced the hard-coded phone list with the {@link api/angular.widget.@ng:repeat ng:repeat
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								widget} and two {@link guide/dev_guide.expressions Angular expressions} enclosed in curly braces:
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								`{{phone.name}}` and `{{phone.snippet}}`:
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								* The `ng:repeat="phone in phones"` statement in the `<li>` tag is an Angular repeater. The
 								repeater tells Angular to create a `<li>` element for each phone in the list using the first `<li>`
 								tag as the template.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
 								      <img src="img/tutorial/tutorial_02_final.png">
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								* The curly braces around `phone.name` and `phone.snippet` are examples of {@link
 								guide/dev_guide.compiler.markup Angular markup}. The curly markup is shorthand for the Angular
 								directive {@link api/angular.directive.ng:bind ng:bind}. An `ng:bind` directive indicates a
 								template binding point to Angular. Binding points are locations in a template where Angular creates
 								data-binding between the view and the model.
 								In Angular, the view is a projection of the model through the HTML template. This means that
 								whenever the model changes, Angular refreshes the appropriate binding points, which updates the
 								view.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								## Model and Controller
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+								The data __model__ (a simple array  of phones in object literal notation) is instantiated within
-												chore(formating): clean code to be function() {

											
										
										
											2011-10-07 18:27:49 +00:00
+								the __controller__ function(`PhoneListCtrl`):
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								__`app/js/controllers.js`:__
 								<pre>
 								function PhoneListCtrl() {
 								  this.phones = [{"name": "Nexus S",
 								                  "snippet": "Fast just got faster with Nexus S."},
 								                 {"name": "Motorola XOOM™ with Wi-Fi",
 								                  "snippet": "The Next, Next Generation tablet."},
 								                 {"name": "MOTOROLA XOOM™",
 								                  "snippet": "The Next, Next Generation tablet."}];
 								}
 								</pre>
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								Although the controller is not yet doing very much controlling, it is playing a crucial role. By
 								providing context for our data model, the controller allows us to establish data-binding between
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								the model and the view. We connected the dots between the presentation, data, and logic components
 								as follows:
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												chore(formating): clean code to be function() {

											
										
										
											2011-10-07 18:27:49 +00:00
+								* The name of our controller function(in the JavaScript file `controllers.js`) matches the {@link
-												yet another docs batch

											
										
										
											2011-06-07 05:02:30 +00:00
+								api/angular.directive.ng:controller ng:controller} directive in the `<body>` tag (`PhoneListCtrl`).
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								* The data is instantiated within the *scope* of our controller function; our template binding
-												yet another docs batch

											
										
										
											2011-06-07 05:02:30 +00:00
+								points are located within the block bounded by the `<body ng:controller="PhoneListCtrl">` tag.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								  The concept of a scope in Angular is crucial; a scope can be seen as the glue which allows the
 								template, model and controller to work together. Angular uses scopes, along with the information
 								contained in the template, data model, and controller, to keep models and views separate, but in
 								sync. Any changes made to the model are reflected in the view; any changes that occur in the view
 								are reflected in the model.
-												style(docs): make jslint happy - fix some warnings

											
										
										
											2011-11-12 01:15:22 +00:00
+								  To learn more about Angular scopes, see the {@link api/angular.module.ng.$rootScope.Scope angular scope documentation}.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
 								## Tests
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								The "Angular way" makes it easy to test code as it is being developed. Take a look at the following
 								unit test for your newly created controller:
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
 								__`test/unit/controllersSpec.js`:__
 								<pre>
 								describe('PhoneCat controllers', function() {
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								  describe('PhoneListCtrl', function() {
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
 								    it('should create "phones" model with 3 phones', function() {
 								      var ctrl = new PhoneListCtrl();
 								      expect(ctrl.phones.length).toBe(3);
 								    });
 								  });
 								});
 								</pre>
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								The test verifies that we have three records in the phones array and the example demonstrates how
 								easy it is to create a unit test for code in Angular. Since testing is such a critical part of
 								software development, we make it easy to create tests in Angular so that developers are encouraged
 								to write them.
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+								Angular developers prefer the syntax of Jasmine's Behavior-driven Development  (BDD) framework when
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								writing tests. Although Angular does not require you to use Jasmine, we wrote all of the tests in
 								this tutorial in Jasmine. You can learn about Jasmine on the {@link
 								http://pivotal.github.com/jasmine/ Jasmine home page} and on the {@link
 								https://github.com/pivotal/jasmine/wiki Jasmine wiki}.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+								The angular-seed project is pre-configured to run all unit tests using {@link
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
+								http://code.google.com/p/js-test-driver/ JsTestDriver}. To run the test, do the following:
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+. In a _separate_ terminal window or tab, go to the `angular-phonecat` directory and run
 								`./scripts/test-server.sh` to start the test web server.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+. Open a new browser tab or window and navigate to {@link http://localhost:9876}.
 . Choose "Capture this browser in strict mode".
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								   At this point, you can leave this tab open and forget about it. JsTestDriver will use it to
 								execute the tests and report the results in the terminal.
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
 . Execute the test by running `./scripts/test.sh`
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+								   You should see the following or similar output:
 								             Chrome: Runner reset.
 								             .
 								             Total 1 tests (Passed: 1; Fails: 0; Errors: 0) (2.00 ms)
 								               Chrome 11.0.696.57 Mac OS: Run 1 tests (Passed: 1; Fails: 0; Errors 0) (2.00 ms)
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+								  Yay! The test passed! Or not...
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								  Note: If you see errors after you run the test, close the browser tab and go back to the terminal
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+								and kill the script, then repeat the procedure above.
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+								# Experiments
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+								* Add another binding to `index.html`. For example:
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+								          <p>Total number of phones: {{phones.length}}</p>
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								* Create a new model property in the controller and bind to it from the template. For example:
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
+								          this.hello = "Hello, World!"
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								  Refresh your browser to make sure it says, "Hello, World!"
-												add new batch of tutorial docs and images

											
										
										
											2011-05-11 00:45:42 +00:00
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+								* Create a repeater that constructs a simple table:
 								          <table>
 								            <tr><th>row number</th></tr>
 								            <tr ng:repeat="i in [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]"><td>{{i}}</td></tr>
 								          </table>
 								  Now, make the list 1-based by incrementing `i` by one in the binding:
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+								          <table>
 								            <tr><th>row number</th></tr>
 								            <tr ng:repeat="i in [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]"><td>{{i+1}}</td></tr>
 								          </table>
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+								* Make the unit test fail by changing the `toBe(3)` statement to `toBe(4)`, and rerun the
 								`./scripts/test.sh` script.
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
-												Latest greatest tutorial udpates.

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 23:40:31 +00:00
+								# Summary
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
-												doc(tutorial): fixes and improvements from Toni and Ben

											
										
										
											2011-07-29 19:40:14 +00:00
+								You now have a dynamic app that features separate model, view, and controller components, and you
 								are testing as you go. Now, let's go to {@link step_03 step 3} to learn how to add full text search
 								to the app.
-												new batch of tutorial docs

											
										
										
											2011-05-02 17:16:50 +00:00
-												new batch of docs

											
										
										
											2011-06-06 15:50:35 +00:00
+								<ul doc:tutorial-nav="2"></ul>