angular.js/docs/content/guide/concepts.ngdoc

@ngdoc overview
@name Conceptual Overview
@description

# Overview

This document gives a quick overview of the main angular components and how they work together.
These are:

  * {@link concepts#startup startup} - bring up hello world
  * {@link concepts#runtime runtime} - overview of angular runtime
  * {@link concepts#scope scope} - the glue between the view and the controller
  * {@link concepts#controller controller} - application behavior
  * {@link concepts#model model} - your application data
  * {@link concepts#view view} - what the user sees
  * {@link concepts#directives directives} - extend HTML vocabulary
  * {@link concepts#filters filters} - format the data in user locale
  * {@link concepts#injector injector} - assembles your application
  * {@link concepts#module module} - configures the injector
  * {@link concepts#angular_namespace `$`} - angular namespace

<a name="startup"></a>
# Startup

This is how we get the ball rolling (refer to the diagram and example below):

<img class="pull-right" style="padding-left: 3em;" src="img/guide/concepts-startup.png">

  1. The browser loads the HTML and parses it into a DOM
  2. The browser loads `angular.js` script
  3. Angular waits for `DOMContentLoaded` event
  4. Angular looks for {@link api/ng.directive:ngApp ng-app}
    {@link guide/directive directive}, which designates the application boundary
  5. The {@link guide/module Module} specified in {@link
     api/ng.directive:ngApp ng-app} (if any) is used to configure
     the {@link api/AUTO.$injector $injector}
  6. The {@link api/AUTO.$injector $injector} is used to create the {@link
     api/ng.$compile $compile} service as well as {@link
     api/ng.$rootScope $rootScope}
  7. The {@link api/ng.$compile $compile} service is used to compile the DOM and link
     it   with {@link api/ng.$rootScope $rootScope}
  8. The {@link api/ng.directive:ngInit ng-init} {@link
     guide/directive directive} assigns `World` to the `name` property on the {@link guide/scope
     scope}
  9. The `{{name}}` {@link api/ng.$interpolate interpolates} the expression to
     `Hello World!`

<div class="clear">
</div>
<example>
  <file name="index.html">
    <p ng-init=" name='World' ">Hello {{name}}!</p>
  </file>
</example>


<a name="runtime"></a>
# Runtime

<img class="pull-right" style="padding-left: 3em; padding-bottom: 1em;" src="img/guide/concepts-runtime.png">

The diagram and the example below describe how Angular interacts with the browser's event loop.

  1. The browser's event-loop waits for an event to arrive. An event is a user interaction, timer event,
     or network event (response from a server).
  2. The event's callback gets executed. This enters the JavaScript context. The callback can
      modify the DOM structure.
  3. Once the callback executes, the browser leaves the JavaScript context and
     re-renders the view based on DOM changes.

Angular modifies the normal JavaScript flow by providing its own event processing loop. This
splits the JavaScript into classical and Angular execution context. Only operations which are
applied in Angular execution context will benefit from Angular data-binding, exception handling,
property watching, etc... You can also use $apply() to enter Angular execution context from JavaScript. Keep in
mind that in most places (controllers, services) $apply has already been called for you by the
directive which is handling the event. An explicit call to $apply is needed only when
implementing custom event callbacks, or when working with third-party library callbacks.

  1. Enter Angular execution context by calling {@link guide/scope scope}`.`{@link
     api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$apply $apply}`(stimulusFn)`. Where `stimulusFn` is
     the work you wish to do in Angular execution context.
  2. Angular executes the `stimulusFn()`, which typically modifies application state.
  3. Angular enters the {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$digest $digest} loop. The
     loop is made up of two smaller loops which process {@link
     api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$evalAsync $evalAsync} queue and the {@link
     api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$watch $watch} list. The {@link
     api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$digest $digest} loop keeps iterating until the model
     stabilizes, which means that the {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$evalAsync
     $evalAsync} queue is empty and the {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$watch
     $watch} list does not detect any changes.
  4. The {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$evalAsync $evalAsync} queue is used to
     schedule work which needs to occur outside of current stack frame, but before the browser's
     view render. This is usually done with `setTimeout(0)`, but the `setTimeout(0)` approach
     suffers from slowness and may cause view flickering since the browser renders the view after
     each event.
  5. The {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$watch $watch} list is a set of expressions
     which may have changed since last iteration. If a change is detected then the `$watch`
     function is called which typically updates the DOM with the new value.
  6. Once the Angular {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$digest $digest} loop finishes
     the execution leaves the Angular and JavaScript context. This is followed by the browser
     re-rendering the DOM to reflect any changes.


Here is the explanation of how the `Hello world` example achieves the data-binding effect when the
user enters text into the text field.

  1. During the compilation phase:
     1. the {@link api/ng.directive:ngModel ng-model} and {@link
        api/ng.directive:input input} {@link guide/directive
        directive} set up a `keydown` listener on the `<input>` control.
     2. the {@link api/ng.$interpolate &#123;&#123;name&#125;&#125; } interpolation
        sets up a {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$watch $watch} to be notified of
        `name` changes.
  2. During the runtime phase:
     1. Pressing an '`X`' key causes the browser to emit a `keydown` event on the input control.
     2. The {@link api/ng.directive:input input} directive
        captures the change to the input's value and calls {@link
        api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$apply $apply}`("name = 'X';")` to update the
        application model inside the Angular execution context.
     3. Angular applies the `name = 'X';` to the model.
     4. The {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$digest $digest} loop begins
     5. The {@link api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$watch $watch} list detects a change
        on the `name` property and notifies the {@link api/ng.$interpolate
        &#123;&#123;name&#125;&#125; } interpolation, which in turn updates the DOM.
     6. Angular exits the execution context, which in turn exits the `keydown` event and with it
        the JavaScript execution context.
     7. The browser re-renders the view with update text.

<div class="clear">
</div>
<example>
  <file name="index.html">
    <input ng-model="name">
    <p>Hello {{name}}!</p>
  </file>
</example>

<a name="scope"></a>
#Scope

The {@link guide/scope scope} is responsible for detecting changes to the model section and
provides the execution context for expressions. The scopes are nested in a hierarchical structure
which closely follow the DOM structure. (See individual directive documentation to see which
directives cause a creation of new scopes.)

The following example demonstrates how the `name` {@link guide/expression expression} will evaluate
into a different value depending on which scope it is evaluated in. The example is followed by
a diagram depicting the scope boundaries.

<div class="clear">
</div>
<div class="show-scope">
<example>
  <file name="index.html">
    <div ng-controller="GreetCtrl">
      Hello {{name}}!
    </div>
    <div ng-controller="ListCtrl">
      <ol>
        <li ng-repeat="name in names">{{name}}</li>
      </ol>
    </div>
  </file>
  <file name="script.js">
    function GreetCtrl($scope) {
      $scope.name = 'World';
    }

    function ListCtrl($scope) {
      $scope.names = ['Igor', 'Misko', 'Vojta'];
    }
  </file>
  <file name="style.css">
    .show-scope .doc-example-live.ng-scope,
    .show-scope .doc-example-live .ng-scope  {
      border: 1px solid red;
      margin: 3px;
    }
  </file>
</example>
</div>

<img class="center" src="img/guide/concepts-scope.png">


<a name="controller"></a>
# Controller

<img class="pull-right" style="padding-left: 3em; padding-bottom: 1em;" src="img/guide/concepts-controller.png">

A controller is the code behind the view. Its job is to construct the model and publish it to the
view along with callback methods. The view is a projection of the scope onto the template (the
HTML). The scope is the glue which marshals the model to the view and forwards the events to the
controller.

The separation of the controller and the view is important because:

  * The controller is written in JavaScript. JavaScript is imperative. Imperative is a good fit
    for specifying application behavior. The controller should not contain any rendering
    information (DOM references or HTML fragments).
  * The view template is written in HTML. HTML is declarative. Declarative is a good fit for
    specifying UI. The View should not contain any behavior.
  * Since the controller is unaware of the view, there could be many views for the same
    controller. This is important for re-skinning, device specific views (i.e. mobile vs desktop),
    and testability.

<div class="clear">
</div>
<example>
  <file name="index.html">
    <div ng-controller="MyCtrl">
      Hello {{name}}!
      <button ng-click="action()">
        OK
      </button>
    </div>
  </file>
  <file name="script.js">
    function MyCtrl($scope) {
      $scope.action = function() {
        $scope.name = 'OK';
      }

      $scope.name = 'World';
    }
  </file>
</example>


<a name="model"></a>
# Model

<img class="pull-right" style="padding-left: 3em; padding-bottom: 1em;" src="img/guide/concepts-model.png">

The model is the data which is merged with the template to produce the view. To be able to
render the model into the view, the model has to be able to be referenced from the scope. Unlike many
other frameworks Angular makes no restrictions or requirements on the model. There are no classes
to inherit from or special accessor methods for accessing or changing the model. The model can be
primitive, object hash, or a full object Type. In short the model is a plain JavaScript object.


<div class="clear">
</div>


<a name="view"></a>
# View

<img class="pull-right" style="padding-left: 3em; padding-bottom: 1em;" src="img/guide/concepts-view.png">

The view is what the user sees. The view begins its life as a template, is merged with the
model and finally rendered into the browser DOM. Angular takes a very different approach to
rendering the view compared to most other templating systems.

  * **Others** - Most templating systems begin as an HTML string with special templating markup.
    Often the template markup breaks the HTML syntax which means that the template can not be
    edited by an HTML editor. The template string is then parsed by the template engine, and
    merged with the data. The result of the merge is an HTML string. The HTML string is then
    written to the browser using the `.innerHTML`, which causes the browser to render the HTML.
    When the model changes the whole process needs to be repeated. The granularity of the template
    is the granularity of the DOM updates. The key here is that the templating system manipulates
    strings.
  * **Angular** - Angular is different, since its templating system works on DOM objects not on
    strings. The template is still written in an HTML string, but it is HTML (not HTML with
    template sprinkled in.) The browser parses the HTML into the DOM, and the DOM becomes the input to
    the template engine known as the {@link api/ng.$compile compiler}. The compiler
    looks for {@link guide/directive directives} which in turn set up {@link
    api/ng.$rootScope.Scope#$watch watches} on the model. The result is a
    continuously updating view which does not need template model re-merging. Your model becomes
    the single source-of-truth for your view.

<div class="clear">
</div>

<example>
  <file name="index.html">
    <div ng-init="list = ['Chrome', 'Safari', 'Firefox', 'IE'] ">
      <input ng-model="list" ng-list> <br>
      <input ng-model="list" ng-list> <br>
      <pre>list={{list}}</pre> <br>
      <ol>
        <li ng-repeat="item in list">
          {{item}}
        </li>
      </ol>
    </div>
  </file>
</example>


<a name="directives"></a>
# Directives

A directive is a behavior or DOM transformation which is triggered by the presence of a custom attribute,
element name, class name or comment. A directive allows you to extend the HTML vocabulary in a
declarative fashion. Following is an example which enables data-binding for the `contenteditable`
in HTML.

<example module="directive">
  <file name="script.js">
    angular.module('directive', []).directive('contenteditable', function() {
      return {
        require: 'ngModel',
        link: function(scope, elm, attrs, ctrl) {
          // view -> model
          elm.bind('blur', function() {
            scope.$apply(function() {
              ctrl.$setViewValue(elm.html());
            });
          });

          // model -> view
          ctrl.$render = function(value) {
            elm.html(value);
          };

          // load init value from DOM
          ctrl.$setViewValue(elm.html());
        }
      };
    });
  </file>
  <file name="index.html">
    <div contentEditable="true" ng-model="content">Edit Me</div>
    <pre>model = {{content}}</pre>
  </file>
  <file name="style.css">
    div[contentEditable] {
      cursor: pointer;
      background-color: #D0D0D0;
      margin-bottom: 1em;
      padding: 1em;
    }
  </file>
</example>

<a name="filters"></a>
# Filters

{@link api/ng.$filter Filters} perform data transformation. Typically
they are used in conjunction with the locale to format the data in locale specific output.
They follow the spirit of UNIX filters and use similar syntax `|` (pipe).

<example>
  <file name="index.html">
    <div ng-init="list = ['Chrome', 'Safari', 'Firefox', 'IE'] ">
      Number formatting: {{ 1234567890 | number }} <br>
      array filtering <input ng-model="predicate">
      {{ list | filter:predicate | json }}
    </div>
  </file>
</example>


<a name="module"></a>
<a name="injector"></a>
# Modules and the Injector

<img class="pull-right" style="padding-left: 3em; padding-bottom: 1em;" src="img/guide/concepts-module-injector.png">

The {@link api/AUTO.$injector injector} is a service locator. There is a single
{@link api/AUTO.$injector injector} per Angular {@link
api/ng.directive:ngApp application}. The {@link
api/AUTO.$injector injector} provides a way to look up an object instance by its
name. The injector keeps an internal cache of all objects so that repeated calls to get the same
object name result in the same instance. If the object does not exist, then the {@link
api/AUTO.$injector injector} asks the instance factory to create a new instance.

A {@link api/angular.Module module} is a way to configure the injector's instance factory, known
as a {@link api/AUTO.$provide provider}.

<div class='clear'></div>
<pre>
  // Create a module
  var myModule = angular.module('myModule', [])

  // Configure the injector
  myModule.factory('serviceA', function() {
    return {
      // instead of {}, put your object creation here
    };
  });

  // create an injector and configure it from 'myModule'
  var $injector = angular.injector(['myModule']);

  // retrieve an object from the injector by name
  var serviceA = $injector.get('serviceA');

  // always true because of instance cache
  $injector.get('serviceA') === $injector.get('serviceA');
</pre>


But the real magic of the {@link api/AUTO.$injector injector} is that it can be
used to {@link api/AUTO.$injector#invoke call} methods and {@link
api/AUTO.$injector#instantiate instantiate} types. This subtle feature is what
allows the methods and types to ask for their dependencies instead of having to look for them.

<pre>
  // You write functions such as this one.
  function doSomething(serviceA, serviceB) {
    // do something here.
  }

  // Angular provides the injector for your application
  var $injector = ...;

  ///////////////////////////////////////////////
  // the old-school way of getting dependencies.
  var serviceA = $injector.get('serviceA');
  var serviceB = $injector.get('serviceB');

  // now call the function
  doSomething(serviceA, serviceB);

  ///////////////////////////////////////////////
  // the cool way of getting dependencies.
  // the $injector will supply the arguments to the function automatically
  $injector.invoke(doSomething); // This is how the framework calls your functions
</pre>

Notice that the only thing you needed to write was the function, and list the dependencies in the
function arguments. When angular calls the function, it will use the {@link
api/AUTO.$injector#invoke call} which will automatically fill the function
arguments.

Examine the `ClockCtrl` below, and notice how it lists the dependencies in the constructor. When the
{@link api/ng.directive:ngController ng-controller} instantiates
the controller it automatically provides the dependencies. There is no need to create
dependencies, look for dependencies, or even get a reference to the injector.

<example module="timeExampleModule">
  <file name="index.html">
    <div ng-controller="ClockCtrl">
      Current time is: {{ time.now }}
    </div>
  </file>
  <file name="script.js">
    angular.module('timeExampleModule', []).
      // Declare new object called time,
      // which will be available for injection
      factory('time', function($timeout) {
        var time = {};

        (function tick() {
          time.now = new Date().toString();
          $timeout(tick, 1000);
        })();
        return time;
      });

    // Notice that you can simply ask for time
    // and it will be provided. No need to look for it.
    function ClockCtrl($scope, time) {
      $scope.time = time;
    }
  </file>
</example>


<a name="angular_namespace"></a>
# Angular Namespace

To prevent accidental name collision, Angular prefixes names of objects which could potentially
collide with `$`. Please do not use the `$` prefix in your code as it may accidentally collide
with Angular code.