Angular is a robust and widely-used framework for building dynamic web applications. Staying up-to-date with the latest Angular version is crucial for taking advantage of new features, improved performance, and security enhancements. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the steps to upgrade your Angular application to the latest version.

1. Prerequisites

Before starting the upgrade process, ensure you have the following:

• Node.js installed (preferably the latest stable version)
• Angular CLI installed globally

You can check your current Node.js version by running:

node -v

The Angular CLI version with:

ng version

2. Review Angular’s Update Guide

Angular’s official update guide provides a comprehensive step-by-step approach tailored to your current version and the version you wish to upgrade to. It’s a valuable resource to check for breaking changes, deprecations, and necessary adjustments.

3. Update Angular CLI

First, update the Angular CLI globally:

npm install -g @angular/cli

Next, update the CLI in your project:

ng update @angular/cli

4. Update Angular Core and Dependencies

To update the Angular core framework and its dependencies, run:

ng update @angular/core

This command updates the Angular packages listed in your package.json file to the latest version. The Angular CLI will guide you through any additional steps, such as updating TypeScript and RxJS if needed.

5. Update Other Dependencies

You might also need to update other dependencies in your project.

For example, if you’re using Angular Material, update it with:

ng update @angular/material

6. Run and Test Your Application

After updating all necessary dependencies, run your application to ensure everything works as expected:

ng serve

Visit your application in the browser and test its functionality. Pay attention to any warnings or errors that might appear in the console.

7. Fix Breaking Changes

If there are breaking changes, the Angular CLI usually provides helpful migration messages. Refer to the Angular update guide and the official Angular documentation to address these issues. Common breaking changes might involve:

• Deprecated APIs
• Changes in Angular modules
• Adjustments in RxJS imports and operators

8. Final Testing and Deployment

Once your application runs smoothly without errors, conduct thorough testing. Consider setting up automated tests if you haven’t already, to catch any regressions. When you’re confident everything works correctly, deploy your updated application to your production environment.

Conclusion

Upgrading your Angular application ensures you stay current with the latest features, performance improvements, and security updates. Following this step-by-step guide, you can seamlessly upgrade your Angular version and enjoy the benefits of the latest enhancements. Happy coding!