In a lot of ways, it’s difficult to compare Angular and jQuery as they differ in several key areas.
However, for those who are interested in committing to one platform for your web development needs, there are some basics of each that you need to know.
If are unsure about making the migration or are hesitant to do so, it’s important to understand fundamentals as well as learn what exactly goes into the migration process. Here are the basics of both the Angular and jQuery tools.
Angular basics explained
is a TypeScript-based platform that allows you to build single page applications (also known as SPAs) that are more reactive than their outdated counterparts. This web application is open-source, front-end, and is a flexible tool for overcoming development roadblocks.
While that sounds great on paper, Angular is often cited as being tougher to understand than jQuery. If you’re interested in migrating to this platform, it’s often best to consider Angular training unless you’re fortunate enough to have an in-house educator.
Angular also possesses two-way data binding features, injection capabilities, unit tests, and much more. For many developers, these features make all the difference in choosing Angular, especially because — regardless of how large a project or application might grow — this framework remains fairly easy to maintain.
If you’re willing to put in the time and effort to master the sometimes steep learning curve, Angular is a worthy choice for web app development, large or small. It’s also the best selection for SPAs and if those are what you need, this framework is your go-to.
jQuery fundamentals
While Angular is a framework, jQuery is a library that is primarily used for document object model (DOM) manipulation, which helps determine how a document is able to be accessed and manipulated. jQuery is fairly speedy and feature-rich for a JavaScript library, although some of its key features don’t perform as well as Angular’s (although this shouldn’t be the defining factor for choosing one over the other).
A popular capability of jQuery is how it is compatible to cross browsers that are updated to their latest versions, including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Internet Explorer. It’s also got a smaller learning curve than Angular, which means it’s easier to pick up and implement.
However, this comes with a catch: while it’s simpler to understand, as a project grows, it becomes much more difficult to maintain. Some developers have also said that jQuery often requires larger amounts of code to achieve the same results as Angular.
Which is right for you?
At the end of the day, the platform you use should be one that aligns with your projects. If you’re looking to develop applications from a framework, Angular is your best bet. But if you need to leverage DOM manipulation to effectively scale a project, then rely on jQuery.
Each platform has its pros and cons. While Angular is often seen as the more capable of the two, especially in terms of features ease of maintenance, it also requires a lot more initial investment and added Angular training to reach any level of mastery.
If you need a solution that you can quickly adopt for your ongoing projects, chances are you should go with jQuery. Ultimately, though, if you’re looking for a flexible solution that can scale to larger levels, Angular is your best bet, especially if you intend to work with SPAs. Angular offers better quality over what jQuery can do and it’s worth your time and effort to learn.
Again, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, especially when it comes to development. With constantly developing technologies, new stable versions being released, and coding advancements, consider your needs first and foremost before you commit to any platform for your next web build or application project.
