ngx-hybrid-helper

Overview

This package helps to bootstrap an AngularJS application with Angular 5, so that you can migrate easily.

This is certainly not the only way to run an hybrid application, but it worked for me for many applications.

There are few steps to follow, but it can save some of your time, that I've lost to find this configuration.

You should read the official angular documentation about how to upgrade AngularJS apps https://angular.io/guide/upgrade

Prerequisites

• Node v8+
• npm v5+

Steps

You have to do the following steps so that it can work.

step-1 Install package

Install the ngx-hybrid-helper package :

npm install ngx-hybrid-helper --save

step-2 Install Angular dependencies

Install the following Angular dependencies :

"@angular/common": "~5.1.0"
"@angular/compiler": "~5.1.0",
"@angular/core": "~5.1.0",
"@angular/platform-browser": "~5.1.0",
"@angular/platform-browser-dynamic": "~5.1.0",
"@angular/upgrade": "~5.1.0",
"core-js": "~2.5.3",
"rxjs": "~5.5.5",
"zone.js": "^0.8.4"

npm install @angular/common@~5.1.0 @angular/compiler@~5.1.0 @angular/core@~5.1.0 @angular/platform-browser@~5.1.0 @angular/platform-browser-dynamic@~5.1.0 @angular/upgrade@~5.1.0 core-js@~2.5.3 rxjs@~5.5.5 zone.js@^0.8.4 --save

Install the following devDependencies :

"typescript": "~2.4.2",
"webpack-dev-server": "~2.9.5",
"rimraf": "^2.5.4"

npm install typescript@~2.4.2 webpack-dev-server@~2.9.5 rimraf@^2.5.4 --save-dev

step-3 Create TypeScript configuration file

At the root of your application, create a tsconfig.json file that contains :

{
    "compilerOptions": {
        "baseUrl": ".",
        "target": "es5",
        "module": "commonjs",
        "moduleResolution": "node",
        "sourceMap": true,
        "emitDecoratorMetadata": true,
        "experimentalDecorators": true,
        "lib": [
            "es2017",
            "dom"
        ],
        "noImplicitAny": false,
        "suppressImplicitAnyIndexErrors": true,
        "paths": {
            "@angular/*": ["node_modules/@angular/*"],
            "rxjs/*": ["node_modules/rxjs/*"]
        }
    },
    "files": [
        "app/ngx"
    ],
    "include": [
        "typings/typings.d.ts"
    ]
}

step-4 Create a typings/typings.d.ts file, usefull for TypeScript

The file should contain :

 declare const angular: any;
 
 interface NodeRequireFunction {
     (id: string): any;
 }
 
 interface NodeRequire extends NodeRequireFunction {
     resolve(id: string): string;
 
     cache: any;
     extensions: any;
     main: NodeModule | undefined;
 }
 
 declare var require: NodeRequire;
 
 interface NodeModule {
     exports: any;
     require: NodeRequireFunction;
     id: string;
     filename: string;
     loaded: boolean;
     parent: NodeModule | null;
     children: NodeModule[];
 }
 
 declare var module: NodeModule;

step-5 Create WebPack configuration file

At the root of the application, create a webpack.config.js file that should contains

const path = require('path');
const webPackGenericConf = require("ngx-hybrid-helper/webpack/webpack.config");
 
module.exports = env => {
    const webPackConfig = webPackGenericConf({
        env: env,
        //Path to your app
        app: path.resolve("./app"),
        //Path to the build app (for production)
        dist: path.resolve("./dist")
    });
    return webPackConfig;
};

step-6 Create an app/ngx/imports.ts file

This file will tell to TypeScript transpiler which files to import in the application.

Create this file in a ngx directory, it should contains :

//polyfills for es5 browsers
import "ngx-hybrid-helper/src/polyfills";
//Import ng1 component
import "ngx-hybrid-helper/src/hybrid-helper.ng1-root.component";
//Import ng5 scripts
import "ngx-hybrid-helper/src/hybrid-helper.bootstrap";

step-7 Replace start command line in package.json

{
    "scripts": {
        "start": "node ./node_modules/webpack-dev-server/bin/webpack-dev-server --env.dev --progress --inline --port 8000 --open"
    }
}

step-8 Create a main AngularJS module

Create an AngularJS module that depends on ngx-hybrid-helper and on your main module (the one which is in the ng-app property)

angular.module("ng1-app",
    [
        "HERE-YOUR-MAIN-APP-MODULE", //<- replace by your main module (from ng-app)
        "ngx-hybrid-helper"
    ]);

step-9 Create a main AngularJS component

Create an AngularJS component named ng1AppRoot that will be your root node, it should contains your main component that was in your index.html

angular.module("HERE-YOUR-MAIN-APP-MODULE")  //<- replace by your main module (from ng-app)
    .component("ng1AppRoot", {
        template: '<my-previous-main-node></my-previous-main-node>' //<- replace here by your main root nodes (that are in index.html)
    });

step-10 index.html

Remove ng-app from index.html

You have to remove your ng-app="your-main-app-module" from your index.html, because from now, it is Angular 5 that will bootstrap your application.

Replace your main AngularJS node

<!--Remove this node-->
<my-previous-main-node></my-previous-main-node>
<!--Add this one-->
<app-root></app-root>

step-11 Run your application

Launch npm start, open your browser on localhost:8000, and your application should be running as before, but bootstraped by Angular 5.

---

Next steps to develop Angular modules

With previous steps, you have validated that your AngularJS application could be running with Angular 5, but if it's not working, don't pursue next steps.

Create your own components

To add your own Angular code to your application, you have to bootstrap the application by your own in order to add your modules in the build process.

step-1 Root module

In the ngx directory, create an app.module.ts file, it will be the main module of your application.

The file should contains

import {NgModule} from "@angular/core";
import {HybridHelperModule, HybridHelperRootComponent} from "ngx-hybrid-helper";
import {CommonModule} from "@angular/common";
 
@NgModule({
    imports: [
        HybridHelperModule,
        CommonModule],
    bootstrap: [HybridHelperRootComponent]
})
export class AppModule {
}

step-2 bootstrap application

In the ngx directory, create an app.bootstrap.ts file, it will bootstrap your main AppModule

The file should contains

import { platformBrowserDynamic } from '@angular/platform-browser-dynamic';
 
import {AppModule} from "./app.module";
 
platformBrowserDynamic().bootstrapModule(AppModule);

step-3 Import bootstrap file

In the app/ngx/imports.ts file, change this :

//Remove this line
import "ngx-hybrid-helper/src/hybrid-helper.bootstrap";
//Replace with this one
import "./app.boostrap";

step-4 Run application

Launch npm start, open your browser on localhost:8000, and your application should be running as before, but bootstraped by your own Angular 5 module.

step-5 Create your components

You can now create your components/services... and import them in the app.module.ts file

step-6 Webpack

Don't hesitate to copy webpack.config.js file in your application because you will certainly need to have your own build configuration.

Production

To build your application for production use, you can add the following command in your package.json and run npm run build

    "scripts": {
        "build": "rimraf dist && node ./node_modules/webpack/bin/webpack --config webpack.config.js --env.prod --bail --display-error-details"
     }

This command will build Angular dependencies in dist directory, but you have to create your own task to copy/bundle your .js or .css files for instance.