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Folder structure

An Angular project has a specific folder and file structure, which is essential for the organization and management of the application. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the folder structure in a typical Angular project:

The folder structure mostly looks liek below

your-project-name/
├── node_modules/
├── src/
│   ├── app/
│   │   ├── [+] components/
│   │   ├── [+] services/
│   │   ├── app-routing.module.ts
│   │   ├── app.component.css
│   │   ├── app.component.html
│   │   ├── app.component.spec.ts
│   │   ├── app.component.ts
│   │   └── app.module.ts
│   ├── assets/
│   │   └── .gitkeep
│   ├── favicon.ico
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── main.ts
│   └── styles.css
├── .editorconfig
├── .gitignore
├── angular.json
├── package-lock.json
├── package.json
├── README.md
├── tsconfig.app.json
├── tsconfig.json
└── tsconfig.spec.json

Root Files​

  • package.json: Lists the project dependencies and other metadata needed for the project. It also contains scripts for running, building, and testing the app.
  • angular.json: The main configuration file for the Angular CLI, specifying how projects are compiled, built, and served.
  • tsconfig.json: Configuration settings for TypeScript, defining how the TypeScript compiler should convert TypeScript code into JavaScript.
  • .editorconfig: Helps maintain consistent coding styles for multiple developers working on the same project across different editors and IDEs.
  • .gitignore: Specifies intentionally untracked files that Git should ignore.

src/ Folder​

The src/ folder is where the main source files of the application are located.

  • app/: Contains the core of your Angular application.
    • app.component.{ts,html,css,spec.ts}: The root component files, including TypeScript logic, HTML template, styling, and testing specs.
    • app.module.ts: The root module file which declares the application module.
    • app-routing.module.ts (optional): Defines the routes of your application.
    • Additional folders: For each additional component, service, or directive you create, a new folder is typically added here.
  • assets/: Contains static asset files like images, icons, and any other files you want to be served directly without processing.
  • environments/: Contains environment-specific files, for example, different files for development and production environments.
  • favicon.ico: The application's favicon.
  • index.html: The main HTML file that serves as the entry point for the application. Angular dynamically inserts components depending on the current view into this file.
  • main.ts: The main entry point of the application. It compiles the application with the JIT compiler and bootstraps the application's root module (AppModule) to run in the browser.
  • polyfills.ts: Includes polyfills needed by Angular and is loaded before the application.
  • styles.css or styles.scss: Global styles for the entire application.
  • test.ts: The main entry point for unit tests, with specific settings for the Angular testing environment.

node_modules/​

  • Contains all the npm packages and dependencies for your project.

dist/​

  • The output folder where the compiled project is stored after running ng build. This is the folder you deploy to a server.

Additional Configuration Files​

  • karma.conf.js: Configuration file for the Karma test runner.
  • tslint.json or .eslintrc.json: Configuration files for TypeScript linter, helping to keep the code consistent and error-free.
  • e2e/: Contains end-to-end tests, typically using Protractor.

Understanding the Structure​

  • Modularity: Angular’s structure is highly modular, with components, services, and other elements typically having their own folders within src/app/.
  • Scalability: This structure supports the scalability of the application. As the app grows, more components, services, and modules can be added in an organized manner.
  • Separation of Concerns: Angular enforces a clean separation of concerns by structurally separating templates (HTML), styles (CSS/SCSS), and logic (TypeScript).

Conclusion​

Understanding the folder structure of an Angular project is crucial for efficient development and maintenance. It not only aids in organizing the code but also ensures consistency and scalability as the application grows. As you work more with Angular, you'll become more familiar with these conventions and may even customize the structure to better suit your project's needs.