850 lines
34 KiB
Markdown
850 lines
34 KiB
Markdown
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# Angular Universal
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This guide describes **Angular Universal**, a technology that runs your Angular application on the server.
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A normal Angular application executes in the _browser_, rendering pages in the DOM in response to user actions.
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**Angular Universal** generates _static_ application pages on the _server_
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through a process called **server-side rendering (SSR)**.
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It can generate and serve those pages in response to requests from browsers.
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It can also pre-generate pages as HTML files that you serve later.
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Universal's server-side rendering has several potential benefits:
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* [Facilitate web crawlers (SEO)](#web-crawlers).
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* [Show content sooner](#startup-performance).
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* [Perform well on mobile and low power devices](#no-javascript).
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This guide describes a Universal sample application that launches quickly as a server-rendered page.
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Meanwhile, the browser downloads the full client version and switches to it automatically after the code loads.
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<div class="l-sub-section">
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[Download the finished sample code](generated/zips/universal/universal.zip),
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which runs in a [node express](https://expressjs.com/) server.
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Almost _any_ web server technology can serve a Universal app.
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See this advanced example written for
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[ASP.NET Core](https://github.com/MarkPieszak/aspnetcore-angular2-universal).
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</div>
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<div class="alert is-important">
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The build setup described in this guide is experimental and subject to change.
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</div>
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## Overview
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This overview explains the benefits of a Universal application, how it works, and the limitations of server-side rendering. Then it describes the sample application that goes with this guide.
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Subsequent sections describe a sample Universal application derived from the Tour of Heroes tutorial
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and explain how to build and run that app.
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{@a why-do-it}
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### Why Universal
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There are three main reasons to create a Universal version of your app.
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1. Facilitate web crawlers (SEO)
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1. Improve performance on mobile and low-powered devices
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1. Show the first page quickly
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{@a seo}
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{@a web-crawlers}
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#### Facilitate web crawlers
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Google, Bing, Facebook, twitter and other social media sites rely on web crawlers to index your application content and make that content searchable on the web.
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These web crawlers may be unable to navigate and index your highly-interactive, Angular application as a human user could do.
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Angular Universal can generate a static version of your app that is easy searchable, linkable, and navigable without JavaScript.
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It also makes a site preview available since each URL returns a fully-rendered page.
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Enabling web crawlers is often referred to as
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[Search Engine Optimization (SEO)](https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf).
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{@a no-javascript}
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#### Performance on mobile and low performance devices
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Some devices don't support JavaScript or execute JavaScript so poorly that the user experience is unacceptable.
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For these cases, you may require a server-rendered, no-JavaScript version of the app.
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This version, however limited, may be the only practical alternative for
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people who otherwise would not be able to use the app at all.
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{@a startup-performance}
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#### Show the first page quickly
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Displaying the first page quickly can be critical for user engagement.
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Captive users of a line-of-business app may have to wait.
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But a casual visitor will switch to a faster site if your app takes "too long" to show the first page.
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While [AOT](guide/aot-compiler) compilation speeds up application start times, it may not be fast enough, especially on mobile devices with slow connections.
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[53% of mobile site visits are abandoned](https://www.doubleclickbygoogle.com/articles/mobile-speed-matters/) if pages take longer than 3 seconds to load.
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Your app needs to load quickly, to engage users before they decide to do something else.
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With Angular Universal, you can generate landing pages for the app that look like the complete app.
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The pages are pure HTML, and can display even if JavaScript is disabled.
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The pages do not handle browser events, but they _do_ support navigation through the site using [routerLink](guide/router.html#router-link).
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Of course most Angular apps are highly interactive.
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The landing page looks real and is far more useful than a "loading" spinner.
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But it won't fool anyone for long.
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In practice, you'll serve a static version of the landing page to hold the user's attention.
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At the same time, you'll load the full Angular app behind it in the manner [explained below](#transition).
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The user perceives near-instant performance from the landing page
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and gets the full interactive experience after the full app loads.
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<div class="l-sub-section">
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Another tool called <a href="https://universal.angular.io/api/preboot/index.html">Preboot</a> can record browser events such as user keystrokes during the transition and play them back in the full Angular app once it is loaded.
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</div>
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{@a how-does-it-work}
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### How it works
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To make a Universal app, you install the `platform-server` package.
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The `platform-server` package has server implementations of the DOM, `XMLHttpRequest`, and other low-level features that do not rely on a browser.
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You compile the client application with the `platform-server` module instead of the `platform-browser` module.
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and run the resulting Universal app on a web server.
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The server (a [Node Express](https://expressjs.com/) server in _this_ guide's example)
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passes client requests for application pages to Universal's `renderModuleFactory` function.
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The `renderModuleFactory` function takes as inputs a *template* HTML page (usually `index.html`),
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an Angular *module* containing components,
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and a *route* that determines which components to display.
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The route comes from the client's request to the server.
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Each request results in the appropriate view for the requested route.
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The `renderModuleFactory` renders that view within the `<app>` tag of the template, creating a finished HTML page for the client.
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Finally, the server returns the rendered page to the client.
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{@a limitations}
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### Working around the browser APIs
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Because a Universal `platform-server` app doesn't execute in the browser, you may have to work around some of the APIs and capabilities that you otherwise take for granted on the client.
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You won't be able reference browser-only native objects such as `window`, `document`, `navigator` or `location`.
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If you don't need them on the server-rendered page, side-step them with conditional logic.
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Alternatively, look for an injectable Angular abstraction over the object you need such as `Location` or `Document`;
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it may substitute adequately for the specific API that you're calling.
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If Angular doesn't provide it, you may be able to write your own abstraction that delegates to the browser API while in the browser and to a satisfactory alternative implementation while on the server.
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Without mouse or keyboard events, a universal app can't rely on a user clicking a button to show a component.
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A universal app should determine what to render based solely on the incoming client request.
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This is a good argument for making the app [routeable](guide/router).
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Http requests with _relative_ URLs don't work.
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You should convert them to _absolute_ URLs on the server which means you'll need to know the server origin.
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You can pass the server origin into your app with a [provider](guide/dependency-injection#injector-providers) "universal/*"
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as you'll see in the [example below](#http-urls).
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Because the user of a server-rendered page can't do much more than click links,
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you should [swap in the real client app](#transition) as quickly as possible for a proper interactive experience.
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{@a the-example}
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## The example
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The _Tour of Heroes_ tutorial is the foundation for the Universal sample described in this guide.
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The core application files are mostly untouched, with a few exceptions described below.
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You'll add more files to support building and serving with Universal.
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In this example, Webpack tools compile and bundle the Universal version of the app with the
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[AOT (Ahead-of-Time) compiler](guide/aot-compiler).
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A node/express web server turns client requests into the HTML pages rendered by Universal.
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You will create:
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* a server-side app module, `app.server.module.ts`
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* a Universal app renderer, `universal-engine.ts`
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* an express web server to handle requests, `server.ts`
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* a TypeScript config file, `tsconfig-universal.json`
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* a Webpack config file, `webpack.config.universal.js`
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When you're done, the folder structure will look like this:
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<code-example format="." language="none" linenums="false">
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src/
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index.html <i>app web page</i>
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main.ts <i>bootstrapper for client app</i>
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style.css <i>styles for the app</i>
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systemjs.config.js <i>SystemJS client configuration</i>
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systemjs-angular-loader.js <i>SystemJS add-in</i>
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tsconfig.json <i>TypeScript client configuration</i>
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app/ ... <i>application code</i>
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dist/
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server.js <i>* AOT-compiled server bundle</i>
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universal/ <i>* folder for universal code</i>
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app-server.module.ts <i>* server-side application module</i>
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server.ts <i>* express web server</i>
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universal-engine.ts <i>* express template engine</i>
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bs-config.json <i>config file for lite server</i>
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package.json <i>npm configuration</i>
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tsconfig-universal.json <i>* TypeScript Universal configuration</i>
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webpack.config.universal.js <i>* Webpack Universal configuration</i>
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</code-example>
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The files marked with `*` are new and not in the original tutorial sample.
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This guide covers them in the sections below.
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{@a preparation}
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## Preparation
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{@a install-the-tools}
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### Install the tools
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To get started, install these Universal and Webpack packages.
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* `@angular/compiler-cli` - contains the AOT compiler
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* `@angular/platform-server` - Universal server-side components
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* `webpack` - Webpack JavaScript bundler
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* `@ngtools/webpack` - Webpack loader and plugin for bundling compiled applications
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* `raw-loader` - Webpack loader for text files
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* `express` - node web server
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* `@types/express` - TypeScript type definitions for express
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Install them with the following commands:
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<code-example format="." language="bash">
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npm install @angular/compiler-cli @angular/platform-server express --save
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npm install webpack @ngtools/webpack raw-loader @types/express --save-dev
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</code-example>
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### Modify the client app
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You'll have to modify the client application in a few small ways to enable server-side rendering and
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to facilitate the transition from the Universal app to the client app.
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{@a transition}
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#### Enable transition to the client app
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A Universal app can act as a dynamic "splash screen" that shows a view of your app while the real client app loads behind it.
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This gives the appearance of a near-instant application.
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Meanwhile, the browser downloads the client app scripts in background.
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Once loaded, Angular transitions from the static server-rendered page to the dynamically rendered views of the live client app.
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To make this work, the template for server-side rendering contains the `<script>` tags necessary to load the JavaScript libraries and other assets for the full client app.
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As is often the case, the unmodified client `index.html` acts as the template for server-side rendering.
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But you do have to adjust the root `AppModule`.
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Open file `src/app/app.module.ts` and find the `BrowserModule` import in the `NgModule` metadata.
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Replace that import with this one:
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<code-example path="universal/src/app/app.module.ts" region="browsermodule" title="src/app/app.module.ts (withServerTransition)">
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</code-example>
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<div class="l-sub-section">
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The `appId` can be any string. Keep it short.
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</div>
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Angular adds the `appId` to styles of the server-rendered pages,
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so that they can be identified and removed when the client app starts.
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You can get runtime information about the current platform and the `appId` by injection.
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<code-example path="universal/src/app/app.module.ts" region="platform-detection" title="src/app/app.module.ts (platform detection)">
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</code-example>
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{@a http-urls}
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#### Absolute HTTP URLs
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The tutorial's `HeroService` and `HeroSearchService` delegate to the Angular `Http` module to fetch application data.
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These services send requests to _relative_ URLs such as `api/heroes`.
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In a Universal app, `Http` URLs must be _absolute_ (e.g., `https://my-server.com/api/heroes`)
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even when the Universal web server is capable of handling those requests.
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You'll have to change the services to make requests with absolute URLs when running on the server
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and with relative URLs when running in the browser.
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One solution is to provide the server's runtime origin under the Angular [`APP_BASE_REF` token](api/common/APP_BASE_HREF),
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inject it into the service, and prepend the origin to the request URL.
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Start by changing the `HeroService` constructor to take a second `origin` parameter that is optionally injected via the `APP_BASE_HREF` token.
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<code-example path="universal/src/app/hero.service.ts" region="ctor" title="src/app/hero.service.ts (constructor with optional origin)">
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</code-example>
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Note how the constructor prepends the origin (if it exists) to the `heroesUrl`.
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You don't provide `APP_BASE_HREF` in the browser version, so the `heroesUrl` remains relative.
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<div class="l-sub-section">
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You can ignore `APP_BASE_HREF` in the browser if you've specified `<base href="/">` in the `index.html`
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to satisfy the router's need for a base address, as the tutorial sample does.
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</div>
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You will provide the `APP_BASE_HREF` in the universal version of the app (see how [below](#provide-origin)),
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so the `heroesUrl` becomes absolute.
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Do the same thing to the `HttpSearchService` constructor.
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You'll have to tweak the `http.get` call in the `search()` method as well.
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Here's the revised class.
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<code-example path="universal/src/app/hero-search.service.ts" region="class" title="src/app/hero-search.service.ts (with injected origin)" linenums="false">
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</code-example>
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{@a build-client-app}
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#### Try locally first
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Open a terminal window and confirm that the client app still works in the browser.
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<code-example format="." language="bash">
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npm start
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</code-example>
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When you are done, shut down the server with `ctrl-C`.
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#### Revert the build
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The rest of this page concentrates on the server-side universal app.
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An important [teaching point below](#universal-in-action) assumes that you _did not compile the client-side app_.
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To maintain that useful fiction, delete the client-side compiled files.
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<code-example format="." language="bash">
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rm src/main.js* && rm src/app/*.js*
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</code-example>
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<br><hr>
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{@a server-code}
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## Server code
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To run an Angular Universal application, you need a server that accepts client requests and returns rendered pages.
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That's not part of the client-side Angular app, so you need to add the necessary pieces.
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Create a `universal/` folder as a sibling to the `app/` folder.
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Add to it the following three universal files:
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1. The [app server module](#app-server-module)
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2. The [Universal engine](#universal-engine)
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3. The [web server](#web-server)
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{@a app-server-module}
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### App server module
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The app server module class (conventionally named `AppServerModule`) is an Angular module that wraps the application's root module (`AppModule`) so that Universal can mediate between your application and the server.
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`AppServerModule` also tells Angular how to bootstrap your application when running as a Universal app.
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Create an `app-server.module.ts` file in the `src/universal` directory with the following `AppServerModule` code:
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<code-example path="universal/src/universal/app-server.module.ts" title="src/universal/app-server.module.ts">
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</code-example>
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Notice that it imports first the client app's `AppModule` and then Angular Universal's `ServerModule`.
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This is also the place to register providers that are specific to running your app under Universal.
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But don't register `APP_BASE_HREF` here;
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register it in the [universal engine instead](#provide-origin).
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{@a universal-engine}
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### Universal template engine
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The Universal `renderModuleFactory` function turns a client's requests into server-rendered HTML pages.
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You'll call that function within a _template engine_ that's appropriate for your server stack.
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This guide's sample is written for [Node Express](https://expressjs.com/)
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so the engine takes the form of [Express template engine middleware](https://expressjs.com/en/guide/using-template-engines.html).
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Create a `universal-engine.ts` file in the `src/universal` directory with the following code.
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|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/src/universal/universal-engine.ts" title="src/universal/universal-engine.ts">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="alert is-helpful">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You can reuse this Universal template engine code in other applications.
|
|||
|
It knows nothing about the tutorial sample application.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a render-module-factory}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Rendering the page
|
|||
|
The call to Universal's `renderModuleFactory` is where the rendering magic happens.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/src/universal/universal-engine.ts" title="src/universal/universal-engine.ts (rendering)" region="render">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The first parameter is the `AppServerModule` that you wrote [earlier](#app-server-module).
|
|||
|
It's the bridge between the Universal server-side renderer and your application.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The second parameter is an options object
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* `document` is the template for the page to render (typically `index.html`).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* `url` is the application route (e.g., `/dashboard`), extracted from the client's request.
|
|||
|
Universal should render the appropriate page for that route.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* `extraProviders` are optional Angular dependency injection providers, applicable when running on this server
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a provide-origin}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You supply `extraProviders` when your app needs information that can only be determined by the currently running server instance.
|
|||
|
The required information in this case is the running server's origin.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
As [discussed above](#http-urls), HTTP request URLs must be absolute.
|
|||
|
Our solution is to calculate the running server's origin (see `getOrigin()`) and provide it under the `APP_BASE_HREF` token.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Cached result
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The `renderModuleFactory` function returns a _promise_ that resolves to the rendered page.
|
|||
|
It's up to your engine to decide what to do with that page.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
There are many alternatives.
|
|||
|
For example, the rendered output could be stored as static HTML files to be served later.
|
|||
|
This engine caches the rendered page in memory so that a given route is only rendered once.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="alert is-important">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
That's potentially simplistic.
|
|||
|
Too many different requests could bloat server memory.
|
|||
|
Volatile data on the page will get stale and could potentially mislead the user.
|
|||
|
You might want to invalidate old cached pages periodically.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Most importantly, the promise callback returns the rendered page to the [web server](#web-server),
|
|||
|
which then forwards it to the client in the HTTP response.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a web-server}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
### Universal web server
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A _Universal_ web server responds to application _page_ requests with static HTML rendered by the [Universal template engine](#universal-engine).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
It's the same as any other web server in all other respects.
|
|||
|
It receives and responds to HTTP requests from clients (usually browsers).
|
|||
|
It serves static assets such as scripts, css, and images.
|
|||
|
It may respond to data requests, perhaps directly or as a proxy to a separate data server.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The sample web server for _this_ guide is based on the popular [Express](https://expressjs.com/) framework.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="l-sub-section">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
_Any_ web server technology can serve a Universal app as long as it can call Universal's `renderModuleFactory`.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For example, see [this ASP.NET Core server](https://github.com/MarkPieszak/aspnetcore-angular2-universal)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Even if you've chosen a different server technology, the principles and decision points discussed below will apply to you.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Create the `server.ts` file in the `src/universal` directory and add the following code:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/src/universal/server.ts" title="src/universal/server.ts">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="alert is-critical">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
**This sample server is not secure!**
|
|||
|
Be sure to add middleware to authenticate and authorize users
|
|||
|
just as you would for a normal Angular application server.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a import-app-server-module-factory}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Import AppServerModule factory
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Most of this server code is re-usable across many applications.
|
|||
|
One line, the import of the `AppServerModule`, couples it specifically to a single application.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/src/universal/server.ts" title="src/universal/server.ts" region="import-app-server-factory">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Your code editor may tell you that this import is incorrect.
|
|||
|
It refers to the source file for the `AppServerModule` factory which doesn't exist at design time.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
That file _will exist_, briefly, during compilation.
|
|||
|
The build process creates it in the `../aot` directory, bundles it with other `universal/` code, and erases it during post-build cleanup. It's never around when you're editing `server.ts`.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
All will be well as long as you arrange for the AOT compiler to generate this module factory file _before_ it compiles _this_ web server file.
|
|||
|
[Learn how below](#typescript-configuration).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Add the Universal template engine
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Express supports template engines such as the [Universal template engine](#universal-engine) you wrote earlier.
|
|||
|
You import that engine and register it with Express like this:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/src/universal/server.ts" title="src/universal/server.ts (Universal template engine)" region="universal-engine">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Filter request URLs
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The web server must distinguish _app page requests_ from other kinds of requests.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
It's not as simple as intercepting a request to the root address `/`.
|
|||
|
The browser could ask for one of the application routes such as `/dashboard`, `/heroes`, or `/detail:12`.
|
|||
|
In fact, if the app were _only_ rendered by the server, _every_ app link clicked would arrive at the server
|
|||
|
as a navigation URL intended for the router.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fortunately, application routes have something in common: their URLs lack file extensions.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Data requests also lack extensions but they're easy to recognize because they always begin with `/api`.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
All static asset requests have a file extension (e.g., `main.js` or `/node_modules/zone.js/dist/zone.js`).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
So we can easily recognize the three types of requests and handle them differently.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
1. data request - request URL that begins `/api`
|
|||
|
2. app navigation - request URL with no file extension
|
|||
|
3. static asset - all other requests.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
An Express server is a pipeline of middleware that filters and processes URL requests one after the other.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You configure the Express server pipeline with calls to `server.get()` like this one for data requests.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/src/universal/server.ts" title="src/universal/server.ts (data URL)" region="data-request" linenums="false">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="l-sub-section">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This sample server doesn't handle data requests.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The tutorial's "in-memory web api" module, a demo and development tool, intercepts all HTTP calls and
|
|||
|
simulates the behavior of a remote data server.
|
|||
|
In practice, you would remove that module and register your web api middleware on the server here.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="alert is-critical">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
**Universal HTTP requests have different security requirements**
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
HTTP requests issued from a browser app are not the same as when issued by the universal app on the server.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
When a browser makes an HTTP request, the server can make assumptions about cookies, XSRF headers, etc.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For example, the browser automatically sends auth cookies for the current user.
|
|||
|
Angular Universal cannot forward these credentials to a separate data server.
|
|||
|
If your server handles HTTP requests, you'll have to add your own security plumbing.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The following code filters for request URLs with no extensions and treats them as navigation requests.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/src/universal/server.ts" title="src/universal/server.ts (navigation)" region="navigation-request" linenums="false">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Serve static files safely
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A single `server.use()` treats all other URLs as requests for static assets.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/src/universal/server.ts" title="src/universal/server.ts (static files)" region="static" linenums="false">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In this app, valid static assets are either in the `node_modules` folder or the `src` folder,
|
|||
|
a fact enforced by the `root` prefixed to the request URL.
|
|||
|
An attempt to download a file located anywhere else results in `404 - not found`.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For security reasons, locate sensitive files outside of these two folders.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a universal-configuration}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## Configure for Universal
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The server application requires its own build configuration, independently from the configuration of the client-side version.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You'll create two configuration files, one for TypeScript and one for Webpack.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a typescript-configuration}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
### TypeScript configuration
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Create a `tsconfig.universal.json` file in the project root directory to configure TypeScript compilation of the universal app.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You start with a copy of the client app's `tsconfig.json` and make the following changes.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* Set the `module` property to `es2015`.
|
|||
|
The transpiled JavaScript will use `import` statements instead of `require()` calls.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* Set the `files` property to compile the `app-server.module` before the `universal-engine`,
|
|||
|
for the reason [explained above](#import-app-server-module-factory).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* Add a new `angularCompilerOptions` section with the following settings:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* `genDir` - the temporary output directory for AOT compiled code.
|
|||
|
* `entryModule` - the root module of the client application, expressed as `path/to/file#ClassName`.
|
|||
|
* `skipMetadataEmit` - set `true` because you don't need metadata in the bundled application.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The resulting `tsconfig.universal.json` should look like this.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/tsconfig-universal.json" title="tsconfig-universal.json">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a webpack-configuration}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
### Webpack configuration
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Create a `webpack.config.universal.js` file in the project root directory with the following code.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example path="universal/webpack.config.universal.js" title="webpack.config.universal.js">
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
**Webpack configuration** is a rich topic beyond the scope of this guide.
|
|||
|
A few observations may clarify some of the choices.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* Webpack walks the dependency graph from the two entry points to find all necessary universal application files.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* The `@ngtools/webpack` loader loads and prepares the TypeScript files for compilation.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* The `AotPlugin` runs the AOT compiler (`ngc`) over the prepared TypeScript, guided by the `tsconfig-universal.json` you created [above](#typescript-configuration).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* The `raw-loader` loads CSS and HTML files as strings.
|
|||
|
You may need additional loaders or configuration for other file types.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* The compiled output and other asset files are bundled into `src/dist/server.js`.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a build-and-serve-universal}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## Build and run
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Now that you've created the TypeScript and Webpack config files, you can build and run the Universal application.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
First add the _build_ and _serve_ commands to the `scripts` section of the `package.json`:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="ts">
|
|||
|
"scripts": {
|
|||
|
"build:uni": "webpack --config webpack.config.universal.js",
|
|||
|
"serve:uni": "node src/dist/server.js",
|
|||
|
...
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a build}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Build
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
From the command prompt, type
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="bash">
|
|||
|
npm run build:uni
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Webpack compiles and bundles the universal app into a single output file, `src/dist/server.js`, per the [configuration above](#universal-configuration).
|
|||
|
It also generates a [source map](https://webpack.js.org/configuration/devtool/), `src/dist/server.js.map` that correlates the bundle code to the source code.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Source maps are primarily for the browser's [dev tools](https://developers.google.com/web/tools/chrome-devtools/javascript/source-maps), but on the server they help locate compilation errors in your components.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a serve}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Serve
|
|||
|
After building the server bundle, start the server.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="bash">
|
|||
|
npm run serve:uni
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The console window should say
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="bash">
|
|||
|
listening on port 3200...
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a universal-in-action}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## Universal in action
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Open a browser to http://localhost:3200/.
|
|||
|
You should see the familiar Tour of Heroes dashboard page.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Navigation via `routerLinks` works correctly.
|
|||
|
You can go from the Dashboard to the Heroes page and back.
|
|||
|
You can click on a hero on the Dashboard page to display its Details page.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
But clicks, mouse-moves, and keyboard entries are inert.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* Clicking a hero on the Heroes page does nothing.
|
|||
|
* You can't add or delete a hero.
|
|||
|
* The search box on the Dashboard page is ignored.
|
|||
|
* The _back_ and _save_ buttons on the Details page don't work.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
User events other than `routerLink` clicks aren't supported.
|
|||
|
The user must wait for the full client app to arrive.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
It will never arrive until you compile the client app,
|
|||
|
a step you'll take in just a moment.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="alert is-important">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If these features work, then you actually _did_ build the client version of the app and it is executing in the browser.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You most likely built it earlier when you confirmed that the app still worked after changing the hero services.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
While you will compile the client version soon,
|
|||
|
at the moment you want to see how the universal app behaves _without the client version_.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Pretend that you did not build the client version.
|
|||
|
Open a terminal window and _delete the compiled files_.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="bash">
|
|||
|
rm src/main.js* && rm src/app/*.js*
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Now the app should still navigate but do nothing with button clicks.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Review the console log
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Open the browser's development tools.
|
|||
|
In the console window you should see output like the following:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="bash" linenums="false">
|
|||
|
building: /
|
|||
|
/styles.css
|
|||
|
/node_modules/core-js/client/shim.min.js
|
|||
|
/node_modules/zone.js/dist/zone.js
|
|||
|
/node_modules/systemjs/dist/system.src.js
|
|||
|
/systemjs.config.js
|
|||
|
/main.js
|
|||
|
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, stat '... ./src/main.js' ...
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The first line shows that the server received a request for '/' and passed it to the Universal engine, which then built the HTML page from your Angular application.
|
|||
|
The application re-routes `/` to `/dashboard`.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Refresh the browser and the first console line becomes `building: /dashboard`.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Refresh again. This time, the first line is `from cache: /dashboard` because your _universal template engine_
|
|||
|
found the previously rendered page for `/dashboard` in its cache.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The remaining console log lines report requests for static files coming from `<link>` and `<script>` tags in the `index.html`.
|
|||
|
The `.js` files in particular are needed to run the client version of the app in the browser.
|
|||
|
Once they're loaded, Angular _should_ replace the Universal-rendered page with the full client app.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Except that it didn't!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Missing _main.js_ error
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Note the error at the bottom of the console log that complains about a missing `main.js` file.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="bash">
|
|||
|
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, stat '... ./src/main.js' ...
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The full client app doesn't launch because `main.js` doesn't exist.
|
|||
|
And `main.js` doesn't exist because you have not yet built the client version of the app.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a client-transition}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Build the client app
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Now build the client-side version of the app.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="bash">
|
|||
|
npm run build
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="alert is-helpful">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This command builds the client app in a verbose, development mode.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Of course you’d build the production version with minimal size in mind, even if you didn’t use universal.
|
|||
|
Building for production is covered elsewhere in the documentation.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="alert is-important">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The compiler may fail with the following error:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<code-example format="." language="bash">
|
|||
|
error TS2307: Cannot find module '../../aot/src/universal/app-server.module.ngfactory'.
|
|||
|
</code-example>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You need to exclude the _server-side_ `/universal` folder files from _client app_ compilation.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Open `tsconfig.json`, find the `"exclude"` node and add `"universal/*"` to the array.
|
|||
|
The result might look something like this:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
```
|
|||
|
"exclude": [
|
|||
|
"node_modules/*",
|
|||
|
"universal/*"
|
|||
|
]
|
|||
|
```
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Compile again with `npm run build`.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Refresh the browser.
|
|||
|
The Universal app is quickly replaced by the full client app.
|
|||
|
The console log fills with requests for more files.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Most importantly, the event-based features now work as expected.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
<div class="alert is-critical">
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
When you make application changes, remember to rebuild _both_ the universal _and_ the client-side versions of the app.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
</div>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a throttling}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
#### Throttling
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The transition from the server-rendered app to the client app happens quickly on a development machine.
|
|||
|
You can simulate a slower network to see the transition more clearly and
|
|||
|
better appreciate the launch-speed advantage of a universal app running on a low powered, poorly connected device.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Open the Chrome Dev Tools and go to the Network tab.
|
|||
|
Find the [Network Throttling](https://developers.google.com/web/tools/chrome-devtools/network-performance/reference#throttling) dropdown on the far right of the menu bar.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Try one of the "3G" speeds.
|
|||
|
The server-rendered app still launches quickly but the full client app takes many seconds to load.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
{@a conclusion}
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## Conclusion
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This guide showed you how to take an existing Angular application and make it into a Universal app that does server-side rendering.
|
|||
|
It also explained some of the key reasons for doing so.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Facilitate web crawlers (SEO)
|
|||
|
- Support low-bandwidth or low-power devices
|
|||
|
- Fast first page load
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Angular Universal can greatly improve the perceived startup performance of your app.
|
|||
|
The slower the network, the more advantageous it becomes to have Universal display the first page to the user.
|