include ../../../_includes/_util-fns
:marked
Let's start from zero and build a super simple Angular 2 application in Dart.
.callout.is-helpful
header Don't want Dart?
:marked
Although we're getting started in Dart, you can also write Angular 2 apps
in TypeScript and JavaScript.
Just select either of those languages from the combo-box in the banner.
p.
These instructions assume that you already have the
Dart SDK
and any tools you like to use with Dart.
If you don't have a favorite editor already, try
WebStorm,
which comes with a Dart plugin.
You can also download
Dart plugins for
other IDEs and editors.
Once you have the Dart SDK and any other tools you want, return here.
//- ##########################
.l-main-section
h2#section-install-angular Set up a new app directory
:marked
Create a new directory,
and put a file named `pubspec.yaml` in it.
code-example(language="sh").
> mkdir angular2_getting_started
> cd angular2_getting_started
> vim pubspec.yaml # Use your favorite editor!
p.
In pubspec.yaml
,
specify the angular2 and browser packages as dependencies,
as well as the angular2 transformer.
Angular 2 is changing rapidly, so provide an exact version:
2.0.0-alpha.45.
+makeExample('quickstart/dart/ex1/pubspec.yaml', null, 'pubspec.yaml')
p.
In the same directory, create a web
directory, and then
run pub get
to install the angular2 and browser packages
(along with the packages they depend on).
code-example(language="sh").
> mkdir web
> pub get
Resolving dependencies...
//- PENDING: Create template? Link to pub/pubspec docs?
//- ##########################
.l-main-section
h2#section-transpile Create a Dart file
p.
Create a file under web
named main.dart
.
code-example(language="sh").
> vim web/main.dart # Use your favorite editor!
p.
Paste the following code into web/main.dart
:
+makeExample('quickstart/dart/ex1/web/main.dart', null, 'web/main.dart')
:marked
You've just defined an Angular 2 **component**,
one of the most important Angular 2 features.
Components are the primary way to create application views
and support them with application logic.
This component is an empty, do-nothing class named `AppComponent`.
You can add properties and application logic to it later,
when you're ready to build a substantive application.
Above the class is the `@Component` annotation,
which tells Angular that this class *is an Angular component*.
The call to the `@Component` constructor has two
named parameters, `selector` and `template`.
The `selector` parameter specifies a CSS selector for
a host HTML element named `my-app`.
Angular creates and displays an instance of `AppComponent`
wherever it encounters a `my-app` element.
The `template` parameter is the component's companion template
that tells Angular how to render a view.
In this case, the template is a single line of HTML announcing
"My First Angular 2 App".
The main()
function
calls Angular's bootstrap()
function,
which tells Angular to start the application with `AppComponent`
at the application root.
Someday the application will
consist of more components arising in tree-like fashion from this root.
The top lines import two libraries.
*All* Dart files that use Angular APIs import `angular2.dart`.
Only files that call `bootstrap()` import `bootstrap.dart`.
//- ##########################
.l-main-section
h2#section-angular-create-account Create an HTML file
p.
Create a file named web/index.html
that contains
the following code:
+makeExample('quickstart/dart/ex1/web/index.html', null, 'web/index.html')
:marked
The `` tag in the `` is
the custom HTML element defined in the Dart file.
//- ##########################
.l-main-section
h2#section-angular-run-app Run the app
p.
You have a few options for running your app.
One is to launch a local HTTP server
and then view the app in
Dartium.
You can use whatever server you like, such as WebStorm's server
or Python's SimpleHTTPServer.
p.
Another option is to build and serve the app using pub serve
,
and then run it by visiting http://localhost:8080 in any modern browser.
Pub serve generates the JavaScript on the fly,
which can take a while when you first visit the page.
p.
Once the app is running,
you should see My First Angular 2 App in your browser window.
:marked
If you don't see that, make sure you've entered all the code correctly
and run `pub get`.
//- ##########################
.l-main-section
h2#section-angular-run-app Generate JavaScript
:marked
Before you can deploy your app, you need to generate JavaScript files.
Pub build makes that easy.
To improve your app's performance, convert the
HTML file to directly include the generated JavaScript;
one way to do that is with dart_to_js_script_rewriter.
:marked
Add the dart_to_js_script_rewriter package to your pubspec,
in both the `dependencies` and `transformers` sections.
- var stylePattern = { pnk: /(dart_to_js_script_rewriter.*$)|(- dart_to_js_script_rewriter.*$)/gm, otl: /(dependencies:)|(transformers:)/g };
+makeExample('quickstart/dart/ex2/pubspec.yaml', null, 'pubspec.yaml', stylePattern)
p.
Then compile your Dart code to JavaScript,
using pub build
.
code-example(language="basic").
> pub build
Loading source assets...
p.
The generated JavaScript appears, along with supporting files,
under the build
directory.
p.
When you generate JavaScript for an Angular app,
be sure to use the Angular transformer.
It analyzes your code,
converting reflection-using code to static code
that Dart's build tools can compile to faster, smaller JavaScript.
The highlighted lines in pubspec.yaml
configure the Angular transformer:
- var stylePattern = { otl: /(transformers:)|(- angular2:)|(entry_points.*$)/gm };
+makeExample('quickstart/dart/ex2/pubspec.yaml', null, 'pubspec.yaml', stylePattern)
p.
The entry_points
item
identifies the Dart file in your app
that has a main()
function.
For more information, see the
Angular
transformer wiki page.
#performance.l-sub-section
h3 Performance, the transformer, and Angular 2 libraries
p.
When you import bootstrap.dart
,
you also get dart:mirrors
,
a reflection library that
causes performance problems when compiled to JavaScript.
Don't worry,
the Angular transformer converts your entry points
(entry_points
in pubspec.yaml
)
so that they don't use mirrors.
//- WHAT'S NEXT... ##########################
.l-main-section
h2#section-transpile Great job! Next step...
p.
Follow the developer guide
to continue playing with Angular 2 for Dart.
p.
Or read more about Angular or Dart:
ul
li
Angular resources
li
dartlang.org