Angular 17 Upgrade Guide: Seamless Transition from Version 16

Recently, Angular 17 was released and it came up with some cool features. We already discussed the latest features and upgrades of Angular 17 in our previous post. In Angular 17, a more powerful flow code has been introduced. Also, it replaces the reliance on structural directives like ngIf, ngSwitch, and ngFor for managing page structure. While these directives are robust. However, they have certain limitations, prompting the development of a new and enhanced flow code. This upgraded flow code presents a more effective way to handle the flow and structure of Angular applications. In this post, we will discuss how you can upgrade your previous Angular application to Angular 17.

Why Upgrade to Angular 17?

Before we dive into the upgrade guide, let’s briefly discuss why upgrading to Angular 17 is a fantastic idea. Angular 17 brings enhanced reactivity, powerful server-side rendering (SSR), and a range of new features that will elevate your development experience. From standalone components to improved lazy loading, there’s a lot to explore.

Prerequisites

Before moving to upgrade, you will need to follow the below prerequisites.

• Node Version at least ^18.13.0
• Typescript >=4.9.3 <5.3.0
• RxJS version ^6.5.3 || ^7.4.0

Once you are ready with these configurations, let’s move ahead to the upgrade guide of Angular 17.

Preparing for the Upgrade in Angular 17

1. Back Up Your Project:

Before making any significant changes, it’s always a good practice to create a backup of your project. This ensures you have a safe point to revert to in case anything unexpected happens during the upgrade.

2. Review Angular 17 Release Notes:

Angular’s release notes are your best friend. Take some time to go through the Angular 17 release notes to understand the new features, changes, and any potential breaking points.

Step 1: Update Angular CLI

First things first, ensure you have the latest Angular CLI installed globally. As per the Angular 17 official website documentation they said, initially, you will have to run the below command.

ng update

This will analyze the package.json and will prompt the list of packages that are required to be updated.

However, you can upgrade to Angular 17 in two different ways. Just like, by upgrading the Angular CLI or reinstalling the Angular CLI to the latest version.

Let’s see these both steps. So, firstly, we’ll follow the update guide. So, hit the below command in the terminal.

ng update @angular/cli

As soon as the Angular CLI update is successful, you will see the updated versions of the packages in the package.json file of your project.

Second way, you will have to install the Angular CLI latest version globally using the below command.

npm install -g @angular/cli@17

or

yarn add -g @angular/cli@17

Now, let’s jump to the second step.

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Step 2: Update Angular Core Packages

Navigate to your project’s root directory and update the Angular core packages:

ng update @angular/core

Once the core packages are updated, then let’s move to the next step.

Step 3: Update Angular CLI Configuration

Check if your Angular CLI configuration files need any adjustments based on the Angular 17 updates. The CLI may introduce new features or configurations that you want to take advantage of.

Step 4: Update Other Dependencies

Update other project dependencies, such as RxJS and TypeScript, to their latest compatible versions. Update your package.json file and run:

npm install

Once the third-party packages are updated, you will have to address the deprecated features as well.

Step 5: Address Deprecated Features

Angular often deprecates certain features between major versions. Check for any deprecation warnings during the update and address them in your codebase.

At last, you will have to test the entire application to make sure everything is working expectedly.

Testing Your Upgraded App

With the upgrade process complete, it’s time to run tests and ensure your application behaves as expected. Run both unit tests and end-to-end tests to catch any issues that may have arisen during the upgrade.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully upgraded your Angular 16 project to Angular 17. Take some time to explore the new features and optimizations that Angular 17 brings to the table. Remember, the Angular team is continually improving the framework, and staying up-to-date ensures you’re benefiting from the latest and greatest.