Built-in pipes (date, currency, uppercase) in Angular

Introduction

Pipes help you change how data looks in your app without changing the data itself. Built-in pipes like date, currency, and uppercase make it easy to show dates, money, and text in a nice way.

You want to show a date in a friendly format like 'Jan 1, 2024' instead of a long code.

You need to display prices with currency symbols like $ or € automatically.

You want to make text all uppercase to highlight it or follow a style.

You want to quickly format data in your template without extra code.

You want consistent formatting across your app for dates, money, or text.

Syntax

Angular

{{ value | pipeName[:parameter] }}

The pipe symbol | is used to apply a pipe to a value in the template.

Some pipes accept optional parameters inside [:parameter] to customize the output.

Examples

Formats the today date variable to a medium date like 'Jan 1, 2024'.

Angular

{{ today | date:'mediumDate' }}

Shows the price as US dollars with a dollar sign and two decimals.

Angular

{{ price | currency:'USD':'symbol':'1.2-2' }}

Converts the name text to all uppercase letters.

Angular

{{ name | uppercase }}

Sample Program

This Angular component shows how to use the built-in pipes date, currency, and uppercase. It displays the original values and their formatted versions side by side.

Angular

import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-pipe-demo',
  template: `
    <h2>Built-in Pipes Demo</h2>
    <p>Original date: {{ today }}</p>
    <p>Formatted date: {{ today | date:'fullDate' }}</p>

    <p>Original price: {{ price }}</p>
    <p>Formatted price: {{ price | currency:'EUR':'symbol':'1.2-2' }}</p>

    <p>Original name: {{ name }}</p>
    <p>Uppercase name: {{ name | uppercase }}</p>
  `
})
export class PipeDemoComponent {
  today = new Date();
  price = 1234.5;
  name = 'angular learner';
}

Important Notes

Use pipes only in templates, not in component TypeScript code.

Currency pipe automatically adds commas and decimals based on locale.

Uppercase pipe works only on strings; other types will be ignored.

Summary

Built-in pipes format data easily in Angular templates.

Date pipe formats dates in many styles.

Currency pipe shows money with symbols and decimals.

Uppercase pipe changes text to all capital letters.

Practice

1. What does the Angular uppercase pipe do when applied to a string in a template?

easy

A. Reverses the string characters.

B. Converts all letters in the string to lowercase.

C. Capitalizes only the first letter of the string.

D. Converts all letters in the string to uppercase.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of the uppercase pipe

   The uppercase pipe is designed to transform text to all capital letters in Angular templates.

2. Step 2: Compare with other text transformations

   Unlike lowercase or capitalize, uppercase changes every letter to uppercase.

3. Final Answer:

   Converts all letters in the string to uppercase. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   uppercase pipe = all caps [OK]

Hint: Uppercase pipe makes all letters capital [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing uppercase with lowercase pipe
• Thinking it only capitalizes first letter
• Assuming it reverses the string

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to format a date using Angular's date pipe to show only the year in a template?

easy

A. {{ myDate | date:'yyyy' }}

B. {{ myDate | date:'YYYY' }}

C. {{ myDate | date:'year' }}

D. {{ myDate | date:'yy' }}

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Angular date pipe format codes

   Angular uses lowercase 'yyyy' to represent the full year in date pipe formatting.

2. Step 2: Check each option's format string

   {{ myDate | date:'yyyy' }} uses 'yyyy' correctly; A uses uppercase which is invalid; C uses 'year' which is not a valid format; D uses 'yy' which shows two-digit year.

3. Final Answer:

   {{ myDate | date:'yyyy' }} -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Year format = 'yyyy' [OK]

Hint: Use lowercase 'yyyy' for full year in date pipe [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using uppercase 'YYYY' instead of 'yyyy'
• Using descriptive words like 'year' instead of format codes
• Using 'yy' which shows only two digits

3. Given the Angular template code:

{{ 1234.5 | currency:'USD':'symbol':'1.2-2' }}

What will be the rendered output?

medium

A. $1,234.50

B. $1234.5

C. USD 1234.50

D. $1,234.5

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the currency pipe parameters

   The currency pipe format is: currency code 'USD', display as symbol '$', and digit info '1.2-2' means minimum 1 digit before decimal, minimum 2 decimals, maximum 2 decimals.

2. Step 2: Apply formatting to the number 1234.5

   Number 1234.5 is formatted with commas and two decimals: $1,234.50.

3. Final Answer:

   $1,234.50 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Currency pipe with '1.2-2' = two decimals [OK]

Hint: Currency pipe '1.2-2' means two decimals [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring decimal places and showing one decimal
• Using currency code instead of symbol
• Not adding thousand separators

4. Identify the error in this Angular template code:

{{ today | date:'MM-DD-YYYY' }}

medium

A. The date pipe cannot format month and day.

B. The pipe name 'date' is misspelled.

C. The date format string uses uppercase 'YYYY' which is invalid.

D. The variable 'today' is not defined.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the date format string correctness

   Angular date pipe requires lowercase 'yyyy' for year, not uppercase 'YYYY'.

2. Step 2: Verify other parts of the code

   The pipe name 'date' is correct, 'today' is assumed defined, and date pipe can format month and day.

3. Final Answer:

   The date format string uses uppercase 'YYYY' which is invalid. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Date pipe year format = 'yyyy' lowercase [OK]

Hint: Use lowercase 'yyyy' in date pipe format strings [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using uppercase 'YYYY' instead of 'yyyy'
• Assuming pipe name is wrong
• Ignoring variable definition issues

5. You want to display a product price in Euros with the currency symbol and exactly 3 decimal places in Angular. Which pipe usage is correct?

hard

A. {{ price | currency:'EUR':'code':'1.2-2' }}

B. {{ price | currency:'EUR':'symbol':'1.3-3' }}

C. {{ price | currency:'EUR':'symbol':'1.0-2' }}

D. {{ price | currency:'USD':'symbol':'1.3-3' }}

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the currency code and symbol usage

   To show Euros with symbol €, use currency code 'EUR' and display 'symbol'.

2. Step 2: Set decimal places to exactly 3

   The digit info '1.3-3' means minimum 1 digit before decimal, exactly 3 decimals.

3. Step 3: Check other options for correctness

   {{ price | currency:'EUR':'code':'1.2-2' }} uses 'code' display and 2 decimals; C uses 2 decimals; D uses USD instead of EUR.

4. Final Answer:

   {{ price | currency:'EUR':'symbol':'1.3-3' }} -> Option B

5. Quick Check:

   Currency EUR with 3 decimals = {{ price | currency:'EUR':'symbol':'1.3-3' }} [OK]

Hint: Use '1.3-3' for exactly 3 decimals in currency pipe [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using wrong currency code or symbol
• Setting wrong decimal places
• Mixing currency codes (USD instead of EUR)