Standalone vs module-based decision in Angular

Introduction

Angular lets you build apps using either standalone components or modules. Choosing between them helps keep your app simple and easy to manage.

When starting a small app or feature that doesn't need many parts, use standalone components for simplicity.

When building a large app with many related features, use modules to organize and group components.

When you want faster startup and less code, standalone components help by reducing module overhead.

When you need to share many components, directives, or pipes together, modules make sharing easier.

When migrating old Angular apps, modules help keep existing structure while adding new standalone parts.

Syntax

Angular

Standalone component:
@Component({
  standalone: true,
  selector: 'app-example',
  template: `<p>Hello!</p>`
})
export class ExampleComponent {}

Module-based component:
@NgModule({
  declarations: [ExampleComponent],
  imports: [],
  exports: [ExampleComponent]
})
export class ExampleModule {}

Standalone components use standalone: true in their decorator.

Modules group components using @NgModule with declarations and imports.

Examples

This is a simple standalone component with its own template.

Angular

@Component({
  standalone: true,
  selector: 'app-hello',
  template: `<h1>Hello from standalone!</h1>`
})
export class HelloComponent {}

This module declares and exports the HelloComponent for use in other parts.

Angular

@NgModule({
  declarations: [HelloComponent],
  imports: [],
  exports: [HelloComponent]
})
export class HelloModule {}

Sample Program

This example shows a standalone component that can be used without wrapping it in a module. It keeps things simple for small features.

Angular

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

@Component({
  standalone: true,
  selector: 'app-greet',
  template: `<h2>Welcome to standalone component!</h2>`
})
export class GreetComponent {}

// This component can be used directly in bootstrap or other components without a module.

Important Notes

Standalone components reduce the need to create many modules, making your app lighter.

Modules are still useful for grouping related features and sharing them easily.

You can mix standalone components and modules in the same app as needed.

Summary

Standalone components simplify small or new Angular apps by removing module overhead.

Modules help organize and share many components in larger apps.

Choosing depends on app size, complexity, and sharing needs.