Blazor vs Angular for Web Developers

The angular framework was developed for developers to connect both the backend and front end simultaneously. The popularity of this framework was untouched until 2016. It was mainly used when developers used backend languages like Java or C#.

Meanwhile, with the increasing development of Single Page Apps, the Angular framework got more popular. However, to divide the load, another rival framework emerged- Blazor. With using Blazor web framework, SPAs, and components may be developed with the combination of HTML, CSS, along with C#.

This platform was developed using the .NET framework and uses different Microsoft framework features on both the server and client sides. Here, we will discuss Blazor vs Angular, right from the brief overviews, functions, benefits, cons, and much more. Let’s begin with the article then.

Angular- A Brief Overview

For enabling easy communication between the backend and frontend developers, the Angular framework was created using Google. It is also the replacement of AngularJS.

There are various resources present because Angular is developed on JS and TypeScript. Opposite to Blazor, this framework has been in use for a while. Additionally, it’s a production-ready framework that has the full support of MVVM/MVC projects and many tech giants already use it.

If you want to develop your business project using Angular, you can always hire or consult an angular development solution company. 

On the other hand, Blazor remains updating constantly, it is less mature than Angular. Moreover, Angular also supports PWAs developers (Progressive Web Apps) which isn’t done well using Blazor.

Here are the features of Angular:

• Angular has an MVC architecture that helps in managing the whole app easily.
• Codeless functions that developers can use for writing functions in less code.
• The speed factor of the Angular framework is better which helps developers in speedy development.
• Switching from one view to another is possible with the use of the routing feature of Angular. Its ngRoute helps users to switch from one view to another.
• Other features of Angular include- Deep linking, no browser difference, various directives, easy data bindings, etc.

Advantages of Angular

• Use of TypeScript– This feature makes Angular a better choice for easy web app development. One can develop clean, predictable, and understandable code easily.
• Support- Angular user community is large and hence developers can get help and support whenever needed. Meanwhile, Blazor has a comparatively smaller user community, so getting help can be hard sometimes.
• MVVM- Angular is one of the open-source MVVM frameworks which separates the logic of a program from UI controls. Users keep the project’s code in a proper structure. They can easily edit, update, and also fix the code easily.
• Reusability- Angular code supports reusability just like Blazor.

Disadvantages of Angular

• Hard to learn- even when a seasoned engineer, the Angular framework is problematic to learn and master. It is influenced by a hard learning curve and complex documentation which requires in-depth knowledge. Moreover, this framework is also opinionated and hence, it takes more time to learn this framework.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization)- Angular framework isn’t SEO friendly. Unless your site is developed on the server side, SEO crawlers find it difficult to index it.
• Hefty framework and apps- the apps that are developed using Angular have heavy weight and aren’t even compatible with particular low-level systems.

As we have seen the overview, pros, and cons of both frameworks, now let’s see a comparison of Blazor vs Angular.

Blazor- A brief overview

Blazor framework is a modern ASP.NET core Microsoft framework that allows developers to use C# code in different web apps. Blazor applications are developed using web technologies like CSS and HTML, but instead of JS, this framework uses Razor and C#. 

Hence, Blazor’s name is a combination of Razor and Browser. It allows programmers to build reusable and interactive UIs for client-side WebAssembly-based apps that are developed using .NET. Additionally, it helps developers to share libraries and code as both server and client-side code is developed using C#.

The most essential selling point of this framework is that it will use the latest website standards & doesn’t need extra add-ons and plugins for running in different deployment models, WebAssembly, and ASP.NET Core server-side projects.

This framework has gathered over 9k stars on GitHub, which makes it worth using for web development. Now, let’s see the features of Blazor:

Here are the functionalities of Blazor:

• Develop web UIs using C#
• Enables PWAs development (Progressive Web Apps)
• Develop reusable components of C#
• It enables server-side debugging
• It enables the rendering of server-side development for easier WebSocket connections.

Advantages of Blazor

• This framework shares client-side code and server-side code: It assists developers in reusing the code of back-end and front-end frameworks.
• Visual Studio Code: Developers can build Blazor projects by using Visual Studio Code as both of these are Microsoft products. When the app is developed in the Blazor framework, VS Code helps developers to use its functions quickly.
• Dependency Injection is also a usable feature that acts as a Blazor service. It uses dependency injection to achieve control inversion. It provides objects that have dependencies.
• Interoperability with JS- Blazor has interop functionality in Blazor WebAssembly for handling DOM manipulations. Additionally, the JS functionality can utilize API calls in WebAssembly Blazor. Hence, such apps can utilize .NET functions with JS functions.

Disadvantages of Blazor

• It has no offline support
• It uses ASP.NET Core
• The app weight can get heavier
• It restricts the browser use

Blazor vs Angular- Key differences

We hope that you have got a brief idea about both- Blazor and Angular. Now, it’s time for you to understand what makes them both different. Let’s see some comparative features of Blazor and Angular.

• Angular is quite older than the Blazor framework, hence it has more user community than the latter one.
• CSS and scoped component styles are now functional in Blazor. However, these features are at their pinnacle in the Angular framework.
• Angular supports PWA, but server-side Blazor isn’t used for PWA.

Here’s a framework-wise brief comparison between Blazor and Angular:

Blazor

• Blazor uses HTML and C#
• Microsoft supports Blazor as this framework is developed by them
• Users get detailed documentation that helps them to learn this framework easily
• Blazor is SEO friendly
• There’s the feature of high code reusability
• You can get two-way and one-way data binding as well
• You also get server-side and client-side data rendering functionality

Angular

• Angular uses TypeScript
• Google supports Angular as this framework is developed by them
• Users get detailed documentation that helps them to learn this framework easily
• Angular is SEO friendly only upto certain extent
• There’s the feature of high code reusability
• You can get two-way and one-way data binding as well
• You also get server-side and client-side data rendering functionality

Blazor vs Angular- When to use?

Here are some popular cases where one can choose either Blazor or Angular.

When to use Blazor?

• When your project requires quicker turnaround time
• When C# developers get little time to develop a productive app

When to use Angular?

• When it is okay if some considerable learning is required to develop your new business app
• If you are a JS developer who avoids choosing .NET web development techniques
• When any app requires minimum design but with high dynamics.

Blazor vs Angular- Conclusion

The choice of Blazor vs Angular depends on the specific requirements and aims of your business project. Blazor’s integration with C# and .NET provides a smooth experience for .NET developers, helping them to develop interactive web apps with known tools. 

On the other hand, Angular’s strong framework and impressive feature set give a comprehensive solution for developing complex and dynamic web apps. Know the factors like development team expertise, system requirements, and long-term aims when making your decision. 

Whichever framework you choose, both Blazor and Angular have their benefits and can empower developers to create the latest, most responsive, and feature-rich web apps that cater to the ever-evolving demands of the digital landscape.