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single-spa-angular

single-spa-angular sits at the heart of angular integration in single-spa. This guide walks through the concept step by step, with examples, a cheatsheet, and common mistakes to avoid.

single-spa-angular Overview

single-spa-angular lets you structure single-spa work so it stays readable, testable, and easy to scale. Instead of ad-hoc code, you follow a clear pattern that other developers can recognise immediately.

The key is to keep single-spa-angular focused and predictable. Start from the minimal example here, then layer in only the complexity your feature actually needs.

import { singleSpaAngular } from 'single-spa-angular';
import { enableProdMode } from '@angular/core';
import { platformBrowserDynamic } from '@angular/platform-browser-dynamic';
import { AppModule } from './app/app.module';

export const { bootstrap, mount, unmount } = singleSpaAngular({
  bootstrapFunction: () => platformBrowserDynamic().bootstrapModule(AppModule),
  template: '<app-root />',
});

single-spa-angular wraps an Angular module as a single-spa micro frontend.

single-spa-angular Example

registerApplication({
  name: '@org/app',
  app: () => System.import('@org/app'),
  activeWhen: ['/app'],
});
start();
  • Start from a minimal single-spa-angular example and grow it only as needed.
  • Keep configuration explicit so single-spa-angular behaves the same in every environment.
  • Name things clearly so teammates understand your single-spa-angular at a glance.
  • Add tests around single-spa-angular early to lock in expected behaviour.

Single-SPA Cheatsheet

Core single-spa APIs related to single-spa-angular.

API Example Purpose
registerApplication registerApplication({ name, app, activeWhen }) Register a micro frontend
activeWhen activeWhen: ['/checkout'] Route ownership
start start() Begin routing
bootstrap export async function bootstrap() One-time setup
mount export async function mount(props) Render the app
unmount export async function unmount(props) Clean up the app
import map systemjs-importmap Locate app bundles

How single-spa-angular Works in Single-SPA

single-spa-angular is part of how single-spa lets multiple applications — even in different frameworks — coexist on one page. A root config registers each app and controls when it is active.

single-spa-angular wraps an Angular module as a single-spa micro frontend.

  • A root config registers apps and calls start().
  • Each app exports bootstrap, mount, and unmount lifecycles.
  • activeWhen decides which routes each app owns.
  • Import maps resolve each app's bundle at runtime.

Practical Guidance for single-spa-angular

For reliable micro frontends, single-spa-angular should isolate failures and keep shared state minimal. Let each team own its app end to end while agreeing on a few shared contracts.

Concern Recommendation
Isolation One app's crash should not break others
Shared state Prefer shared utility modules over globals
Routing Keep activeWhen rules explicit and non-overlapping
Deployment Release via import-map updates per app

Common Mistakes

  • Skipping error handling and edge cases when wiring up single-spa-angular.
  • Leaving single-spa-angular untested, so regressions slip into production.
  • Over-engineering single-spa-angular before you actually need the extra flexibility.
  • Ignoring documentation, which makes single-spa-angular hard for the next developer to change.

Key Takeaways

  • single-spa-angular is a core part of working effectively with single-spa.
  • Start small and keep single-spa-angular focused on a single responsibility.
  • Apply consistent patterns so single-spa-angular scales across your project.
  • Test and document single-spa-angular to keep it maintainable over time.

Pro Tip

When you get stuck on single-spa-angular, reduce it to the smallest reproducible example first — most single-spa issues become obvious once the noise is gone.