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.
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.
You now understand single-spa-angular in single-spa and how to apply it in real projects. Next, continue with Angular Lifecycle Integration to keep building your skills.