Angular dynamic templating with compile VS template function?

Question

I already know what is the purpose of each item in : compile vs link(pre/post) vs controller

So let's say I have this simple code :

HTML

  <body ng-controller="mainController">
    {{ message }}
    <div otc-dynamic=""></div>
  </body>

Controller

app.controller("mainController", function($scope) {
  $scope.label = "Please click";
  $scope.doSomething = function() {
    $scope.message = "Clicked!";
  };

});

Directive

app.directive("otcDynamic", function($compile) {

  var template = "<button ng-click='doSomething()'>{{label}}</button>";

  return {

    compile: function(tElement, tAttributes) {
        angular.element(tElement).append(template);
        for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
          angular.element(tElement).append("<br>Repeat " + i + " of {{name}}");
        }

        return function postLink(scope, element, attrs) {
          scope.name = "John";
        }
      }

  }
});

So as we can see , I modify the template (at the compile function - which is where it should be actually)

Result ( plnker):

But

I didn't know that template:... can also take a function.

So I could use the template function instead (plunker) :

app.directive("otcDynamic", function() {

  var template1 = "<button ng-click='doSomething()'>{{label}}</button>";

  return {
    template: function(element, attr) {
      element.append(template1);
      for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++)
        element.append("<br>Repeat " + i + " of {{name}}");

    },

    link: function(scope, element) {
      scope.name = "John";
    }
  }
});

Question

If so - When should I use the template function vs compile function ?

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 03 '15 at 09:24

Let me try to explain what I understood so far.

Directives is a mechanism to work with DOM in Angular. It gives you leverage of playing with DOM element and it's attribute. So it also gives you callbacks to make your work easy. template , compile and link are those examples. Since your question is specific with compile and template I would like to add about link as well.

A) Template

Like it state, it is a bunch of HTML tags or files to represent it on DOM directly as the face of your directive. Template can be a file with specific path or inline HTML in code. Like you stated above. template can be wrap in function but the sole use of template is the final set of HTML which will be placed on DOM. Since you have the access to element and its attributes, you can perform as many DOM operation here as well.

B) Compile

Compile is a mechanism in directive which compiles the template HTML or DOM to do certain operation on it and return final set of HTML as template. Like given in Angular DOC

Compiles an HTML string or DOM into a template and produces a template function, which can then be used to link scope and the template together.

Which clearly says that, this is something on top of template. Now like I said above you can achieve similar operations in template as well but when we have methods for its sole purpose, you should use them for the sake of best practice. You can read more here https://docs.angularjs.org/api/ng/service/$compile

C) Link

Link is used to register listeners like $watch, $apply etc to link your template with Angular scope so that it will get binded with module. When you place any directive inside controller, the flow of scope goes through the link that means the scope is directly accessible in link. Scope is sole of angular app and thus it gives you advantage of working with actual model. Link is also useful in dom manipulations and can be used to work with any DOM element using jQlite

So collecting all above in one

1. Template is the primary source of DOM or HTML to directive. it can be a file or inline HTML.

2. Compile is the wrapper to compile HTML into final template. It is used to gather all the HTML element and attribute to create template for directive.

3. Link is the listener wrapper for various scope and watchers. It binds scope of current controller with html of template and also do manipulation around it.

Hope this helps a bit to understand. Thanks

You supplied facts. Not when to use what , and especially not answered compile vs template function — Royi Namir, Nov 03 '15 at 09:29
The explanation enough is to differentiate between compile and template. `VS` is when both has equal purpose but they are different entities. Though you can do similar things in any of them but that doesn't make them competitors. They are different in purpose from each other. I could give it a thought anyways! — Anand G, Nov 03 '15 at 10:05
I disagree with you. as I've written in the first line : "_I already know what is the purpose of each item in : compile vs link(pre/post) vs controller_". You mention template as a primary source of dom , but not as a source to MODIFY DOM JUST LIKE COMPILE function. Hence my very specific question. — Royi Namir, Nov 03 '15 at 11:19
I probably failed to answer your question exactly the way you want it but I hope this will help others to understand things around. It was worth trying than not answering at all. Thanks for the question! — Anand G, Nov 03 '15 at 11:23

Angular dynamic templating with compile VS template function?

1 Answers1