Blazor VS Angular: the Difference between Frameworks

• What Is Blazor?
• Features of Blazor Development
• What Is Angular?
• Features of AngularJS Development
• Blazor vs. Angular: Pros and Cons
• Blazor vs Angular vs React
• Angular Vs. Blazor: Which to Choose?
  • Language
  • Server vs. Client-side
  • Learning Curve
  • Performance
  • Production Ready
  • Other Differences
  • Project Needs
• Blazor vs Razor Pages
• Use Cases: When to Choose Blazor or Angular
  • Blazor Cases
  • Angular Cases
• Conclusion

Blazor and Angular are two popular choices in web development. Each framework has its unique strengths. Blazor, a newer offering from Microsoft, allows developers to build interactive web apps using C# and .NET. Its appeal lies in unifying frontend and backend development under one language. 

On the other hand, Angular, developed by Google, has been around longer. It’s known for its fine features and extensive ecosystem. It uses TypeScript to build dynamic, scalable applications. In this article, our experts compare these frameworks. We are looking at their core differences, strengths, and potential drawbacks.

What Is Blazor?

Blazor is a web framework developed by Microsoft. It stands out by allowing code to run on both the client-side and server-side. With Blazor, you can create Single Page Applications (SPAs). More complex web solutions are available, too. They use the same language and tools across your entire stack. It offers two primary hosting models: 

• Blazor WebAssembly: runs .NET code directly in the browser using WebAssembly.
• Blazor Server: executes code on the server and interacts with the client via SignalR for real-time updates. 

Features of Blazor Development

Blazor offers several features that make it a great choice for web development. Here are some key features:

1. Single Language for Full-Stack Development. Blazor allows developers to use C# for both client-side and server-side code. This simplifies development and reduces the need to switch between languages.
2. Component-Based Architecture. Blazor uses reusable components to build user interfaces. These components encapsulate UI and logic. It gets easier to manage and reuse code across different parts of an application.
3. Rich Component Libraries. The framework provides access to a range of pre-built UI component libraries. These are Blazorise, Telerik UI, and MudBlazor. They can speed up development and offer consistent design.
4. Two Hosting Models:

Blazor WebAssembly: Runs .NET code directly in the browser using WebAssembly. There’s client-side interactivity without server communication for each action.

Blazor Server: Executes code on the server and uses SignalR for real-time updates to the client. 

5. Integration with .NET Ecosystem. Blazor integrates with the .NET ecosystem. It enables developers to leverage existing .NET libraries, tools, and frameworks. Productivity and performance boost.
6. Strongly Typed Code. Blazor benefits from C#strong typing. It helps catch errors early in the development process. The code is of better quality and bugs are reduced.
7. Declarative Syntax with Razor. Blazor uses Razor syntax for creating UI components. It combines HTML and C# in a concise, readable way. The approach simplifies the process of building dynamic web pages.

What Is Angular?

Angular is a popular framework from Google for building web apps. It is open-source, which means anyone can use and improve it. The framework uses TypeScript, which is a type of JavaScript. This helps developers create clear and reliable code.

Angular breaks an app into small, reusable pieces called components. This makes it easier to manage and update code. It also offers tools for handling tasks like routing, forms, and state management. With Angular development services, you can build complex apps more easily. There’s a strong set of built-in features. The large community around Angular means there’s plenty of support and many resources available.

Features of AngularJS Development

Here are the Angular JS Development features:

1. Two-Way Data Binding: AngularJS makes sure the data in the app’s model and view are always in sync. When data in the model changes, it updates in the view automatically. If the user changes something in the view, it updates in the model too. This keeps the interface and data connected without extra work.

2. MVC Architecture: AngularJS follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. This helps separate the app’s data (model), user interface (view), and logic (controller). The clear division makes the code easier to manage and more organized.

3. Directives: AngularJS uses directives to extend HTML with new features. Directives like ng-model and ng-repeat add new behaviors to HTML elements. It is possible to create dynamic and reusable components.

4. Dependency Injection: AngularJS gives a way to manage and inject services where needed. This system makes it easier to use different parts of the app and test them. It also helps keep the code modular and clean.

5. Templates: The framework uses HTML templates with special syntax. These templates are processed \ to produce the final HTML that users see. Dynamic web pages with less code are created.

6. Data Binding: AngularJS binds data to HTML elements using expressions. This feature keeps data and the interface connected. Now there’s no need for extra coding and making the app more interactive.

Blazor vs. Angular: Pros and Cons

Here is our view on the benefits and drawbacks of each framework:

Aspect	Blazor	Angular
Pros	Uses C# for both client and server, simplifying development.Integrates well with .NET tools and libraries.Supported by Microsoft with a growing community.Simple for .NET developers.	Mature with a wide range of libraries and tools.Large, established community with abundant resources.Robust architecture for large-scale apps.Broad browser compatibility.
Cons	Blazor WebAssembly can be slower for large apps.Smaller ecosystem with fewer libraries.WebAssembly is not supported by all browsers.Requires knowledge of C# and .NET.	Steeper learning curve due to TypeScript and extensive features.Complex setup and configuration.Can demand more server-side resources, affecting performance.

Blazor vs Angular vs React

Blazor, Angular, and React can each fit your needs. Each framework brings unique features and benefits to the table. These are suitable for different types of projects and developer preferences, though.

Blazor: 

• Allows developers to use C# instead of JavaScript. It’s a strong choice for those already familiar with .NET technologies. 
• Aupports both client-side and server-side development. There’s flexibility in how applications are built. 
• Blazor WebAssembly enables running C# code directly in the browser. 
• Blazor Server leverages server-side rendering to improve performance and SEO.

Angular:

• As ideal for large-scale applications. Its component-based architecture, extensive tooling, and support for TypeScript make it suited for complex projects. 
• Offers a robust set of features. There’s dependency injection, routing, and forms management. They streamline development and enhance application scalability.

React

• Created by Facebook, it focuses on building user interfaces with a component-based approach. 
• Is flexible and integrates well with other libraries. It’s a popular choice for developing dynamic, single-page applications. 
• React’s virtual DOM ensures efficient updates and rendering. It has a reputation for high performance and ease of use.

Blazor is ideal for .NET developers. Angular excels in handling large, intricate projects. React is known for its flexibility and performance in user interface development. 

Angular Vs. Blazor: Which to Choose?

Choosing between Angular and Blazor depends on your team’s expertise, project requirements, and preferred development tools.

Language

• Angular: Uses TypeScript, which is a superset of JavaScript. TypeScript adds static typing to JavaScript. This improves code quality and maintainability.
• Blazor: Uses C#, so developers write both client-side and server-side code in the same language. This is beneficial for those who know the .NET ecosystem.

Server vs. Client-side

• Angular: Primarily client-side. It runs in the browser and is designed for building dynamic, single-page applications (SPAs).
• Blazor: Offers both client-side (Blazor WebAssembly) and server-side (Blazor Server) options. Blazor WebAssembly runs C# directly in the browser, while Blazor Server runs the application on the server and updates the UI over a SignalR connection.

Learning Curve

• Angular: Moderate. Developers need to learn TypeScript and the Angular framework’s features.
• Blazor: Moderate to easy. If you already know C# and .NET, Blazor will be easier to pick up. The learning curve might be steeper if you’re new to the .NET ecosystem.

Performance

• Angular: Performs well with fast updates due to its virtual DOM. However, initial load times can be slower than the frameworks without a large runtime.
• Blazor: Blazor WebAssembly has good performance but may be slower than Angular. Blazor Server has good performance as long as network latency is minimized.

Production Ready

• Angular: Fully production-ready with extensive tooling and community support. It’s used by many large-scale applications and enterprises.
• Blazor: Production-ready, especially for apps within the .NET ecosystem. It has been used in several production environments. Its community and ecosystem are smaller compared to Angular.

Other Differences

• Angular: Provides a full framework with built-in support for routing, forms, and HTTP services. It has strong support for testing and a large ecosystem of tools and libraries.
• Blazor: Integrates easily with .NET libraries and tools. It allows code sharing between client and server. Blazor Server offers better SEO out-of-the-box due to server-side rendering.

Project Needs

• Angular: Best for large-scale applications with feature-rich framework and strong community support. Ideal if you prefer TypeScript and need extensive built-in functionality.
• Blazor: Suitable if your team is experienced with C# and .NET. Or if you need a framework that integrates well with existing .NET infrastructure.

Blazor vs Razor Pages

Blazor and Razor serve different purposes in web development. But they share some similarities. 

Blazor is a robust framework designed for building interactive web applications with C# instead of JavaScript. It supports both client-side and server-side models. It leverages WebAssembly for client-side execution or SignalR for server-side interactions. That way the developers can use C# across the entire stack. 

In contrast, Razor is a templating engine used within ASP.NET. It combines C# with HTML for server-side rendering of web pages. Razor focuses on generating dynamic HTML content on the server. Blazor offers a full solution for creating single-page applications with a component-based architecture. 

Essentially, Blazor is a full-featured framework for modern web apps. Whereas Razor is a tool for server-side page rendering.

Use Cases: When to Choose Blazor or Angular

It’s not always obvious which choice is the one to make. That’s why we’d like to present some practical examples. See the cases we’ve faced doing front end development outsourcing, and how our experts handled them.

Blazor Cases

In our recent project we took up a web development branding agency task, and Blazor proved advantageous. The task involved developing a sophisticated WordPress website. It was for a design and branding firm known for its intricate graphics and animations. The project demanded high interactivity and dynamic content. 

We wanted to reflect the agency’s creative expertise. The experts were able to handle complex requirements. The result is a high-performance visually engaging site. It aligned perfectly with the client’s branding goals. Blazor’s ability to handle intricate user interfaces and its tight integration with .NET made it a natural fit for this project.

Angular Cases

Angular is ideal for projects requiring a highly dynamic and responsive front-end with a strong emphasis on client-side performance. A prime example is our work with Limeproxies, a leading proxy service provider. The project involved refactoring of their web platform using Angular v17. 

The primary challenges included optimizing performance. We had to handle high traffic, ensure robust security, and create a user-friendly interface. 

Angular’s powerful tools and frameworks allowed us to build a scalable and flexible solution. With Angular’s advanced features, we implemented a responsive design. The experts integrated a sophisticated proxy management dashboard. Angular’s client-side capabilities and scalability made it the optimal choice. 

Conclusion

The choice between Blazor and Angular depends on your project needs and team expertise. According to our Blazor review,  it’s ideal for .NET developers who seek a unified stack with strong server-side integration. 

Angular, on the other hand, excels with its mature ecosystem, full feature set, and TypeScript support. It is suitable for complex, large-scale applications. Consider your team’s familiarity with the technologies, the nature of your project, and performance requirements to make the most informed decision.