What is AOT in Angular?

AOT stands for Ahead-of-Time compilation in Angular. It is a process where the Angular compiler converts the application code into efficient JavaScript at build time, before the browser downloads and runs that code. This is in contrast to the default JIT (Just-in-Time) compilation used in Angular, where the compilation happens in the browser at runtime.

One of the main advantages of AOT compilation is improved performance. By compiling the code ahead of time, the browser can load and render the application faster, leading to a better user experience. AOT also reduces the size of the final JavaScript bundles, which in turn reduces the time it takes for the browser to download and parse the code.

AOT also helps to catch errors at build time, rather than at runtime, which can improve the reliability and stability of the application. It also enables better tree-shaking and dead code elimination, resulting in smaller bundle sizes and improved load times.

In Angular, AOT is often used in production builds to optimize the application for performance and efficiency. It can be enabled by using the “–aot” flag with the Angular CLI, or by setting the “aot: true” option in the Angular compiler configuration.

In conclusion, AOT in Angular is a compilation process that offers performance, size, and reliability benefits for web applications. It is an important tool for optimizing Angular applications and improving the overall user experience.