5 best Angular UI component libraries in 2022 ( based on use cases )

Component libraries enable developers to save time by reusing components that have been previously developed and thoroughly tested by big companies in the Angular framework ecosystem.

When we start a new Angular project in our angular development company for our clients, we always like to not reinvent the wheel, and propose a component library that would work best for their use-case. Of course, there are cases when a custom component library would make sense due to the particularity of the project, but this does not typically happen very often.

In the content below we will present our top 5 Angular component libraries that we use to develop projects, share our experience with them, pros and cons, and the typical use-cases for each one. 

1. Angular Material

We couldn’t start our top without the official UI component library provided by the Angular team that integrates seamlessly with Angular. The library is well-tested, contains a lot of components, and offers the tools to build your own.

It follows the Material Design specifications created by Google that support the best practices of user interface design.

Use case:  The use case for Angular Material is pretty wide as it offers a lot of common components, you can use it from personal projects to enterprise applications, where there is no need for complex data visualization as the library does not provide chart components or powerful table/data grids.

PRO

• Free to use
• A lot of common-use components
• Maintained by the Angular team
• Good documentation and track record

CONS

• Material Design system – might be an issue if you don’t like the material style

Components 

•  Form Controls: Autocomplete, Button, Button toggle, Checkbox, Date picker, Form field, Radio, Select
•  Navigation / Layout: Bottom sheet, Card, Dialog, Divider, Expansion panel, Grid list, List, Menu, Paginator, Slider, Sidenav, Snackbar, Stepper, Table, Tabs, Toolbar
•  Global: Badge, Chips, Icon, Progress bar & spinner, Ripples

See the entire list

2. Kendo UI Angular

 The Kendo UI library is being developed by Telerik and contains versions for Web ( Angular, React, Vue, jQuery ), Desktop, and Mobile. In addition, it has Unite UX which is a collaborative design-to-development UI component styles builder. The Kendo UI product line is large, you might wanna check it on their website, in this article we’re going to refer only to Kendo UI for Angular.

Kendo UI Angular offers over 100+ components, available in 3 themes ( Kendo, Material, and Bootstrap), also offering the option to create custom themes using the Theme Builder.

Use case:  The primary use case for Kendo UI is building professional and enterprise applications, as it has a lot of complex components suitable for enterprise features such as: Grids, Charts, Scheduler, etc. all of them being rigorously tested for usability, scalability, and reliability.

PRO

• 100+ UI components
• High-performance and customizable components
• 3 themes support – Kendo, Material, and Bootstrap
• Outstanding documentation and support

CONS

• Paid only

Components: 

• 100+ components
• Most important: Data Grid, Charts, Dropdowns, Editor, Scheduler, PDF Export

See the entire list

3. Nebular

The Nebular library is developed by Akveo and it contains over 40+ UI components based on its own Eva Design system, available in 4 themes: Default, Dark, Cosmic, and Corporate, as well as the option to create your own theme. Besides the components, it also offers Authentication and Security modules that will speed up the registration/login process in your application.

Akveo also provides (for free) the most popular admin dashboard called ngx-admin.

Use case: Most of the Nebular components are directed to building administration panels, this being its primary use case, so you can use it in both personal and professional projects

PRO

• Free to use
• Great documentation and track record
• Extra goodies such as Authentication and Security modules
• Ready to use admin dashboard – ngx-admin
• 4 themes: Default, Dark, Cosmic, and Corporate

CONS

• The company behind Nebular is not very big, there’s always the risk of shutting down the library

Components

• Form controls: Input, Button, Button Group, Checkbox, Toggle, Radio, Select, Autocomplete, Datepicker, Timepicker, Tag
• Navigation/Layout: Sidebar, Menu, Tabs, Actions, Layout, Card, Flip card, Reveal card, Stepper, Accordion, List, Infinite List, Popover, Context Menu, Dialog, Toastr, Tooltip, Window
•  Global: Search, User ( Avatar ), Alert, Icon, Spinner, Progress bar, Badge, Chat UI, Calendar, Data table

See the entire list

4. Clarity

The Clarity Design System is developed and maintained by VMware and it contains a suite of tools that will help you get from prototype to product faster and better: Figma libraries, UX guidelines, HTML/CSS framework, and of course a set of Angular components.

Use case: The use case for Clarity is pretty wide, it’s similar to Angular Material in the sense that it offers the most common components, with the focus being on the UX and the tools it provides, as a primary use case we see professional applications such as customer portals, marketplaces and different types of platforms.

PRO

• Free to use

• Good documentation 
• Availability of Figma libraries, UX guidelines

CONS

• Clarity Design system – might be an issue if you don’t like the style as no other themes are available

Components

•  Form controls: Buttons, Button Group, Checkboxes, Combobox, Date picker, Dropdown, Forms, Inputs, Labels, Password, Radio buttons, Range input, Select, Textareas
•  Navigation/Layout: Accordion, Cards, Datalist, Datagrid, Grid, Header, Lists, Login Page, Modals, Sidenav, Stack View, Stepper, Tables, Tabs, Tree view, Timeline, Vertical Nav, Wizards
•  Global: Alerts, Badges, Progress Bars, Signposts, Spinners, Toggle Switches, Tooltips

See the entire list

5. NG Bootstrap

Our top couldn’t have been completed without the good old Bootstrap library, wrapped into an Angular library by the people at ng-bootstrap. It contains all the goodies that the Bootstrap library has to offer.

Use case: The use case for NG Bootstrap is very wide as it offers a lot of common components that can be used from personal to professional projects.

PRO

• Free to use
• Familiar-looking components
• Large community

CONS

• It is maintained by a relatively small team so there’s always the risk of shutting down the library, although it’s unlikely as it’s supported by a large community

Components

• Form controls: Datepicker, Dropdown, Time picker, Type ahead
• Navigation/Layout: Accordion, Carousel, Collapse, Modal, Nav, Offcanvas, Pagination, Table
• Global: Alert, Progress Bar, Popover, Rating, Toast, Tooltip

Conclusion

Choosing a UI framework is an important decision in the development of your Angular project as it determines if it will save huge development time or will introduce overhead along the way.

The Angular UI libraries above are the ones that we use most of the time in our Angular projects, but if you don’t find them satisfactory to your use case, there are plenty of others you can find online. 

When choosing an Angular UI library you should consider the following: 

• List of components. It does not make sense to choose a library that does not provide the components that you require to develop your application. If you’re building a platform that relies heavily on grids, then you should choose a library that has a powerful grid component! ( see Kendo UI )

   

• Library creator. In order to make sure that the UI library will be supported at least during the lifetime of your application, the library should be backed up by one of the big names in the industry and would not disappear overnight leaving you in despair.

   

• Performance. We see this thing overlooked in some of the Angular UI libraries which put the focus more on the component options, rather than the performance. There is no reason to choose a library that will save you time but will slow down your application.

   

• Track record / Documentation. History is very important, and it is also the case when choosing a UI library! A proven track record of continuous development, easy upgrades, and great documentation/support will make you develop peacefully knowing that there won’t be any big “surprises” in the future.