Angular is a powerful framework for building dynamic web applications, offering developers a robust platform to create responsive and interactive user interfaces. To get started with Angular, it is essential to install Node.js, which will enable you to use the Angular CLI (Command Line Interface). Begin by installing Node.js from the official website. Once Node.js is installed, you can set up your Angular environment by running the command npm install -g @angular/cli in your terminal. This will install the Angular CLI globally, allowing you to scaffold and run Angular applications easily.

After setting up your environment, you can create a new Angular project by running ng new my-app, replacing my-app with your desired project name. This command will generate a basic project structure, complete with all necessary files and dependencies. Once your project is created, navigate into the project directory and start the development server using ng serve. You will see your application running at http://localhost:4200/. For comprehensive documentation and further learning resources, check out Angular's official documentation.

Angular is a powerful framework for building web applications, but even experienced developers can fall prey to common mistakes that affect performance and maintainability. One prevalent mistake is neglecting the use of trackBy in ngFor. Without trackBy, Angular re-renders the entire list when an item changes, leading to slower performance and unnecessary DOM manipulations. To enhance performance, always implement trackBy when rendering lists. For more information on this, check out Angular's official documentation.

Another frequent error is using unnecessary services or injecting too many dependencies, which can complicate your application and make it harder to manage. It's essential to create services that are as modular and succinct as possible. This not only makes your code easier to read but also improves the overall performance. For tips on structuring services effectively, visit Angular In Depth.

Mastering Angular routing is crucial for building scalable and maintainable applications. Start by understanding the basics of the Angular Router, which enables navigation between different views or components in your app. Familiarize yourself with core concepts such as routes, router outlets, and route parameters. A good practice is to organize your routes in a dedicated file and leverage lazy loading to enhance performance. This method allows you to load modules only when needed, thus improving the initial load time of your application. For further reading on this topic, check out the Angular documentation on lazy loading.

When implementing routing, it’s important to consider user experience. Utilize route guards to manage access to certain routes based on authentication or authorization status. This feature not only secures your application but also enhances user navigation. Moreover, make use of query parameters for passing additional data between routes without altering the path structure. Lastly, be sure to implement proper error handling with 404 not found pages or redirection strategies to guide users back to safe routes. For best practices, you can explore this in-depth article on Angular routing and navigation.