Angular State Management

Overview

Comprehensive guide to modern Angular state management patterns, from Signal-based local state to global stores and server state synchronization.

State Categories

Selection Criteria

Small app, simple state → Signal Services
Medium app, moderate state → Component Stores
Large app, complex state → NgRx Store
Heavy server interaction → NgRx Query + Signal Services
Real-time updates → RxAngular + Signals

When to Use

• Setting up global state management in Angular
• Choosing between Signals, NgRx, or Akita
• Managing component-level stores
• Implementing optimistic updates
• Debugging state-related issues
• Migrating from legacy state patterns

Prerequisites

• Angular 16+ (for Signals support)
• NgRx packages installed if using NgRx Store, ComponentStore, or SignalStore:

  npm install @ngrx/store @ngrx/effects @ngrx/component-store @ngrx/signals
  

• Basic understanding of RxJS and Angular dependency injection (inject())

Procedure

1. Implement Signal-Based State

For local and shared state, use Angular Signals.

Pattern 1: Simple Signal Service

// services/counter.service.ts
import { Injectable, signal, computed } from "@angular/core";

@Injectable({ providedIn: "root" })
export class CounterService {
  // Private writable signals
  private _count = signal(0);

  // Public read-only
  readonly count = this._count.asReadonly();
  readonly doubled = computed(() => this._count() * 2);
  readonly isPositive = computed(() => this._count() > 0);

  increment() {
    this._count.update((v) => v + 1);
  }

  decrement() {
    this._count.update((v) => v - 1);
  }

  reset() {
    this._count.set(0);
  }
}

// Usage in component
@Component({
  template: `
    <p>Count: {{ counter.count() }}</p>
    <p>Doubled: {{ counter.doubled() }}</p>
    <button (click)="counter.increment()">+</button>
  `,
})
export class CounterComponent {
  counter = inject(CounterService);
}

Pattern 2: Feature Signal Store

// stores/user.store.ts
import { Injectable, signal, computed, inject } from "@angular/core";
import { HttpClient } from "@angular/common/http";
import { toSignal } from "@angular/core/rxjs-interop";

interface User {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  email: string;
}

interface UserState {
  user: User | null;
  loading: boolean;
  error: string | null;
}

@Injectable({ providedIn: "root" })
export class UserStore {
  private http = inject(HttpClient);

  // State signals
  private _user = signal<User | null>(null);
  private _loading = signal(false);
  private _error = signal<string | null>(null);

  // Selectors (read-only computed)
  readonly user = computed(() => this._user());
  readonly loading = computed(() => this._loading());
  readonly error = computed(() => this._error());
  readonly isAuthenticated = computed(() => this._user() !== null);
  readonly displayName = computed(() => this._user()?.name ?? "Guest");

  // Actions
  async loadUser(id: string) {
    this._loading.set(true);
    this._error.set(null);

    try {
      const user = await fetch(`/api/users/${id}`).then((r) => r.json());
      this._user.set(user);
    } catch (e) {
      this._error.set("Failed to load user");
    } finally {
      this._loading.set(false);
    }
  }

  updateUser(updates: Partial<User>) {
    this._user.update((user) => (user ? { ...user, ...updates } : null));
  }

  logout() {
    this._user.set(null);
    this._error.set(null);
  }
}

2. Implement NgRx SignalStore

For feature-level state using NgRx Signals.

// stores/products.store.ts
import {
  signalStore,
  withState,
  withMethods,
  withComputed,
  patchState,
} from "@ngrx/signals";
import { inject } from "@angular/core";
import { ProductService } from "./product.service";

interface ProductState {
  products: Product[];
  loading: boolean;
  filter: string;
}

const initialState: ProductState = {
  products: [],
  loading: false,
  filter: "",
};

export const ProductStore = signalStore(
  { providedIn: "root" },

  withState(initialState),

  withComputed((store) => ({
    filteredProducts: computed(() => {
      const filter = store.filter().toLowerCase();
      return store
        .products()
        .filter((p) => p.name.toLowerCase().includes(filter));
    }),
    totalCount: computed(() => store.products().length),
  })),

  withMethods((store, productService = inject(ProductService)) => ({
    async loadProducts() {
      patchState(store, { loading: true });

      try {
        const products = await productService.getAll();
        patchState(store, { products, loading: false });
      } catch {
        patchState(store, { loading: false });
      }
    },

    setFilter(filter: string) {
      patchState(store, { filter });
    },

    addProduct(product: Product) {
      patchState(store, ({ products }) => ({
        products: [...products, product],
      }));
    },
  })),
);

// Usage
@Component({
  template: `
    <input (input)="store.setFilter($event.target.value)" />
    @if (store.loading()) {
      <app-spinner />
    } @else {
      @for (product of store.filteredProducts(); track product.id) {
        <app-product-card [product]="product" />
      }
    }
  `,
})
export class ProductListComponent {
  store = inject(ProductStore);

  ngOnInit() {
    this.store.loadProducts();
  }
}

3. Implement NgRx Store (Global State)

For complex global state with actions, reducers, and effects.

Setup

// store/app.state.ts
import { ActionReducerMap } from "@ngrx/store";

export interface AppState {
  user: UserState;
  cart: CartState;
}

export const reducers: ActionReducerMap<AppState> = {
  user: userReducer,
  cart: cartReducer,
};

// main.ts
bootstrapApplication(AppComponent, {
  providers: [
    provideStore(reducers),
    provideEffects([UserEffects, CartEffects]),
    provideStoreDevtools({ maxAge: 25 }),
  ],
});

Feature Slice Pattern

// store/user/user.actions.ts
import { createActionGroup, props, emptyProps } from "@ngrx/store";

export const UserActions = createActionGroup({
  source: "User",
  events: {
    "Load User": props<{ userId: string }>(),
    "Load User Success": props<{ user: User }>(),
    "Load User Failure": props<{ error: string }>(),
    "Update User": props<{ updates: Partial<User> }>(),
    Logout: emptyProps(),
  },
});

// store/user/user.reducer.ts
import { createReducer, on } from "@ngrx/store";
import { UserActions } from "./user.actions";

export interface UserState {
  user: User | null;
  loading: boolean;
  error: string | null;
}

const initialState: UserState = {
  user: null,
  loading: false,
  error: null,
};

export const userReducer = createReducer(
  initialState,

  on(UserActions.loadUser, (state) => ({
    ...state,
    loading: true,
    error: null,
  })),

  on(UserActions.loadUserSuccess, (state, { user }) => ({
    ...state,
    user,
    loading: false,
  })),

  on(UserActions.loadUserFailure, (state, { error }) => ({
    ...state,
    loading: false,
    error,
  })),

  on(UserActions.logout, () => initialState),
);

// store/user/user.selectors.ts
import { createFeatureSelector, createSelector } from "@ngrx/store";
import { UserState } from "./user.reducer";

export const selectUserState = createFeatureSelector<UserState>("user");

export const selectUser = createSelector(
  selectUserState,
  (state) => state.user,
);

export const selectUserLoading = createSelector(
  selectUserState,
  (state) => state.loading,
);

export const selectIsAuthenticated = createSelector(
  selectUser,
  (user) => user !== null,
);

// store/user/user.effects.ts
import { Injectable, inject } from "@angular/core";
import { Actions, createEffect, ofType } from "@ngrx/effects";
import { switchMap, map, catchError, of } from "rxjs";

@Injectable()
export class UserEffects {
  private actions$ = inject(Actions);
  private userService = inject(UserService);

  loadUser$ = createEffect(() =>
    this.actions$.pipe(
      ofType(UserActions.loadUser),
      switchMap(({ userId }) =>
        this.userService.getUser(userId).pipe(
          map((user) => UserActions.loadUserSuccess({ user })),
          catchError((error) =>
            of(UserActions.loadUserFailure({ error: error.message })),
          ),
        ),
      ),
    ),
  );
}

Component Usage

@Component({
  template: `
    @if (loading()) {
      <app-spinner />
    } @else if (user(); as user) {
      <h1>Welcome, {{ user.name }}</h1>
      <button (click)="logout()">Logout</button>
    }
  `,
})
export class HeaderComponent {
  private store = inject(Store);

  user = this.store.selectSignal(selectUser);
  loading = this.store.selectSignal(selectUserLoading);

  logout() {
    this.store.dispatch(UserActions.logout());
  }
}

4. Implement ComponentStore (RxJS-Based)

For local feature state using RxJS.

// stores/todo.store.ts
import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
import { ComponentStore } from "@ngrx/component-store";
import { switchMap, tap, catchError, EMPTY } from "rxjs";

interface TodoState {
  todos: Todo[];
  loading: boolean;
}

@Injectable()
export class TodoStore extends ComponentStore<TodoState> {
  constructor(private todoService: TodoService) {
    super({ todos: [], loading: false });
  }

  // Selectors
  readonly todos$ = this.select((state) => state.todos);
  readonly loading$ = this.select((state) => state.loading);
  readonly completedCount$ = this.select(
    this.todos$,
    (todos) => todos.filter((t) => t.completed).length,
  );

  // Updaters
  readonly addTodo = this.updater((state, todo: Todo) => ({
    ...state,
    todos: [...state.todos, todo],
  }));

  readonly toggleTodo = this.updater((state, id: string) => ({
    ...state,
    todos: state.todos.map((t) =>
      t.id === id ? { ...t, completed: !t.completed } : t,
    ),
  }));

  // Effects
  readonly loadTodos = this.effect<void>((trigger$) =>
    trigger$.pipe(
      tap(() => this.patchState({ loading: true })),
      switchMap(() =>
        this.todoService.getAll().pipe(
          tap({
            next: (todos) => this.patchState({ todos, loading: false }),
            error: () => this.patchState({ loading: false }),
          }),
          catchError(() => EMPTY),
        ),
      ),
    ),
  );
}

5. Handle Server State with Signals

For HTTP data fetching and optimistic updates.

// services/api.service.ts
import { Injectable, signal, inject } from "@angular/core";
import { HttpClient } from "@angular/common/http";
import { toSignal } from "@angular/core/rxjs-interop";

interface ApiState<T> {
  data: T | null;
  loading: boolean;
  error: string | null;
}

@Injectable({ providedIn: "root" })
export class ProductApiService {
  private http = inject(HttpClient);

  private _state = signal<ApiState<Product[]>>({
    data: null,
    loading: false,
    error: null,
  });

  readonly products = computed(() => this._state().data ?? []);
  readonly loading = computed(() => this._state().loading);
  readonly error = computed(() => this._state().error);

  async fetchProducts(): Promise<void> {
    this._state.update((s) => ({ ...s, loading: true, error: null }));

    try {
      const data = await firstValueFrom(
        this.http.get<Product[]>("/api/products"),
      );
      this._state.update((s) => ({ ...s, data, loading: false }));
    } catch (e) {
      this._state.update((s) => ({
        ...s,
        loading: false,
        error: "Failed to fetch products",
      }));
    }
  }

  // Optimistic update
  async deleteProduct(id: string): Promise<void> {
    const previousData = this._state().data;

    // Optimistically remove
    this._state.update((s) => ({
      ...s,
      data: s.data?.filter((p) => p.id !== id) ?? null,
    }));

    try {
      await firstValueFrom(this.http.delete(`/api/products/${id}`));
    } catch {
      // Rollback on error
      this._state.update((s) => ({ ...s, data: previousData }));
    }
  }
}

6. Migrate from Legacy Patterns

From BehaviorSubject to Signals

// Before: RxJS-based
@Injectable({ providedIn: "root" })
export class OldUserService {
  private userSubject = new BehaviorSubject<User | null>(null);
  user$ = this.userSubject.asObservable();

  setUser(user: User) {
    this.userSubject.next(user);
  }
}

// After: Signal-based
@Injectable({ providedIn: "root" })
export class UserService {
  private _user = signal<User | null>(null);
  readonly user = this._user.asReadonly();

  setUser(user: User) {
    this._user.set(user);
  }
}

Bridging Signals and RxJS

import { toSignal, toObservable } from '@angular/core/rxjs-interop';

// Observable → Signal
@Component({...})
export class ExampleComponent {
  private route = inject(ActivatedRoute);

  // Convert Observable to Signal
  userId = toSignal(
    this.route.params.pipe(map(p => p['id'])),
    { initialValue: '' }
  );
}

// Signal → Observable
export class DataService {
  private filter = signal('');

  // Convert Signal to Observable
  filter$ = toObservable(this.filter);

  filteredData$ = this.filter$.pipe(
    debounceTime(300),
    switchMap(filter => this.http.get(`/api/data?q=${filter}`))
  );
}

Pitfalls

Verification

• Angular DevTools: Inspect the state tree and signal values to ensure state updates correctly propagate.
• Unit Tests: Write tests for reducers, selectors, and stores to verify state transitions.
• Memory Leaks: Check for lingering subscriptions when using RxJS patterns by ensuring components are destroyed properly.
• Optimistic Updates: Verify that optimistic updates roll back correctly on API failures.

Related skills

• react-state-management