AngularAtlased. 22.2

Ch. 03Signals & reactivity16 / 75

resource, rxResource, httpResource

Async data as signals: status, value, error, reload, automatic cancellation. Stable since v22.

v22stable ~0 min read Official docs

A resource turns an asynchronous operation (usually an HTTP request) into a set of signals: value(), status(), error(), isLoading(). You give it reactive parameters; when they change, the resource reloads by itself and automatically cancels the previous request. From v22, resource, rxResource and httpResource are stable.

What changed in v22
  • The resource, rxResource and httpResource APIs have left experimental.
  • You can throw ResourceParamsStatus.IDLE / LOADING from params.
  • params receives a context with chain() for dependent resources.
  • Streams can have synchronous values too; resources can be cached during SSR.

The three variants

FunctionYour loader returnsWhen to pick it
httpResource()— (it makes the request itself through HttpClient)The most common case: a simple GET. Goes through interceptors.
resource()PromiseAny async work: fetch, IndexedDB, SDKs, Web Workers.
rxResource()ObservableYou already have RxJS services or streams (websocket).

resource(): anatomy

import { Component, resource, signal } from '@angular/core';

@Component({ /* ... */ })
export class UserProfile {
  readonly userId = signal<number | undefined>(1);

  readonly user = resource({
    // 1. params: a reactive function. When the result changes → it reloads.
    //    If it returns undefined → status 'idle', the loader does NOT run.
    params: () => this.userId(),

    // 2. loader: receives params + an AbortSignal (the old request is cancelled automatically)
    loader: async ({ params: id, abortSignal }) => {
      const res = await fetch(`/api/users/${id}`, { signal: abortSignal });
      if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
      return (await res.json()) as User;
    },
  });
}
LiveLoader with AbortSignal + idle/local status
Profile:
status: resolved
Ana
loaded at 09:11:52
  • ✓ resolved #1
  • → start #1
  • Press #2, #3, #4 quickly — the old requests are cancelled.
Press several profiles quickly: the log shows the old requests being cancelled. “None” → idle. “Rename locally” → local status.

The full API of a resource

user.value();      // Signal<T | undefined> — the last value (or defaultValue)
user.hasValue();   // type guard: true if value() isn’t undefined
user.status();     // 'idle' | 'loading' | 'reloading' | 'resolved' | 'error' | 'local'
user.isLoading();  // true for 'loading' and 'reloading'
user.error();      // Error | undefined
user.reload();     // reloads with the same params (status 'reloading', value stays)

// Local write (e.g. an optimistic update) → status becomes 'local'
user.set(newUser);
user.update((u) => ({ ...u!, name: 'New' }));

user.asReadonly(); // exposed without set/update
user.snapshot();   // v21.2: { status, value | error } in a single signal

httpResource(): reactive GETs in two lines

httpResource uses HttpClient underneath, so your interceptors work (auth, logging, mock). You give it a function that returns the URL or a request object; every signal read there becomes a dependency.

import { httpResource } from '@angular/common/http';

export class UserSearch {
  readonly query = signal('');
  readonly role = signal<Role | ''>('');

  // Simple form: a function that returns the URL (undefined → idle)
  readonly user = httpResource<UserDto>(() => `/api/users/${this.userId()}`);

  // Full form: a request object + options
  readonly users = httpResource<PageDto<UserDto>>(
    () => ({
      url: '/api/users',
      params: { q: this.query(), ...(this.role() ? { role: this.role() } : {}) },
      headers: { 'X-Client': 'atlas' },
    }),
    { defaultValue: { items: [], total: 0 } }, // value() is never undefined anymore
  );
}

// Other formats:
httpResource.text(() => '/api/readme');
httpResource.blob(() => `/api/files/${id()}`);
httpResource.arrayBuffer(() => '/api/binary');
LiveUser search with httpResource
status():resolvedGET /api/users
  • Ana Popescu· Cluj-Napocaadmin
  • Mihai Ionescu· Bucureștieditor
  • Ioana Dumitru· Iașiviewer
  • Radu Stan· Timișoaraeditor
  • Elena Marin· Brașovviewer
  • Andrei Georgescu· Cluj-Napocaadmin
  • Maria Constantin· Constanțaviewer
  • Vlad Petrescu· Sibiueditor
  • Cristina Pop· Oradeaviewer
  • Bogdan Rusu· Iașiviewer
Total: 10
The data comes from a backend simulated by an interceptor. Tick “simulate error 500” to see the error state.

Validation and mapping with parse

The parse option runs on the response before it reaches value(). It’s the perfect place for a validation schema (Zod, Valibot) or for mapping a DTO → model (see Interfaces & models).

import { z } from 'zod';

const UserSchema = z.object({ id: z.number(), name: z.string(), email: z.email() });

// `parse` validates/transforms the response — the error ends up in user.error()
readonly user = httpResource(() => `/api/users/${this.id()}`, {
  parse: UserSchema.parse,
});

// or mapping a DTO → domain model
readonly product = httpResource(() => `/api/products/${this.id()}`, {
  parse: (dto: ProductDto) => toProduct(dto),
});

rxResource(): when you already have Observables

import { rxResource } from '@angular/core/rxjs-interop';

export class Orders {
  private readonly api = inject(OrdersApi); // returns Observables

  readonly status = signal<OrderStatus>('open');

  readonly orders = rxResource({
    params: () => ({ status: this.status() }),
    stream: ({ params }) => this.api.list(params.status), // Observable<Order[]>
    defaultValue: [],
  });
}
// When params change, the old subscription is closed (like switchMap).
// A stream can emit many times (e.g. a websocket) — value() updates on every emission.

Special statuses and chained resources v22

import { ResourceParamsStatus, resource } from '@angular/core';

// v22: in params you can “throw” a special status
readonly report = resource({
  params: () => {
    const range = this.range();
    if (!range) throw ResourceParamsStatus.IDLE;        // nothing to load yet
    if (!this.permissions.hasValue()) throw ResourceParamsStatus.LOADING; // waiting for something else
    return range;
  },
  loader: ({ params }) => this.api.report(params),
});

// Chaining resources with ctx.chain(): orders waits for user
readonly user = httpResource<User>(() => '/api/me');
readonly orders = httpResource<Order[]>((ctx) => {
  const user = ctx.chain(this.user);
  return user ? `/api/users/${user.id}/orders` : undefined;
});
// while user is loading → orders is 'loading'; if user errors → orders errors too
LiveChained resources: the status travels down the chain
userId
userresolved

Ana Popescu · Cluj-Napoca

sameCityresolved

Ana Popescu, Andrei Georgescu

readonly user = httpResource<User>(() =>
  this.userId() ? `/api/users/${this.userId()}` : undefined,
);
readonly sameCity = httpResource<Page<User>>((ctx) => {
  const user = ctx.chain(this.user);
  return user ? `/api/users?q=${user.city}` : undefined;
});

Statuses, as an effect sees them

  1. 3 ms user: loading · sameCity: loading
  2. 698 ms user: resolved · sameCity: loading
  3. 1470 ms user: resolved · sameCity: resolved
sameCity needs the user’s city, so it waits with ctx.chain(): while user is idle or loading, so is sameCity; if user fails, sameCity fails with ResourceDependencyError. The requests go to this site’s simulated API.

Writes: resource is not for POST

Resources are designed for reading. A resource re-runs its loader when its parameters change — exactly what you DON’T want for a “save” command. For mutations use HttpClient and then update the resource locally (update) or reload it (reload).

// resource / httpResource are for READING (GET).
// For writes (POST/PUT/DELETE) use HttpClient directly, then update the resource.

export class TodoStore {
  private readonly http = inject(HttpClient);
  readonly todos = httpResource<Todo[]>(() => '/api/todos', { defaultValue: [] });

  async add(title: string) {
    const created = await firstValueFrom(this.http.post<Todo>('/api/todos', { title }));
    this.todos.update((list) => [...list, created]); // local update, no refetch
  }

  async remove(id: number) {
    this.todos.update((list) => list.filter((t) => t.id !== id)); // optimistic
    try {
      await firstValueFrom(this.http.delete(`/api/todos/${id}`));
    } catch {
      this.todos.reload(); // simple rollback: reload from the server
    }
  }
}

When YES, when NO

When YES
  • Data that depends on state: details by id, lists by filters, pagination.
  • Any screen with “loading / error / data”.
  • A replacement for toSignal(this.route.params.pipe(switchMap(...))).
  • Signal stores that need data from the server.
When NO
  • POST / PUT / DELETE → HttpClient.
  • Complex flows with retry/backoff, polling, stream combinations → RxJS directly (or rxResource on top of it).
  • Static data, loaded once at startup → provideAppInitializer or a resolver.

Common pitfalls

  • value() is undefined at the start and while loading for the first time. Use hasValue() or defaultValue.
  • “Swallowed” errors: if you don’t display error(), the user only sees an empty list. Handle the error state explicitly.
  • Reading value() when the status is error throws the error — check error() or hasValue() first.
  • Params that change on every keystroke: each keystroke = one request (the old one is cancelled). For search, combine with debounced().
  • New objects in params: params: () => ({ id: this.id() }) is fine — the resource compares the result and reloads only when the signals read change.

Cheat sheet

resource({ params: () => p(), loader: async ({ params, abortSignal, previous }) => ... });
rxResource({ params: () => p(), stream: ({ params }) => obs$ });
httpResource<T>(() => url | { url, method, params, headers, body } | undefined, { defaultValue, parse });

r.value()  r.hasValue()  r.status()  r.isLoading()  r.error()  r.reload()  r.set()  r.update()

params → undefined            ⇒ 'idle'
params → throw ResourceParamsStatus.IDLE / LOADING   (v22)
(ctx) => ctx.chain(other)     ⇒ chaining                (v22)

Ch. 03 · 0 of 8 complete

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Mark it and it shows up on your map: in the contents and on the home page.

Marks itself as done once you have read the whole lesson.

  1. signal() and computed()
  2. effect() — when YES, when NO
  3. linkedSignal() — editable derived state
  4. resource, rxResource, httpResource
  5. debounced() — delayed signals
  6. Lists: search, filter, sort, paginate
  7. Observables from zero
  8. Signals ↔ RxJS
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All 75 pages · type to filter

  • 01What's new in Angular 21 & 22All the important changes in v21 and v22, briefly, with a link to the page that explains each one.Start
  • 01Your first app, step by stepA reading list built from an empty component to a finished app — signals, @for, inputs and outputs, a service and a form, one step at a time.Start
  • 01Quick decisions“Where do I put this?”, “Signal or Observable?”, “Shared or feature?” — short answers to everyday questions.Start
  • 01Angular interview questions60 real interview questions for junior, mid and senior, with the answer to give, the follow-up and the red flags. Plus a mock interview.Start
  • 02Standalone & bootstrapHow an app starts without NgModule: bootstrapApplication, app.config.ts, imports in the component.Modern fundamentals
  • 02Data binding & eventsInterpolation, property and attribute bindings, events with $event and key filters, and how [( )] is built — what goes into the DOM and what comes back.Modern fundamentals
  • 02Control flow: @if, @for, @switchThe block syntax that replaces *ngIf/*ngFor/ngSwitch, with track, @empty and exhaustive checks.Modern fundamentals
  • 02@let and the new template expressionsLocal variables with @let, arrow functions, spread, regex, instanceof, comments inside tags.Modern fundamentals
  • 02@defer — lazy loading in templatesLoad heavy components only when needed: triggers, prefetch, placeholder, loading, error.Modern fundamentals
  • 02Class & style bindingsWhy [class.x] and [style.x] replaced ngClass and ngStyle (with automatic migration from v21).Modern fundamentals
  • 02Component styles & encapsulation:host, the three encapsulation modes, theming with CSS variables, and why ::ng-deep is a last resort.Modern fundamentals
  • 02Pipes: when and howPure vs impure pipes, custom pipes, and how you choose between a pipe, computed() and a method.Modern fundamentals
  • 03signal() and computed()The reactive primitives: writable state, derived state, equality, untracked and immutability rules.Signals & reactivity
  • 03effect() — when YES, when NOSide effects synchronised with signals: localStorage, logging, imperative APIs. And their traps.Signals & reactivity
  • 03linkedSignal() — editable derived stateA signal that resets when its source changes, but that you can also set manually.Signals & reactivity
  • 03resource, rxResource, httpResourceAsync data as signals: status, value, error, reload, automatic cancellation. Stable since v22.Signals & reactivity
  • 03debounced() — delayed signalsThe “debounce” version of a signal, without RxJS. Perfect for search.Signals & reactivity
  • 03Lists: search, filter, sort, paginateA chain of computed signals that recalculates only what changed, with the filters kept in the URL so a link reopens the same view.Signals & reactivity
  • 03Observables from zeroWhat an Observable is, subscribe and unsubscribe, the operators you use every week, cold vs hot — and when a signal is enough.Signals & reactivity
  • 03Signals ↔ RxJStoSignal, toObservable, takeUntilDestroyed, outputFromObservable — and when RxJS remains the right choice.Signals & reactivity
  • 04input() and output()Inputs as signals (required, transform, alias) and typed outputs. Data down, events up.Components: communication
  • 04model() — two-way bindingBanana-in-a-box [( )] with a single API. When to use it, and when input + output is better.Components: communication
  • 04viewChild & contentChildQueries as signals: viewChild, viewChildren, contentChild, contentChildren, the read option.Components: communication
  • 04Lifecycle & DestroyRefWhich hooks still matter in the signals era, afterNextRender, DestroyRef and typed ngOnChanges.Components: communication
  • 04Content projectionng-content with select, multiple slots, default content and the trap of conditional projection.Components: communication
  • 04ng-template & ngTemplateOutletTemplates as values: render props in Angular, typed context and customising components.Components: communication
  • 05Smart vs DumbContainer vs presentational: who holds the state, who only displays, and how to split them properly.Component design
  • 05Generic components <T>A correctly typed DataTable<T> or Select<T>, with templates for cells.Component design
  • 05Dynamic componentsNgComponentOutlet, createComponent with inputBinding/outputBinding, and a dashboard built from config.Component design
  • 05Directives & host compositionAttribute directives, the host: {} metadata and the Directive Composition API (hostDirectives).Component design
  • 05Custom form controlsFormValueControl (Signal Forms) vs ControlValueAccessor: a star rating, in both variants.Component design
  • 05Change detectionOnPush is the default from v22, zone.js is gone from v21. What triggers rendering and how not to get burned.Component design
  • 06inject() & @Service()The new @Service() decorator from v22, inject() vs the constructor, and the injection context.Dependency Injection
  • 06Providers & the injector hierarchyRoot vs route vs component, useClass/useValue/useFactory/useExisting, and the optional/self/skipSelf modifiers.Dependency Injection
  • 06InjectionToken & provideX()Typed configuration, provideFeature() functions, makeEnvironmentProviders and initializers.Dependency Injection
  • 06injectAsync() — lazy servicesLoad a heavy service only when you need it, with prefetch on idle.Dependency Injection
  • 07Folder structurecore / shared / features, what goes into each, and what a feature looks like inside.Application architecture
  • 07Shared vs featureWhen to move a component into shared and (especially) when NOT to. A concrete checklist.Application architecture
  • 07Interfaces & modelsInline interface or separate file? DTO vs domain model, type vs interface, where to put them.Application architecture
  • 07State management with signalsSimple signal stores, facades, local vs global state, and when you need NgRx.Application architecture
  • 07Style guide & namingThe current official conventions: file names without suffixes, protected, readonly, member order.Application architecture
  • 07Barrels, aliases & boundariesindex.ts, path aliases, a feature’s public API and dependency rules that can be checked automatically.Application architecture
  • 07Errors: @boundary & ErrorHandlerThe new @boundary block from v22.2, the global ErrorHandler, HTTP errors and errors from resource.Application architecture
  • 08Modern routing & lazy loadingloadComponent, child routes, parameters as inputs and parameter inheritance (the new default in v22).Routing
  • 08Guards & resolverscanActivate, canMatch, canDeactivate and resolve as functions, with redirects via UrlTree / RedirectCommand.Routing
  • 09Signal Forms — the basicsForms built on signals: form(), [formField], schema-based validation. Stable since v22.Forms
  • 09Signal Forms — advancedCustom and cross-field validation, async/HTTP with debounce, dynamic lists, disabled/hidden, reusable schemas.Forms
  • 09Typed Reactive FormsTyped FormGroup, nonNullable, FormArray — and how they coexist with Signal Forms.Forms
  • 10HttpClient, interceptors & the API layerHttpClient without setup (v21), Fetch by default (v22), functional interceptors and an API layer with DTO mapping.HTTP & data
  • 11Performance — a checklistWhat really matters: OnPush + signals, track, @defer, lazy routes, images, bundles and hydration.Quality & performance
  • 11Testing with VitestVitest is the default runner from v21. TestBed, components with signals, services, HTTP and harnesses.Quality & performance
  • 11DevTools: look inside your appChrome DevTools and Angular DevTools step by step: what each panel shows, with exercises that work on this site.Quality & performance
  • 11Angular AriaHeadless, accessible components that you style however you like: tabs, accordion, menu, listbox...Quality & performance
  • 12SSR, prerender & render modesWhen to render on the server, when at build time and when only in the browser: RenderMode per route, app.routes.server.ts and the real costs.SSR & hydration
  • 12Hydration: event replay & incrementalHow the browser takes over server HTML without re-rendering it: full hydration, event replay, @defer (hydrate on …) and mismatch errors.SSR & hydration
  • 12Server-compatible codewindow doesn’t exist on the server: PLATFORM_ID, afterNextRender, DOCUMENT, TransferState, the HTTP cache and PendingTasks.SSR & hydration
  • 13Micro frontendsWhen it is worth splitting an app into several deployments and when it is just complexity: Native Federation, Module Federation, iframes, Web Components.Architecture at scale
  • 13Web Components with Angular ElementscreateCustomElement: an Angular component used as an HTML tag anywhere, plus communication between apps through events and BroadcastChannel.Architecture at scale
  • 13Monorepo, libraries & boundariesA workspace with several apps and libraries: ng generate library, Nx, secondary entry points, publishing and dependency rules.Architecture at scale
  • 13Hexagonal architecture (ports & adapters)A domain without Angular, ports as abstract classes and interchangeable adapters: HTTP, localStorage or in-memory, without touching the UI.Architecture at scale
  • 14Signals under the hoodThe reactive graph: producers and consumers, push-pull, why computed is lazy and glitch-free, the diamond problem and when effects run.Advanced reactivity
  • 14Advanced RxJS: higher-order operatorsswitchMap, mergeMap, concatMap and exhaustMap on a live diagram, plus retry with backoff, shareReplay and how to avoid leaks.Advanced reactivity
  • 14NgRx SignalStoreLarge-scale state management on signals: withState, withComputed, withMethods, rxMethod, entities and hooks — and when a simple store is enough.Advanced reactivity
  • 14State machines with signalsNo more impossible states: a typed machine on signals, with transitions, guards and a live state diagram.Advanced reactivity
  • 15WebSockets: real time that survives the networkA typed socket as signals: reconnect with backoff and jitter, heartbeat, an outbox while offline, and SSR safety.Real time & offline
  • 15Optimistic updates & rollbackAn instant UI that stays honest: snapshot and rollback, out-of-order responses, idempotency keys.Real time & offline
  • 15Offline-first: Service Worker & cachingThe Angular Service Worker: caching strategies, update prompts and an outbox for changes made offline.Real time & offline
  • 16Web WorkersHeavy computation without blocking the UI: a real worker in the page, message passing and when it is not worth it.Advanced UI & performance
  • 16Huge lists: virtual scroll100,000 rows without lag: CDK virtual scroll, itemSize, trackBy and the alternatives (pagination, infinite scroll).Advanced UI & performance
  • 16Modern animations & View Transitionsanimate.enter and animate.leave instead of the deprecated @angular/animations, CSS transitions and View Transitions on navigation.Advanced UI & performance
  • 16Memory leaks: finding and fixing themSubscriptions, timers and listeners that outlive their component — how to spot them in DevTools and close them.Advanced UI & performance
  • 17Security: XSS, sanitisation & CSPWhat Angular does automatically against XSS, when bypassSecurityTrust becomes dangerous, plus CSP with nonce, Trusted Types and XSRF.Security & globalisation
  • 17Authentication: tokens & refreshAn interceptor that attaches the token, refreshes once on 401 and replays the queued requests — plus where you keep the token.Security & globalisation
  • 17OAuth 2.1 & OpenID Connect with PKCEThe authorization code flow with PKCE, step by step: verifier and challenge, state and nonce, the ID token, and why a BFF is safer.Security & globalisation
  • 17Internationalisation (i18n)$localize, the i18n attribute, ICU plural/select, a build per language vs runtime translations, and locale-based formatting.Security & globalisation