Farewell Flex: The Future of Layouts in Angular 19 (2025 Edition)

Spoiler alert: @angular/flex-layout has officially hung up its boots. It's 2025, and things have changed quite a bit in the Angular ecosystem. Grab your TypeScript mugs and let’s break it down—with a touch of humor. What Happened to @angular/flex-layout? For years, @angular/flex-layout was the go-to package for building responsive layouts using Angular directives. It let us play with Flexbox using HTML attributes instead of wrangling CSS. Super handy, right? Well, by late 2022, Angular announced that Flex Layout was entering long-term support—and by 2024, it was officially deprecated. The Angular team shifted their focus to leveraging modern CSS techniques, like native Flexbox, CSS Grid, and utility-first tools like Tailwind CSS. So if you’re searching for @angular/flex-layout in Angular 19, well… it's not you, it’s them. It’s no longer maintained. What Should I Use Instead? Angular’s current recommendation is to use native CSS solutions directly. They suggest embracing: Native CSS Flexbox and Grid Tailwind CSS for utility-based design CSS-in-JS (if you’re into that sort of thing) Wait, I Still Need Flex Layout! Don’t worry, the community’s got your back. You can use the actively maintained fork: npm install @ngbracket/ngx-layout It’s like @angular/flex-layout, but with newer Angular support, including Angular 18 and 19. What’s New in Angular 19? Angular 19 (released November 19, 2024) is a banger. Here's what's hot: 1. Incremental Hydration Improves SSR performance by hydrating components progressively instead of blocking the entire page. 2. Signals API is Now Stable Yes, Signals are stable! It's Angular’s shiny new state management approach. Think of it as RxJS’s cleaner, more intuitive cousin. const counter = signal(0); 3. Standalone Components by Default NgModules? Meh. Angular now goes all-in on standalone components for cleaner project structure. 4. Enhanced Developer Experience Support for TypeScript 5.6 Hot Module Replacement (HMR) Better error messages And more ergonomic templates Angular 19 Lifecycle Support Active Support: Until May 2025 LTS (Long Term Support): Until May 2026 So don’t worry, Angular 19 will keep getting love (and patches) for a while. TL;DR @angular/flex-layout is deprecated Switch to modern CSS tools like Tailwind or CSS Grid Use @ngbracket/ngx-layout if you can’t quit it Angular 19 brings Signals, incremental hydration, and a ton of other goodies Ready to flex your layout muscles the modern way? If you're still holding onto fxLayout="row" like it’s 2019, maybe it's time to join us in 2025. Happy coding, and may your components always align center!

Apr 16, 2025 - 18:20

Farewell Flex: The Future of Layouts in Angular 19 (2025 Edition)

Spoiler alert: @angular/flex-layout has officially hung up its boots. It's 2025, and things have changed quite a bit in the Angular ecosystem. Grab your TypeScript mugs and let’s break it down—with a touch of humor.

What Happened to `@angular/flex-layout`?

For years, @angular/flex-layout was the go-to package for building responsive layouts using Angular directives. It let us play with Flexbox using HTML attributes instead of wrangling CSS. Super handy, right?

Well, by late 2022, Angular announced that Flex Layout was entering long-term support—and by 2024, it was officially deprecated. The Angular team shifted their focus to leveraging modern CSS techniques, like native Flexbox, CSS Grid, and utility-first tools like Tailwind CSS.

So if you’re searching for @angular/flex-layout in Angular 19, well… it's not you, it’s them. It’s no longer maintained.

What Should I Use Instead?

Angular’s current recommendation is to use native CSS solutions directly. They suggest embracing:

Native CSS Flexbox and Grid
Tailwind CSS for utility-based design
CSS-in-JS (if you’re into that sort of thing)

Wait, I Still Need Flex Layout!

Don’t worry, the community’s got your back. You can use the actively maintained fork:

npm install @ngbracket/ngx-layout

It’s like @angular/flex-layout, but with newer Angular support, including Angular 18 and 19.

What’s New in Angular 19?

Angular 19 (released November 19, 2024) is a banger. Here's what's hot:

1. Incremental Hydration

Improves SSR performance by hydrating components progressively instead of blocking the entire page.

2. Signals API is Now Stable

Yes, Signals are stable! It's Angular’s shiny new state management approach. Think of it as RxJS’s cleaner, more intuitive cousin.

const counter = signal(0);

3. Standalone Components by Default

NgModules? Meh. Angular now goes all-in on standalone components for cleaner project structure.

4. Enhanced Developer Experience

Support for TypeScript 5.6
Hot Module Replacement (HMR)
Better error messages
And more ergonomic templates

Angular 19 Lifecycle Support

Active Support: Until May 2025
LTS (Long Term Support): Until May 2026

So don’t worry, Angular 19 will keep getting love (and patches) for a while.

TL;DR

@angular/flex-layout is deprecated
Switch to modern CSS tools like Tailwind or CSS Grid
Use @ngbracket/ngx-layout if you can’t quit it
Angular 19 brings Signals, incremental hydration, and a ton of other goodies

Ready to flex your layout muscles the modern way?

If you're still holding onto fxLayout="row" like it’s 2019, maybe it's time to join us in 2025.

Happy coding, and may your components always align center!