Angular is a popular open-source web application framework maintained by Google. It is widely used for building dynamic, single-page applications (SPAs) and offers a comprehensive set of tools for developers to create scalable, feature-rich, and maintainable front-end solutions.

Originally introduced in 2010 as AngularJS, the framework underwent a significant rewrite in 2016, resulting in Angular (commonly referred to as Angular 2+). This transition marked a shift to a more modern architecture based on TypeScript, component-driven design, and enhanced performance.

Key features of Angular include:

Component-Based Architecture: Angular applications are built using reusable components, making development modular and easier to maintain.
Two-Way Data Binding: This feature synchronizes data between the model and the view, ensuring that changes in one are instantly reflected in the other.
Dependency Injection (DI): Angular’s DI system promotes modularity and testability by managing the creation and lifecycle of dependencies.
Directives: These allow developers to extend HTML with custom behaviors or reusable templates.
Routing and Navigation: Angular provides a robust routing module for managing navigation between views in SPAs.
RxJS Integration: The framework uses RxJS for handling asynchronous data streams, enabling more reactive programming.
Angular is often compared to other frameworks like React and Vue.js. While it has a steeper learning curve due to its comprehensive nature, it is well-suited for large-scale applications where performance, maintainability, and scalability are critical.

The Angular ecosystem includes tools like the Angular CLI (Command Line Interface) for project scaffolding, testing utilities, and extensive documentation. It is widely adopted across industries for applications ranging from e-commerce platforms and enterprise dashboards to progressive web applications (PWAs).

By combining robust features with an active developer community, Angular continues to be a cornerstone of modern web development.