Expand/Collapse Panel In Angular - No Material UI Needed

7 min read 11-15- 2024
Expand/Collapse Panel In Angular - No Material UI Needed

Table of Contents :

In this article, we’ll explore how to create an Expand/Collapse Panel in Angular without using Material UI. This feature is quite common in web applications, allowing users to show or hide additional content seamlessly. We will go through step-by-step instructions, with clear code examples and explanations to help you understand and implement it in your Angular projects.

Understanding Expand/Collapse Panels

Expand/Collapse panels are UI components that can show more information when a user interacts with them, typically by clicking. They are useful for reducing clutter on the screen and improving user experience by providing optional details without overwhelming the user.

Benefits of Using Expand/Collapse Panels

  • Space Efficiency: Allows for a cleaner layout by hiding non-essential information.
  • Improved User Experience: Users can focus on what's important and access additional information as needed.
  • Dynamic Interaction: Enhances the interactivity of your application, making it feel more responsive.

Setting Up Your Angular Environment

Before we start building the Expand/Collapse Panel, ensure you have the following set up:

  1. Node.js installed on your machine.

  2. Angular CLI installed globally. You can install it by running:

    npm install -g @angular/cli
    
  3. Create a new Angular project:

    ng new expand-collapse-panel
    cd expand-collapse-panel
    
  4. Serve the application:

    ng serve
    

    This will allow you to view your app in the browser at http://localhost:4200.

Creating the Expand/Collapse Panel Component

Step 1: Generate a New Component

In your Angular project, generate a new component for the Expand/Collapse panel.

ng generate component expand-collapse

Step 2: Implement the Component Logic

Open the newly created expand-collapse.component.ts file and modify it as follows:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-expand-collapse',
  templateUrl: './expand-collapse.component.html',
  styleUrls: ['./expand-collapse.component.css']
})
export class ExpandCollapseComponent {
  isExpanded: boolean = false;

  togglePanel() {
    this.isExpanded = !this.isExpanded;
  }
}

Step 3: Designing the HTML Template

Next, open the expand-collapse.component.html file and add the following code:

Click to {{ isExpanded ? 'Collapse' : 'Expand' }} Panel

This is the content of the panel. It can include text, images, or any other HTML elements you want.

More information here! Use it to display additional details without overwhelming the user.

Step 4: Adding CSS Styles

Now, style the component to improve its appearance. Open expand-collapse.component.css and add the following CSS rules:

.panel {
  border: 1px solid #ccc;
  border-radius: 5px;
  margin: 20px;
  transition: all 0.3s ease;
}

.panel-header {
  background-color: #f7f7f7;
  padding: 10px;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.panel-content {
  padding: 10px;
  border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
}

Step 5: Using the Component in Your Application

To display the Expand/Collapse panel on your main application page, open app.component.html and add the following line:


Result

At this point, you should have a basic Expand/Collapse panel working in your Angular application. When you click the header, it should toggle the visibility of the panel content.

Enhancements to Consider

While the basic functionality is complete, there are several enhancements you might consider implementing:

Adding Icons

Adding an icon can help indicate the state of the panel to users. You could use Font Awesome or similar libraries. Here's how you could implement it:

Click to {{ isExpanded ? 'Collapse' : 'Expand' }} Panel

Animation Effects

You can add smooth transitions to enhance the user experience further. Consider adding CSS animations to the .panel-content class to achieve this.

Dynamic Content

Modify the component to accept dynamic content as input. This could make the Expand/Collapse panel more flexible in displaying various data types.

Accessibility Improvements

Make sure your component is accessible by adding proper ARIA attributes to help users who rely on assistive technologies.

Conclusion

Creating an Expand/Collapse panel in Angular without relying on Material UI is straightforward and can significantly improve the user experience of your application. With a few lines of code and some styling, you can create an efficient way to manage content display.

Experiment with the enhancements suggested and customize your panel according to your application's needs. By doing so, you will be better equipped to provide a user-friendly interface that guides users seamlessly through the information they need. Happy coding! 🎉