angular - How to conditionally use either [href] or [routerLink] on an anchor?

Angular - How to conditionally use either [href] or [routerLink] on an anchor?

In Angular, you can conditionally decide whether to use [href] or [routerLink] on an anchor (<a>) element based on a certain condition. Here's how you can achieve this:

Approach

You can use Angular's template syntax to bind either [href] or [routerLink] based on a condition using the *ngIf directive or ternary operator (? :).

Using *ngIf Directive

<a *ngIf="useRouterLink; else useHref" [routerLink]="'/route/path'">Link using RouterLink</a> <ng-template #useHref> <a [href]="'/external/link'">Link using Href</a> </ng-template>

Using Ternary Operator

<a [routerLink]="useRouterLink ? '/route/path' : null" [href]="!useRouterLink ? '/external/link' : null"> Link </a>

Explanation

  • ngIf Directive: This approach uses *ngIf to conditionally render one of the <a> elements based on the value of useRouterLink. If useRouterLink is true, it renders the anchor with [routerLink]. Otherwise, it renders the anchor with [href].

    • <ng-template> with #useHref is used to define the fallback anchor with [href].

  • Ternary Operator: Here, both [routerLink] and [href] are bound to expressions that check the value of useRouterLink. If useRouterLink is true, [routerLink] is bound to '/route/path', and [href] is null. If useRouterLink is false, [routerLink] is null, and [href] is bound to '/external/link'.

TypeScript (Component Class)

Make sure to define useRouterLink in your component class if it's not static:

import { Component } from '@angular/core'; @Component({ selector: 'app-your-component', templateUrl: './your-component.component.html', styleUrls: ['./your-component.component.css'] }) export class YourComponent { useRouterLink = true; // Set this based on your condition }

Notes

  • Ensure that you handle routing appropriately when using [routerLink] to avoid unintended navigation.
  • When using [href], ensure that the URL is properly formatted and prefixed ('http://' or 'https://' for external links).

By following these steps, you can conditionally decide whether to use [href] or [routerLink] on an anchor element in your Angular application based on your specific requirements or conditions.

Examples

  1. How to use ngIf to choose between [href] and [routerLink]?

    <a *ngIf="isExternal; else internalLink" [href]="externalUrl">External Link</a> <ng-template #internalLink> <a [routerLink]="internalRoute">Internal Link</a> </ng-template>

    Description: This example uses ngIf to conditionally render either an external link with [href] or an internal link with [routerLink].

  2. How to create a dynamic anchor that changes based on a boolean?

    <a [attr.href]="isExternal ? externalUrl : null" [routerLink]="!isExternal ? internalRoute : null"> Link </a>

    Description: This approach dynamically sets the href attribute and routerLink based on the isExternal boolean, allowing for a single anchor tag.

  3. How to handle clicks differently for external and internal links?

    <a (click)="isExternal ? openExternalLink(externalUrl) : navigate(internalRoute)"> Link </a>

    Description: In this implementation, the click event handler differentiates between external and internal navigation, executing the appropriate function based on the link type.

  4. How to set [routerLink] conditionally using a method?

    <a [href]="isExternal ? externalUrl : null" [routerLink]="!isExternal ? getInternalRoute() : null"> Conditional Link </a>

    Description: This example utilizes a method to determine the internal route, providing more flexibility for route handling based on conditions.

  5. How to combine [href] and [routerLink] in Angular?

    <a [href]="isExternal ? externalUrl : undefined" [routerLink]="!isExternal ? internalRoute : undefined"> Conditional Link </a>

    Description: This code combines both attributes in a single anchor, using undefined to prevent setting an attribute if it's not applicable.

  6. How to prevent navigation when using both [href] and [routerLink]?

    <a (click)="isExternal ? null : $event.preventDefault()" [href]="isExternal ? externalUrl : undefined" [routerLink]="!isExternal ? internalRoute : undefined"> Conditional Link </a>

    Description: This implementation prevents the default navigation when the link is internal, while allowing normal behavior for external links.

  7. How to use Angular's [routerLinkActive] with conditional links?

    <a [routerLink]="!isExternal ? internalRoute : null" routerLinkActive="active" [href]="isExternal ? externalUrl : null"> Link </a>

    Description: This code enables the use of the routerLinkActive directive to apply an active class conditionally for internal routes while using [href] for external links.

  8. How to dynamically set the link text based on conditions?

    <a [href]="isExternal ? externalUrl : null" [routerLink]="!isExternal ? internalRoute : null"> {{ isExternal ? 'Visit External Site' : 'Go to Internal Page' }} </a>

    Description: This example changes the link text dynamically based on whether the link is external or internal, improving user experience.

  9. How to use a template reference variable to simplify conditional links?

    <a #link [href]="isExternal ? externalUrl : null" [routerLink]="!isExternal ? internalRoute : null" (click)="link.click()"> Link </a>

    Description: Using a template reference variable allows for easier handling of link interactions while still conditionally setting attributes.

  10. How to log navigation events for both external and internal links?

    <a (click)="logNavigation(isExternal, externalUrl, internalRoute)" [href]="isExternal ? externalUrl : null" [routerLink]="!isExternal ? internalRoute : null"> Conditional Link </a>

    Description: This implementation logs navigation events based on the type of link being used, providing insight into user interactions.

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