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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To add schematics to an Angular library, create a schematic collection, implement the library’s setup and generation rules, register the collection in the package, and build and ship the schematic files with the library. Consumers can then use Angular CLI commands such as ng add, ng generate, and—when releases require migrations—ng update.
What Angular library schematics do
A schematic is a template-based code generator that can apply logic to a project through the Angular CLI. For a library, schematics let you automate work in the consuming application instead of asking each user to make the same changes by hand. Angular describes schematics as a way to support complex logic in code generation: Angular schematics overview.
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ng addinstalls a package and runs its setup instructions, such as configuring a project to use the library.ng generateruns a named generator to create library-specific files or adjust project configuration.ng updatecan run migrations associated with a library release, including changes to dependencies, configuration, or code.
Plan the schematic before implementing it
Decide which repeated consumer task the library should automate. Installation setup belongs in an add schematic; optional artifacts belong in named generation schematics; changes needed when consumers move between library versions belong in update migrations. A schematic is most useful when the result needs meaningful customization or must modify project files or dependencies. If the desired feature is fixed and needs little customization, a runtime feature such as a dynamic component may be a better fit.
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A schematic collection is described by collection.json. It maps each command name to a factory, and can point to a JSON schema that defines accepted options and defaults. The library package metadata must point to the collection, and the compiled schematic files must be included in the published package. Follow the Angular library guide for the target Angular and DevKit versions, since build configuration and package APIs can vary: Angular schematics for libraries.
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A typical source layout separates the collection from each schematic’s implementation and templates. For example, a library might have an ng-add schematic for setup and a service schematic for generating a service. The collection associates each name with its factory and schema; consumers can then invoke a generation schematic with a command such as ng generate my-lib:service.
Implement setup, generation, and migration rules
Installation setup with ng add
The add schematic runs after the CLI installs the library. Use it for necessary project-level setup, such as adding configuration that lets the consumer use the package. The package can define whether installation saves it to dependencies or devDependencies; choose based on the library’s role rather than assuming one destination fits every package. Keep setup focused on changes needed to make the installed library work.
Artifacts with ng generate
A generation schematic is a rule factory: it receives parsed options, can inspect workspace or project information, and returns transformations to apply to the project. Its option schema is the contract for the command—define valid option names, types, and defaults there. When a workspace contains several projects, account for project selection so generated files and configuration changes target the intended application or library.
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Use templates and utility rules when they simplify repeated file generation or configuration edits. A command such as ng generate my-lib:service illustrates the consumer-facing form; the actual collection name and schematic name must match the package’s metadata.
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Release migrations with ng update
Attach update schematics to library releases when consumers need an automated transition between versions. A migration can update dependencies or adjust project configuration and source code to match a changed library API. Keep each migration scoped to the change that requires it, and make its expected starting version and target change clear in the library’s release process.
Why changes are staged before they reach project files
Schematic rules work against a virtual file tree rather than writing each edit directly as it is discovered. Angular’s authoring guide describes that file system as a Tree with a base and a staging area: transformations are staged and validated before they are applied to the real filesystem. This model helps a schematic combine file creation and edits into a coherent set of actions. See Angular schematic authoring.
Build, package, and verify the consumer workflow
- Create the collection and schematic sources. Add the collection manifest, each schematic’s factory and option schema, and any templates or utilities the rules need.
- Configure the schematic build. Build the schematics separately as needed by the library’s packaging setup, and ensure the compiled output is included in the distributable alongside the library.
- Build the library package. Use the build process documented for the Angular and DevKit versions in the project. Angular’s library-schematic guide demonstrates building the library and package, linking the resulting package, and invoking a generator from a consumer workspace.
- Exercise the installed-package commands in a representative workspace. Check that package installation triggers the add schematic when intended, named generation commands find the collection and create files in the right project, and update migrations make the intended release transition.
Testing against the packaged output matters: a schematic that works from source can still fail for consumers if its compiled files, templates, or collection metadata are missing from the published package.
Choose the right automation boundary
| Question | Schematic | Runtime feature such as a dynamic component |
|---|---|---|
| When does the result exist? | Generated once into the consumer’s project, or applied during installation or update. | Created when the application runs. |
| How much customization is needed? | Good fit when generation is configurable or requires complex logic. | Can suit a fixed result with little customization. |
| Does it need to edit project files or dependencies? | Can automate those project-level changes. | Provides runtime behavior rather than making CLI-driven project edits. |
| Must changes be repeated during upgrades? | An update schematic can migrate consumers between library releases. | Does not itself provide a CLI migration for consumer project files. |
Angular’s guidance favors schematics for complex, configurable customization and suggests a dynamic component for a fixed, lightly customizable result: Angular schematics for libraries.
Version and packaging considerations
Angular’s documentation is rolling, and its examples do not establish one Angular or DevKit version for every configuration shown. Check the current CLI, package, and schematic build details against the versions your library supports before adopting a specific configuration. Treat the collection, schemas, compiled output, and package contents as part of the consumer-facing API: changes to names or options can affect commands and scripts users already rely on.
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