Step-by-Step Guide: How to Implement Angular Guards for Secure Routing and Authentication

Angular is renowned for its robust structure and powerful features, and one of the standout capabilities is its use of guards. These constructs help you secure routes, manage navigation, and ensure that only authorized users can access specific parts of your application. In this article, we’ll dive deep into Angular guards, exploring what they are, how to implement them, and best practices to follow.

What Are Angular Guards?

Angular guards are interfaces that allow you to control whether a route can be activated or deactivated. Essentially, they add a security layer to your routing configuration. By leveraging guards, you can:

• Prevent unauthorized access: Redirect users who don’t meet certain criteria (e.g., not logged in) away from protected routes.
• Warn users about unsaved changes: Prompt users before they navigate away from a form with unsaved data.
• Lazy load routes conditionally: Control whether certain modules are loaded based on user permissions or application state.

Guards serve as gatekeepers for your application’s navigation logic, ensuring that transitions between views are handled thoughtfully and securely.