Nx: Nx 8.4.x workspaces don't have angular.json file

[tthrash]

I see that release 8.4.0 stopped adding an angular.json file after creating an empty workspace with npx create-nx-workspace myworkspace. This appears correct if Nx is moving to a generic monorepo workspace for web development and an empty workspace was selected when creating the workspace. However, after running yarn add @nrwl/angular and then run ng g @nrwl/angular:application myapp I get the following error

Also, nx.json file still has angular.json under implicitDependencies with the empty workspace.

[mehrad-rafigh]

Basically the same as #1643

[tthrash]

You're right. Sorry about that.

[vsavkin]

@tthrash

• When creating an empty workspace you need to select the CLI Nx will use to power the workspace. Which one did you select?
• Could you create a repo with the created workspace, so I could take a look?

Thank you!

[tthrash]

@vsavkin The repo above is on my home computer and I'm at work. But I just recreated it with same results. I have "@nrwl/cli": "^8.4.4" installed globally via yarn (I also have "@angular/cli": "^8.2.0" installed globally, though that probably doesn't matter). Screenshots below show steps taken. After the workspace was created I ran yarn add --dev @nrwl/angular.

nx-test1.zip

[ahnpnl]

I ran into this issue too. After spending some times, I figured out if generating workspace and choosing Nx CLI, there will be a workspace.json and if choosing Angular CLI, there will be a angular.json. I didn't see this stating in the documentation.

@vsavkin another thing I noticed is the tutorial for Angular doesn't cover the nx commands if users generate workspace choosing Nx CLI.

[tthrash]

I think the Angular Cli should only be an option if you select to create an Angular Workspace. Though, I wonder if it should be an option at all anymore, since an angular workspace could end up being a workspace for other frameworks that the Angular Cli doesn't support. Also, what does the Angular Cli do that Nx doesn't do or do better at? It looks like Nrwl and Nx still have more to do when to comes to decoupling from its Angular only roots. The "Angular Console" should really be renamed to "Nx Console" as another example.

[brandonroberts]

@ahnpnl if you're primarily using Angular, you should be using the ng commands like they are in the Angular tutorial. If you're primarily using React or Web Components, you should be using the nx commands. The difference is that there is only a workspace.json when primarily only using React or Web Components. The nx command delegates appropriately, but we could define this more clearly in the docs for the Nx CLI here: https://nx.dev/react/guides/cli

[vsavkin]

@tthrash since you selected Nx as the CLI when generating a workspace, the workspace only works with the nx cli. So there is no @angular/cli and the Ng command does not work.

If you selectAngular CLI, you will get an angular cli workspace, and the ng command will work.

If you select angular or angular-nest preset, we automatically select the Angular CLI for you. But when you create an empty workspace, we don't know if you intend to use it for angular or not.

I'm going to add a warning message when you add nrwl/angular to an empty workspace, to indicate that the workspace you create is not an angular cli workspace.

Closing this issue.

[nayfin]

So, is there an easy way to convert from one to the other? Is it as simple as renaming the files (angular.json <=> workspace.json) and updating the implecentDependencies in the nx.json file

"implicitDependencies": {
    "angular.json/": "*", <==> "workspace.json/": "*",

Or is there more to it?

[nikbabchenko]

@vsavkin, is there a way to generate angular.json on an existing project?

[GreQ]

I've started getting into nx-workspace and noticed a lack of information about which cli to use. I thing it's a big issue when getting started and first prompt you get while creating an nx-workspace is the option to use nx - or ng cli and no documentation to be found explaining the pros and cons.
If my intention is to build angular apps, but not exclusively, side by side with react, web, etc.:
what's best choice?
Good spot to target the issue would be https://nx.dev/angular/getting-started/nx-and-cli.
Does the usage of the ng-cli limit workspace capability?
Does "nx g @nrwl/angular:foobar" the same job as "ng g foobar", just with the difference of naming the config file angular - or workspace.config.
Confusion is complete when reading/watching tutorials where nx-cli is used for angular app development not mentioning why this decision was made and ng-console turns out to be nx-console now. Does nx-console support the use of ng-cli powered by nrwl schematics and builders?
Some documentation about pros and cons in under which context would be very helpful!

[ghost]

Another possible example, the NgRx guide uses ng commands: https://nx.dev/angular/guides/misc-ngrx