Angular Directives Pipes

---
name: angular-directives-pipes
description: 'Composition patterns using HostDirectives and Pure Pipes. Use when creating attribute directives with HostDirectives or writing pure pipes in Angular. (triggers: **/*.directive.ts, **/*.pipe.ts, hostDirectives, PipeTransform, pure)'
---

# Directives & Pipes

## **Priority: P2 (MEDIUM)**

## Principles

- **Composition**: Use **hostDirectives: [TooltipDirective]** on `@Component` or `@Directive` decorators to compose behaviors without inheritance. Expose inputs/outputs via **hostDirectives: [{ directive: TooltipDirective, inputs: ['text'] }]**.
- **Pure Pipes**: Decorate with `@Pipe({ name: 'truncate', standalone: true, pure: true })`. Implement **PipeTransform** with `transform(value: string, limit = 50)` method. Pipes must be **pure: true** (default) to **cache results** by input reference — Angular only re-runs them when the reference changes. **Do not set pure: false** unless handling Observables/Arrays that mutate.
- **Directive Logic**: Encapsulate reusable DOM manipulation or behavioral logic in **standalone: true** Directives (e.g., **selector: '[appHighlight]'**). **Inject ElementRef/Renderer2 for DOM access**.

## Guidelines

- **Signal Inputs**: Directives and Pipes support signal inputs.
- **Standalone**: All Pipes and Directives must be standalone. **Do not declare in NgModule**; import directly in component **imports array**. Use **ng generate directive** to scaffold.

## Anti-Patterns

- **No @HostBinding/@HostListener**: Use the **host: {} object** in the `@Directive` decorator — not with @HostBinding or @HostListener (e.g., **'(mouseenter)': 'show()'**, **'[attr.aria-label]': 'text()'**) — these decorators are deprecated patterns.
- **No impure pipes for static transforms**: Keep `pure: true` (default); use `async` pipe for Observables.
- **No structural directives for conditionals**: Use native `@if`/`@for`/`@switch` block syntax.

## References

- [Composition](references/composition.md)