This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Samuel Rizzon
The Angular ecosystem has been waiting for its own shadcn/ui moment. Today, we're excited to introduce ZardUI - a component library that brings the same revolutionary approach that made shadcn/ui so popular in the React world to Angular developers.
What is ZardUI?
ZardUI is a collection of 35 beautiful, accessible Angular components that follows shadcn/ui's core philosophy: developers should own their UI code. Built for Angular 19+, it combines shadcn/ui's design aesthetics with ng-zorro's developer experience, all while giving you complete ownership of your component code.
The key difference: When you add a ZardUI component, you get the full implementation - not just UI variants. Every module, wrapper, and utility is copied directly into your project. No black boxes, no hidden dependencies.
Why shadcn/ui's Approach Makes Sense for Angular
If you've been following the React ecosystem, you've seen how shadcn/ui changed the game. Instead of installing a traditional component library, shadcn/ui pioneered the "copy-paste" approach where components live in your codebase. This means:
- Complete customization freedom
- No version conflicts
- Immediate bug fixes without waiting for library updates
- Perfect alignment with your project's coding standards
ZardUI brings this same philosophy to Angular, adapted for our ecosystem's unique strengths like TypeScript-first development, reactive forms, and Angular's powerful component architecture.
How It Works
# Initialize ZardUI in your Angular 19+ project
npx @ngzard/ui init
# Add the components you need
npx @ngzard/ui add dialog
# That's it - the code is now yours
When you run these commands, ZardUI:
- Copies the complete component implementation to your project
- Includes all necessary modules and wrappers
- Sets up your Tailwind configuration
- Handles all dependencies
The result? A fully functional component that you can modify, extend, or completely reimagine.
The Philosophy: Code Ownership
Like shadcn/ui, we believe "The code is yours" isn't just a tagline - it's a fundamental shift in how we think about component libraries:
- ✅ No proprietary APIs to learn
- ✅ No version conflicts with the library
- ✅ No waiting for library updates to fix bugs
- ✅ No license concerns - MIT all the way
- ✅ Full TypeScript support with your configurations
Why Angular Developers Need This
Traditional Angular component libraries are powerful, but they come with trade-offs:
- Customization limitations: You often end up writing wrapper components to achieve your design requirements
- Bundle size: You ship code you don't use
- Update anxiety: Major version updates can break your entire app
- Learning curve: Each library has its own API and patterns
ZardUI, inspired by shadcn/ui's success in the React ecosystem, solves these problems by giving you the source code directly. It's not a dependency - it's a starting point.
Built with Modern Angular in Mind
Every component leverages Angular 19+'s latest features:
- Standalone components
- Signal support
- Improved performance optimizations
- Better TypeScript integration
Combined with Tailwind CSS for styling, you get a modern development experience that aligns with current best practices.
The shadcn/ui Effect: Why This Approach is the Future
shadcn/ui proved that developers want ownership and control. It sparked a movement in the React community, with developers embracing the idea that component libraries should be starting points, not rigid frameworks.
ZardUI brings this same revolution to Angular. We're not just copying shadcn/ui's components - we're embracing its philosophy and adapting it to Angular's strengths.
Future Updates: Our Vision
We're working on a merge-based update system. When we improve components, you'll be able to selectively merge changes into your codebase, similar to how you'd handle any code update through git. You decide what to update and when - maintaining full control over your UI evolution.
Join the Beta
We're in beta and we need your feedback. With 16 contributors already shaping the project, we're building this together as a community. No corporate backing, no premium tiers - just developers creating tools for developers.
Get Started:
- 🌐 Website: zardui.com
- 📦 GitHub: github.com/zard-ui/zardui
- 📚 Documentation: zardui.com/docs
- 💬 Discord: Join our community
# Try it now
npx @ngzard/ui init
What's Next?
This beta is just the beginning. We're working on:
- More components based on community needs
- The merge-based update system
- Better documentation and examples
- Theme customization tools
The roadmap is shaped by you. This is a community project, and your feedback determines where we go next.
We'd love to hear your thoughts! Have you used shadcn/ui in React projects? What would you like to see in an Angular-native implementation? Let us know in the comments or join us on Discord.
If this approach resonates with you, give us a star on GitHub - it helps other Angular developers discover the project.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Samuel Rizzon
Samuel Rizzon | Sciencx (2025-08-19T12:41:38+00:00) ZardUI Beta: Bringing shadcn/ui’s Philosophy to Angular – Where You Own Every Line of Code. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/19/zardui-beta-bringing-shadcn-uis-philosophy-to-angular-where-you-own-every-line-of-code/
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