What is a Provider () in AngularJS?

The provider() function allows us to create a configurable service where we can set input per application for the service created using the provider (). For example, if we need to set API key to access a service on the application level, we can set that in the module config and pass input to the provider using the $provide service. All the others ways to create services internally use the $provide service.

Creating a service using $provide service in module.config

Let us start by creating a very simple service using the provider() function.

	
app.config(function ($provide) {
    $provide.provider('globalsetting', function () {
        this.$get = function () {
            var appname = "Lawyer App";
            return {
                appName: appname
            };
        }
    })
});

Let’s explore what is going on in the above snippet. To create a service using provider, we need to use the $provide service. The provider function of the $provide service takes two parameters: the name of the service and the function. A provider function must have a $get function. To create a simple service using the provider(), we need to perform following five steps:

  1. Inject the $provide service in the app config method
  2. Create a provider using the provider() function
  3. Pass two parameters to the provider() function: the name of the service and a function
  4. The provider function must contain a $get function
  5. Return an object literal from the $get function

We can use the globalsetting service created using the provider by injecting it in a controller as shown in the listing below:

Read full article on the Infragistics blog

One response to “What is a Provider () in AngularJS?”

  1. I was being asked in interview regarding the difference between provider, service and factory.

    1) In a Scenario, where we have to maintain the username and password after we successfully logged in into the system, which one is better to use? (provider, service or factory).

    2) Suppose, i have an bank account and after logged in into the account how do i maintain the account number through out the application? (Service, provider or factory)?

    Agnel.

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