iptvnator/docs/architecture/zoneless-migration.md

Zoneless change-detection migration

Working checklist for plan item C6 of the performance journeys plan: move the renderer (apps/web) from zone.js to provideZonelessChangeDetection(). The win is measured with the change-detection tick counters described in performance journeys; the idle work audit found the Eager roots that re-render on every tick. Update this file in the same PR that converts an item.

The inventory was taken on e8b181fce (2026-10-04, Angular 22.1.6). Run pnpm nx run electron-backend-e2e:test-performance-harness after editing the Eager list: zoneless-migration.spec.ts fails when the list and the code disagree, so a new Eager component cannot land unnoticed and a converted one must be ticked here.

Starting point

• OnPush is already the default. Since Angular 22 an unset changeDetection means OnPush, and the old Default strategy is spelled ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager. Only components that set Eager are checked on every tick. ChangeDetectionStrategy.Default is not used.
• Renderer bootstrap. apps/web/src/app/app.config.ts provides provideZoneChangeDetection({ eventCoalescing: true }) and apps/web/project.json builds with "polyfills": ["zone.js"]. apps/remote-control-web does the same; it is a separate app and outside this migration unless a step says otherwise.
• Unit tests already run zoneless. Every src/test-setup.ts (apps/web, apps/remote-control-web and 24 libs) calls setupZonelessTestEnv and loads zone.js/zone.js/testing only for fakeAsync and waitForAsync. A component that passes its specs is therefore not proof of zone-free production behavior when the spec calls fixture.detectChanges() itself.
• IPC callbacks never ran in the Angular zone. window.electron.on* listeners arrive through contextBridge and are not zone-patched, so every one that works today already writes signals or calls NgZone.run.
• Counters before the migration (macOS, from performance journeys): renderer.cdTicksToFirstCard 20–21 (the one-tick zone.js race), renderer.cdTicksIdle30s 3, renderer.cdTicksToFirstPage 22; renderer.cdTicksToPlaying has no recorded run yet.

PR sequence

1. Keep @ngrx/store-devtools out of production bundles (#1810, open). Not a zone change; it lowered renderer.initialBytes before the migration starts moving it.
2. This inventory and its guard spec.
3. Per-project PRs, in this order, each converting the project's Eager components and fixing its zone-dependent sites while zone.js stays on: libs/ui/*, libs/workspace/*, libs/playlist/*, libs/portal/*, playback (libs/ui/playback, libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player), apps/web. Each reports the tick counters before and after and runs the affected unit and E2E tests.
4. provideZonelessChangeDetection() behind a build-time fileReplacements flag, off by default; the three implemented journeys (J1-J3; J4 is still planned) and the Electron E2E suite run with it on (see Zoneless flag).
5. Flag on by default, zone.js out of polyfills, new tick baselines (renderer.cdTicksIdle30s and any counter that becomes deterministic once the zone.js race is gone).

Eager components

66 production files, 67 components (epg-progress-panel.component.ts holds two). Tick an entry by deleting changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager (or setting OnPush) once its template state is signals, signal inputs or explicitly marked. The guard spec compares the unticked entries with the files whose component metadata still sets changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager (comments do not count). The settings sections read form values in their templates and the parent patches the form outside their events (Discard, backup import, the EPG file picker), so each marks itself on the form's events through markSectionForCheckOnFormEvents (apps/web/src/app/settings).

apps/web (15)

• apps/web/src/app/app.component.ts (idle audit root)
• apps/web/src/app/app-update-notification-panel.component.ts (idle audit root)
• apps/web/src/app/settings/app-update-release-notes-dialog.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-about-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-backup-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-dashboard-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-delete-all-playlists-dialog.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-epg-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-general-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-playback-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-remote-control-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-reset-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-tmdb-section.component.ts
• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-unsaved-changes-dialog.component.ts

libs/ui (20 files, 21 components)

• libs/ui/components/src/lib/confirm-dialog/confirm-dialog.component.ts
• libs/ui/components/src/lib/content-hero/content-hero.component.ts
• libs/ui/components/src/lib/expandable-text/expandable-text.component.ts
• libs/ui/components/src/lib/portal-detail-shell/content-about.component.ts
• libs/ui/components/src/lib/portal-detail-shell/portal-detail-shell.component.ts
• libs/ui/components/src/lib/progress-capsule/progress-capsule.component.ts
• libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-info-dialog.component.ts
• libs/ui/components/src/lib/watched-badge/watched-badge.component.ts
• libs/ui/epg/src/lib/epg-item-description/epg-item-description.component.ts
• libs/ui/epg/src/lib/epg-progress-panel/epg-progress-panel.component.ts (idle audit root; also EpgTrustConfirmDialogComponent)
• libs/ui/epg/src/lib/epg-source-status/epg-source-status.component.ts
• libs/ui/remote-control/src/lib/remote-control/remote-control.component.ts (apps/remote-control-web only)
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player.component.ts
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/audio-player/audio-player.component.ts
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/external-player-info-dialog/external-player-info-dialog.component.ts
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-player.component.ts
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.ts
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-player.component.ts
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details.component.ts
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/web-player-view/web-player-view.component.ts

libs/ui/playback (8) goes with the playback PR, not the libs/ui one.

apps/remote-control-web (1)

• apps/remote-control-web/src/app/app.ts (separate app; converts with remote-control.component.ts)

libs/workspace (7)

• libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-command-palette/workspace-command-palette.component.ts
• libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-collection-context-panel.component.ts
• libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.ts
• libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-settings-context-panel.component.ts
• libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-keyboard-shortcuts/workspace-keyboard-shortcuts-dialog.component.ts
• libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-shell/workspace-shell.component.ts (idle audit root)
• libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-sources/workspace-sources.component.ts

libs/playlist (14)

• libs/playlist/import/feature/src/lib/add-playlist-dialog/add-playlist-dialog.component.ts
• libs/playlist/import/feature/src/lib/auto-import/auto-import.component.ts
• libs/playlist/import/feature/src/lib/file-upload/file-upload.component.ts
• libs/playlist/import/feature/src/lib/stalker-portal-import/stalker-portal-import.component.ts
• libs/playlist/import/feature/src/lib/text-import/text-import.component.ts
• libs/playlist/import/feature/src/lib/url-upload/url-upload.component.ts
• libs/playlist/import/feature/src/lib/xtream-code-import/xtream-code-import.component.ts
• libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/m3u-vod-detail/m3u-vod-detail.component.ts
• libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.ts
• libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/empty-state/empty-state.component.ts
• libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/playlist-info/playlist-info.component.ts
• libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/playlist-item/playlist-item.component.ts
• libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/source-health/source-cleanup-dialog.component.ts
• libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/source-health/source-health-indicator.component.ts

libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player (2) goes with the playback PR.

libs/portal (9)

• libs/portal/shared/ui/src/lib/components/favorites-layout/favorites-layout.component.ts
• libs/portal/shared/ui/src/lib/components/playlist-error-view/playlist-error-view.component.ts
• libs/portal/shared/ui/src/lib/components/search-form/search-form.component.ts
• libs/portal/shared/ui/src/lib/navigation/portal-rail-links.component.ts
• libs/portal/stalker/feature/src/lib/stalker-catalog-detail/stalker-catalog-detail.component.ts
• libs/portal/stalker/feature/src/lib/stalker-favorites-button/stalker-favorites-button.component.ts
• libs/portal/stalker/feature/src/lib/stalker-series-view/stalker-series-view.component.ts
• libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/global-search-results/global-search-results.component.ts
• libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.ts

Test-only files that set Eager are not listed; they do not ship. The guard skips every *.spec.ts / *.test.ts file with or without a suffix of one or more segments (*.spec-stubs.ts, *.test-helpers.ts, *.test-data-stubs.ts, …), test-setup.ts and test-stubs/ directories.

Zone-dependent sites

Plain (non-signal) fields read by a template and written from a callback that is not an Angular template event. Under zone.js the next tick happens to refresh an Eager view; under zoneless nothing schedules one. Each fix makes the field a signal (or a computed), or writes it through one.

Done	Site	What depends on the zone	Owning PR
[x]	libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.ts onChannelNumberInput/clearChannelNumberInput	2 s window.setTimeout hides the channel-number overlay through plain showChannelNumberOverlay/channelNumberInput	playback
[x]	same file, applySettings and the settings effect()	IndexedDB storage.get(...).subscribe and an effect assign plain playerSettings, which picks the player in the template	playback
[x]	libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/playlist-item/playlist-item.component.ts checkPortalStatus	plain portalStatus assigned after await in ngOnInit (PWA only: skipped when source health is supported)	playlist
[x]	libs/playlist/shared/ui/src/lib/recent-playlists/playlist-info/playlist-info.component.ts (EPG clear and EPG file pick handlers)	plain playlist reassigned after await	playlist
[x]	libs/playlist/import/feature/src/lib/stalker-portal-import/stalker-portal-import.component.ts (device-id derivation)	form.patchValue after await; no fix needed: while derivation is on hasManualDeviceIds is false whatever the IDs are, the controls write their own DOM values, and typing goes through value-accessor listeners that mark the view	playlist
[x]	libs/portal/stalker/feature/src/lib/stalker-live-stream-layout/stalker-live-stream-layout.component.ts (favorites load)	favorites Map filled in a subscribe without markForCheck; the component is OnPush already, so this is a latent bug today	portal
[x]	libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/portal-channels-list/portal-channels-list.component.ts (favorites load)	same pattern; the neighbouring favoriteMarks.changes$ handler does call markForCheck	portal
[x]	same file, programme dialog afterClosed	deletes from epgPrograms/currentProgramsProgress after await without marking	portal
[x]	apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-backup.facade.ts (backup import)	change listener on a detached file input → hydrateFromStore(); section templates read form().value.theme/coverSize; each section now marks itself on its form's events (markSectionForCheckOnFormEvents), which settings.component.form.spec.ts guards without a forced render	apps/web
[x]	libs/ui/epg/src/lib/epg-guide/epg-guide.component.ts (jump to now, keyboard focus)	afterNextRender registered from CDK/RxJS callbacks; zone.js followed them with a tick, zoneless schedules no render, so the guide opened at midnight. It now marks itself when it registers the hook. Found by epg-guide.e2e.ts on the zoneless build	flag
[ ]	libs/ui/remote-control/src/lib/remote-control/remote-control.component.ts	plain isLoading/error/status written after await and from a 2 s setInterval	only if apps/remote-control-web goes zoneless

Explicit zone and change-detector calls

They keep working under zoneless (NgZone becomes NoopNgZone, so run and runOutsideAngular just call through). Remove them in the flip PR, not before: with zone.js on they still matter.

• apps/web/src/app/settings/settings-unload-guard.service.ts: two zone.run calls around the window-close dialog (IPC onWindowCloseRequested and beforeunload).
• libs/ui/playback/src/lib/embedded-mpv-player/embedded-mpv-session-controller.ts: runOutsideAngular(() => setInterval(...)) for the position poll; embedded-mpv-session-controller.position.spec.ts asserts the call and changes with it.
• libs/workspace/dashboard/data-access/src/lib/dashboard-data.service.ts: 18 ngZone.run(() => signal.set(...)) calls, all redundant around signal writes.
• libs/workspace/dashboard/data-access/src/lib/dashboard-source-expiry.service.ts: one ngZone.run around a signal update.
• ChangeDetectorRef in stalker-live-stream-layout.component.ts (4 × markForCheck, 1 × detectChanges before measuring a row) and portal-channels-list.component.ts (3 × markForCheck, 2 × detectChanges): correct under zoneless; replace the Maps with signals in the portal PR if it stays small.

Checked and signal-safe

No change needed; recorded so the flag PR knows where to look if a journey regresses. Embedded MPV and external players are the riskiest paths because their events arrive over IPC.

• IPC listeners (17 registrations): app update status, external player sessions, window close and window state, player errors, playlist open requests, embedded MPV sessions, playback history gate, downloads, recordings, playlist refresh, DB operation and save progress, EPG progress, playback position updates, channel change and remote-control commands. All write signals, signal stores or NgRx, or have no UI state.
• Player libraries (video.js, mpegts.js, hls.js, artplayer, shaka, native <video>): callbacks bump signals in the control adapters or emit outputs whose parent handlers write signals.
• Observers (13 Intersection/Resize/Mutation observers) and document and window listeners (~40): signals or DOM only. @HostListener bindings are Angular listeners and mark their view.
• Timers (~130 setTimeout/setInterval/rAF/queueMicrotask): all write signals, touch the DOM or focus, or have no UI state, apart from the two in the table above.
• Dialogs and snackbars (20 afterClosed/onAction sites): signals, stores, outputs or navigation, apart from the one in the table above.
• No production code uses NgZone.onStable, onMicrotaskEmpty, isStable, ApplicationRef.tick(), Zone.current or ngDoCheck.

Build, tests and runtime details

• provideServiceWorker(..., { registrationStrategy: 'registerWhenStable:30000' }): under zoneless "stable" means no pending tasks. The 30 s bound still registers the worker; check the PWA build in the flag PR.
• change-detection-tick-counter.ts wraps ApplicationRef._tick, which the zoneless scheduler also calls, so the counters stay comparable.
• Specs that need zone.js: fakeAsync in playlist-switcher.component.spec.ts and stalker-live-navigation.spec.ts, waitForAsync in 13 files. They keep zone.js/testing until rewritten; removing zone.js from the build polyfills does not affect them.
• Unreferenced leftovers to delete in the flip PR: apps/web/src/polyfills.ts, apps/web/src/polyfills-test.ts, apps/web/src/setup-jest.ts (no project, tsconfig or Jest config uses them).

Zoneless flag

app.config.ts takes its change-detection providers from apps/web/src/environments/change-detection.providers.ts (provideZoneChangeDetection({ eventCoalescing: true })). The electron-performance-zoneless and electron-e2e-zoneless web configurations are their base configuration plus one fileReplacements swap to change-detection.providers.zoneless.ts (provideZonelessChangeDetection()); a test in performance-build-config.spec.ts pins that and refuses the swap in any other configuration. zone.js stays in the polyfills, so these builds log NG0914 in dev mode and nothing schedules through the zone. The Electron app loads the renderer from dist/apps/web, so rebuilding only the web app switches an existing Electron build:

pnpm nx run electron-backend:build-performance          # or build-e2e
pnpm nx run web:build:electron-performance-zoneless     # or electron-e2e-zoneless
cd apps/electron-backend-e2e
../../node_modules/.bin/playwright test --config=playwright.journeys.config.ts
../../node_modules/.bin/playwright test --grep-invert packaged

Do not run pnpm run perf:journeys or pnpm nx run electron-backend-e2e:e2e afterwards: their build dependencies restore the zone.js renderer.

First measurement (macOS, 2026-10-04, the six OnPush PRs merged locally on the flag branch; the same integration build measured with the flag off and on, five iterations each):

Counter	flag off	flag on
renderer.cdTicksToFirstCard	22, 20, 22, 21, 21	7, 7, 7, 7, 7
renderer.cdTicksIdle30s	4, 4, 4, 4, 4	3, 3, 3, 3, 3
renderer.cdTicksToFirstPage	22 (all)	8 (all)
renderer.cdTicksToPlaying	16, 15, 15, 17, 15	6, 8, 10, 10, 7
DOM mutations J1 / J2 / J3	553 / 1,603 / 6,182	553 / 1,603 / 6,182 (one J3 iteration 6,199, as on master)
spawnToFirstCardMs p50	3,071	828
clickToFirstPageMs p50	82.8	80.4
clickToLoadedMetadataMs / clickToPlayingMs p50	94.8 / 268.7	158.3 / 409.3

J1 and J2 tick counts become deterministic without the zone.js one-tick race, and the DOM mutations are unchanged, so nothing renders differently. J3's tick count still varies with player events and its wall-clock numbers rose locally; the machine was shared with other runs (load 26 to 58 during these two runs, master itself read 363.8 ms clickToPlayingMs p50 earlier the same day), so judge J3 on the CI runner before the flip.

Electron E2E suite on electron-e2e-zoneless (all specs except the packaged frame-copy ones): 203 passed, 7 skipped, 3 failed. epg-guide failed on every run and is fixed above; playlist-auto-refresh passed on --repeat-each=2; dash-clearkey "reopens from recent and favorites" is the known local flake (it fails as often on master). The IPC-driven paths passed zoneless: external-player launch states and the MPV/VLC DASH fallbacks in dash-clearkey, the MPV double-click gate in settings, remote-control, picture-in-picture and stream-info. Their state reaches the renderer over IPC into signals and never ran in the zone. Embedded MPV playback itself is covered only by the packaged frame-copy E2E, which these runs left out; run it on a packaged zoneless build before the flip.

Measuring a PR

Build electron-performance and run the journeys as described in performance journeys, then paste renderer.cdTicksToFirstCard, renderer.cdTicksIdle30s, renderer.cdTicksToFirstPage and renderer.cdTicksToPlaying before and after. While zone.js is on, removing Eager does not change the number of ticks, only the work per tick; expect the counters to stay put until the flag PR and the template work (DOM mutations, profile time) to drop.