angular directives link vs compile vs controller - sinsunsan/archiref_wiki GitHub Wiki

• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12164138/what-is-the-difference-between-compile-and-link-function-in-angularjs
• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12546945/difference-between-the-controller-link-and-compile-functions-when-definin
• http://www.jvandemo.com/the-nitty-gritty-of-compile-and-link-functions-inside-angularjs-directives/

From http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12546945/difference-between-the-controller-link-and-compile-functions-when-definin

use for template DOM manipulation (i.e., manipulation of tElement = template element), hence manipulations that apply to all DOM clones of the template associated with the directive. (If you also need a link function (or pre and post link functions), and you defined a compile function, the compile function must return the link function(s) because the 'link' attribute is ignored if the 'compile' attribute is defined.)

normally use for registering DOM listeners (i.e., $watch expressions on the scope) as well as updating the DOM (i.e., manipulation of iElement = individual instance element). It is executed after the template has been cloned -- e.g., inside an