You’re using Observable subscribe() wrong!

Guillaume Ferber
11 min readFeb 10, 2023

Observables are a powerful and essential tool in Angular, allowing us to handle asynchronous data and react to changes in real time. The magic of RxJs makes an Observable an object that we can create and pass values to and an object that we can listen to when we subscribe to this Observable. But are we really subscribing to our Observables the right way?

The goal of this article is to help Angular developers understand and implement the Observable subscribe() method correctly. Many developers often misuse this method, leading to unexpected behavior and performance issues.

What are Observables and what is the subscribe() method?

Observables are a type of data structure that emit values over time. Unlike Promises, which only emit a single value, Observables can emit multiple values. They are the ideal choice for handling real-time data.

They are commonly used in Angular for tasks such as HTTP requests, user input, and reactive data updates. They are essential for ensuring that your application remains fast, efficient, and responsive.

Incorrect Usage of subscribe()

One of the most common mistakes made by Angular developers is misusing the subscribe() method of Observables. This leads to…

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