Angular ng-click with inline function

Question

Why does onclick="window.history.back()" work and angular's ng-click="window.history.back()" doesn't?

Answer 1

You can make this work adding window to your $scope, or even better to $rootScope so every $scope has access to window and thus your initial attemp would work as you've expected.

Example adding it to $rootScope:

<script>
  app.run(['$rootScope', function($rootScope) {
    $rootScope.window = window
  }])
</script>

Then you just call:

<button type="button" ng-click="window.history.back()">Go back</button>

or:

<button type="button" ng-click="window.alert('it works!')">Alert!</button>

or whatever variable or function in global javascript scope you want.

Answer 2

onclick is an javascript event, so it can call function in javascript window object.

Where as

ng-click is an angular directive, which can only call functions which is available in the $scope. window is not available in $scope.