Angular is a powerful framework for building dynamic web applications, and getting started can seem daunting for beginners. However, with the right approach, you can quickly grasp the fundamentals and start creating your first application. The first step is to set up your development environment. This involves installing Node.js and the Angular CLI (Command Line Interface). Once these are set up, you can create a new Angular project by running the command ng new my-app in your terminal. This will scaffold a new application folder with all the necessary files and configurations.

After creating your application, it's essential to understand the core concepts of Angular, such as components, modules, and services. Components are the building blocks of your application, responsible for managing the view and handling user interactions. To get started, create your first component using the command ng generate component my-component. You can then design your component's template and styles, and add logic to its class file. As you become more comfortable with Angular, explore additional features like routing and dependency injection to enhance your application's capabilities.

When it comes to Angular development, following best practices is crucial for building efficient applications. Here are the top 10 best practices to consider:

1. Use Angular CLI: The Angular Command Line Interface (CLI) streamlines development by automating repetitive tasks, scaffolding new components, and ensuring a structured project layout.
2. Modular Architecture: Break your application into modules. This makes your code more manageable, promotes reusability, and enhances performance by allowing lazy loading.
3. Optimize Change Detection: Utilize the OnPush strategy for components whenever possible to improve performance by reducing unnecessary checks.
4. Utilize Reactive Programming: Embrace RxJS for handling asynchronous data streams, allowing for more efficient and maintainable code.

Additionally, it’s important to focus on user experience and performance:

5. Lazy Loading: Implement lazy loading for routes and modules to decrease the initial load time of your application.
6. Track State with Services: Maintain application state using services, which can be shared across components, reducing complexity and bolstering maintainability.
7. Implement Error Handling: Build a robust error handling mechanism to provide users with feedback when things go wrong, increasing their trust in your app.
8. Keep Dependencies Updated: Regularly update your Angular version and other dependencies to take advantage of the latest features and security improvements.
9. Write Unit Tests: Ensure your components and services are well-tested with unit tests to maintain code quality and facilitate easier debugging.

When developing applications in Angular, developers often encounter a range of pitfalls that can vastly affect app performance and maintainability. One of the common mistakes in Angular development is not implementing lazy loading correctly. Lazy loading optimizes the application by loading modules only when needed, which helps reduce the initial load time. Ensure that your routes are set up to use the loadChildren syntax, thus preventing unnecessary module imports.

Another frequent oversight is the improper use of the Change Detection strategy. Angular’s default change detection can be resource-intensive, especially in larger applications. Developers should consider using OnPush strategy for components that do not rely on mutable data. This approach can significantly enhance performance by minimizing the number of checks Angular performs. To avoid these pitfalls, regularly review your application’s structure and performance metrics.