The current documentation on hydration and server-side rendering lacks clarity about what processes run where (server vs browser) and when they occur. This creates confusion for developers trying to understand the hydration lifecycle.
Current Documentation Issues

1. Unclear Process Flow
   The docs don't clearly explain the step-by-step process of:

What happens on the server during SSR
What the browser receives
When and how hydration occurs
Who (server vs browser) is responsible for each step

2. Missing Concrete Examples
   The documentation lacks examples showing:

Actual HTML output from server-side rendering
Before/after states during hydration
Timeline of when each process occurs

3. Confusing Terminology
   Terms like "client-side hydration" can be ambiguous. It's not immediately clear that:

Server only generates HTML strings
Browser is solely responsible for JavaScript execution and hydration
Hydration is entirely a browser process

Specific Areas Needing Improvement
Current SSR/Hydration Docs

Location: https://angular.dev/guide/ssr
Problem: Doesn't clearly distinguish server responsibilities from browser responsibilities
Missing: Step-by-step process flow with concrete examples

Deferrable Views Hydration

Location: https://angular.dev/guide/defer
Problem: @defer(hydrate ...) behavior isn't clearly explained
Missing: What "defer hydration" actually means in practice

Suggested Improvements

1. Add Process Flow Diagram
   [Server: Node.js] [Browser]
   ↓ ↓
   SSR: Generate HTML → Download JS → Execute Hydration
   ↓ ↓ ↓
   Static HTML String → Interactive DOM → Event Listeners
2. Include Before/After Examples
   Component Code:
   typescript@Component({
   template: <button (click)="increment()">Count: {{ count }}</button>
   })
   export class CounterComponent {
   count = 0;
   increment() { this.count++; }
   }
   Server Output (what browser receives):
   htmlCount: 0

After Browser Hydration:
htmlCount: 0

3. Add Timeline Section
   0ms → User requests page
   100ms → Server sends HTML (SSR complete)
   150ms → Browser displays static content
   500ms → JavaScript downloads
   600ms → Hydration begins (browser process)
   650ms → Page becomes interactive
4. Clarify Terminology

Replace "client-side hydration" with "browser hydration process"
Explicitly state "hydration runs entirely in the browser"
Distinguish between "client-side" (browser environment) and "client-side execution" (browser JavaScript engine)

Real-World Confusion
This documentation gap causes developers to:

Misunderstand when hydration occurs
Confuse server capabilities with browser capabilities
Struggle with debugging hydration issues
Have incorrect mental models of the SSR/hydration lifecycle

Proposed Solution
Add a dedicated "Understanding the Hydration Process" section that includes:

Clear responsibility matrix (Server vs Browser)
Step-by-step process flow with code examples
Visual timeline of SSR → HTML transfer → Hydration
Common misconceptions and clarifications
Debugging tips for hydration issues

Additional Context
This confusion is common in the community, as evidenced by:

Stack Overflow questions about hydration timing
Misconceptions about where hydration code runs
Difficulty understanding @defer(hydrate ...) behavior

Impact
Clearer documentation would:

Reduce developer confusion
Improve debugging capabilities
Help developers make better architectural decisions
Reduce support burden on the community

Environment:

Angular version: 20
Documentation section: SSR/Hydration guides

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