In a discussion of Angular 2's evolution, this text highlights the significant shift from Angular 1's use of controllers, $scope, and directives to a more streamlined component model in Angular 2, which embraces object-oriented programming principles akin to languages like Java and C#. Angular 2 components replace the complex meta-structure of Angular 1 by encapsulating instance data, event handlers, and templates in a single, cohesive unit, making the framework easier to use and less error-prone. This transition to a cleaner, more explicit design aligns with modern web standards and prepares Angular for future technologies such as Web Components and Shadow DOM. The text also introduces the concept of annotations in Angular 2, used to define components with attributes like selectors and templates, and hints at new dependency injection and data binding methods to be discussed in future posts.