What is the meaning of bootstrapping in software development?

Question

In some articles and books that I read, I some time see the term 'Bootstrapping'. For example I see this sentence "Bootstrapping X.JS" in angular js document: http://docs.angularjs.org/tutorial/step_00

Bootstrapping AngularJS apps automatically using the ngApp directive is very easy and suitable for most cases. In advanced cases, such as when using script loaders, you can use imperative / manual way to bootstrap the app...

What is the meaning of bootstrapping in software development?

Answer 1

This is from Wikipedia:

bootstrapping usually refers to the starting of a self-sustaining process that is supposed to proceed without external input.

In angular means app automatically start with ngApp directive.

Answer 2

Bootstrapping roughly means to create a self-sustaining system from scratch. In compiler development it is the practice of writing the compiler in the target language, then compiling the compiler with itself.

See the Wikipedia article on Bootstrapping.

Answer 3

Bootstrapping in web frameworks is pushed into index page (the bootstrapper), and then it loads the frameworks helpers, models, configuration, and then loads the controller and passes off control to it.