Angular is a powerful framework that simplifies the development of dynamic web applications. To harness its full potential, mastering its core features is critical. First on the list is Two-Way Data Binding, which ensures that any changes in the UI are instantly reflected in the model and vice versa. This seamless synchronization enhances user experience by providing real-time feedback.

Another essential feature is the Dependency Injection (DI) system. DI allows developers to create highly modular and testable code by injecting dependencies directly into components. It streamlines the development process by reducing the need for boilerplate code. Other important features include Routing, Directives, and Observables in RxJS, which help manage asynchronous data streams, making your applications more efficient and responsive.

Optimizing your Angular application for performance is key to providing users with a seamless experience. One of the most effective strategies is to implement Lazy Loading. This technique allows you to load only the necessary components and routes when they are required, rather than loading the entire application at once. Additionally, you can enhance loading times by utilizing the Angular CLI's built-in production build feature, which enables Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compilation and tree-shaking to remove unused components and services from the final bundle. To get started with Lazy Loading, follow these steps:

1. Organize your routes into feature modules.
2. Use the loadChildren property in your routing module.
3. Test and monitor performance improvements.

Another critical aspect of Angular performance optimization is managing change detection. By default, Angular uses the zone.js library to perform change detection, which can be inefficient for larger applications. To counteract this, you can implement the OnPush change detection strategy, which requires Angular to check only the components that have changed, instead of the whole component tree. This approach can significantly reduce the number of checks Angular performs and improve the rendering speed of your application. In addition, keep an eye on the size of your application's bundles and make use of tools like Webpack for further optimizations, such as code splitting and minimizing dependencies.

Angular is a powerful framework for building web applications, but even seasoned developers can fall into common traps. One of the primary mistakes is not utilizing Angular's dependency injection effectively. This can lead to tightly coupled components, making your code difficult to maintain and test. Always ensure that your services are properly injected, and consider employing hierarchical injection to improve modularity and reusability.

Another frequent pitfall lies in neglecting change detection. Many developers assume that Angular's change detection works seamlessly in every situation, but this is not always the case. Instead of relying on default change detection strategies, consider using the OnPush strategy where appropriate to optimize performance. Remember, understanding how change detection operates can drastically enhance your application's efficiency.