BrowserAnimationsModule vs NoopAnimationsModule: Angular Material animation retention in production builds

Goal

Retain MatMenu and MatTooltip animations after an Angular CLI production build while keeping the standard BrowserAnimationsModule import.

Constraints & Uncertainty

• Production optimization in angular.json can strip animation triggers, making components appear non‑interactive.
• Replacing BrowserAnimationsModule with NoopAnimationsModule avoids runtime errors but disables all Material animations globally, requiring per‑component opt‑ins.
• Behavior changed in Angular 15+; earlier versions may not exhibit the same stripping, and custom webpack or Vite setups can alter outcomes.

Open Questions

1. Which angular.json optimization flags (e.g., scriptsOptimization, stylesOptimization) preserve animation metadata for Material components?
2. Is there a supported pattern to selectively enable animations per component when NoopAnimationsModule is the root provider?
3. Does Angular 15+ require additional compiler options or polyfills to keep animations intact in production builds?