How to implement history.back() in angular.js

Angular routes watch the browser's location, so simply using window.history.back() on clicking something would work.

HTML:

<div class="nav-header" ng-click="doTheBack()">Reverse!</div>

JS:

$scope.doTheBack = function() {
  window.history.back();
};

I usually create a global function called '$back' on my app controller, which I usually put on the body tag.

angular.module('myApp').controller('AppCtrl', ['$scope', function($scope) {
  $scope.$back = function() { 
    window.history.back();
  };
}]);

Then anywhere in my app I can just do <a ng-click="$back()">Back</a>

(If you want it to be more testable, inject the $window service into your controller and use $window.history.back()).

You need to use a link function in your directive:

link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
     element.on('click', function() {
         $window.history.back();
     });
 }

See jsFiddle.

Ideally use a simple directive to keep controllers free from redundant $window

app.directive('back', ['$window', function($window) {
        return {
            restrict: 'A',
            link: function (scope, elem, attrs) {
                elem.bind('click', function () {
                    $window.history.back();
                });
            }
        };
    }]);

Use like this:

<button back>Back</button>

Another nice and reusable solution is to create a directive like this:

app.directive( 'backButton', function() {
    return {
        restrict: 'A',
        link: function( scope, element, attrs ) {
            element.on( 'click', function () {
                history.back();
                scope.$apply();
            } );
        }
    };
} );

then just use it like this:

<a href back-button>back</a>