fix(cdk/table): error if outlets are assigned too early

src/cdk/table/sticky-styler.ts

@@ -263,10 +263,12 @@ export class StickyStyler {
     this._coalescedStyleScheduler.schedule(() => {
       const tfoot = tableElement.querySelector('tfoot')!;
 
-      if (stickyStates.some(state => !state)) {
-        this._removeStickyStyle(tfoot, ['bottom']);
-      } else {
-        this._addStickyStyle(tfoot, 'bottom', 0, false);
+      if (tfoot) {
+        if (stickyStates.some(state => !state)) {
+          this._removeStickyStyle(tfoot, ['bottom']);
+        } else {
+          this._addStickyStyle(tfoot, 'bottom', 0, false);
+        }
       }
     });
   }

src/cdk/table/table.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {ViewportRuler} from '@angular/cdk/scrolling';
 import {DOCUMENT} from '@angular/common';
 import {
   AfterContentChecked,
+  AfterContentInit,
   Attribute,
   ChangeDetectionStrategy,
   ChangeDetectorRef,
@@ -285,7 +286,9 @@ export interface RenderRow<T> {
   standalone: true,
   imports: [HeaderRowOutlet, DataRowOutlet, NoDataRowOutlet, FooterRowOutlet],
 })
-export class CdkTable<T> implements AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDestroy, OnInit {
+export class CdkTable<T>
+  implements AfterContentInit, AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDestroy, OnInit
+{
   private _document: Document;
 
   /** Latest data provided by the data source. */
@@ -433,7 +436,10 @@ export class CdkTable<T> implements AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDes
   private _isShowingNoDataRow = false;
 
   /** Whether the table has rendered out all the outlets for the first time. */
-  private _hasRendered = false;
+  private _hasAllOutlets = false;
+
+  /** Whether the table is done initializing. */
+  private _hasInitialized = false;
 
   /** Aria role to apply to the table's cells based on the table's own role. */
   _getCellRole(): string | null {
@@ -641,9 +647,13 @@ export class CdkTable<T> implements AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDes
       });
   }
 
+  ngAfterContentInit() {
+    this._hasInitialized = true;
+  }
+
   ngAfterContentChecked() {
     // Only start re-rendering in `ngAfterContentChecked` after the first render.
-    if (this._hasRendered) {
+    if (this._canRender()) {
       this._render();
     }
   }
@@ -902,17 +912,27 @@ export class CdkTable<T> implements AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDes
     // Also we can't use queries to resolve the outlets, because they're wrapped in a
     // conditional, so we have to rely on them being assigned via DI.
     if (
-      !this._hasRendered &&
+      !this._hasAllOutlets &&
       this._rowOutlet &&
       this._headerRowOutlet &&
       this._footerRowOutlet &&
       this._noDataRowOutlet
     ) {
-      this._hasRendered = true;
-      this._render();
+      this._hasAllOutlets = true;
+
+      // In some setups this may fire before `ngAfterContentInit`
+      // so we need a check here. See #28538.
+      if (this._canRender()) {
+        this._render();
+      }
     }
   }
 
+  /** Whether the table has all the information to start rendering. */
+  private _canRender(): boolean {
+    return this._hasAllOutlets && this._hasInitialized;
+  }
+
   /** Renders the table if its state has changed. */
   private _render(): void {
     // Cache the row and column definitions gathered by ContentChildren and programmatic injection.

tools/public_api_guard/cdk/table.md

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ```ts
 
 import { AfterContentChecked } from '@angular/core';
+import { AfterContentInit } from '@angular/core';
 import { BehaviorSubject } from 'rxjs';
 import { ChangeDetectorRef } from '@angular/core';
 import { CollectionViewer } from '@angular/cdk/collections';
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ export class CdkRowDef<T> extends BaseRowDef {
 }
 
 // @public
-export class CdkTable<T> implements AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDestroy, OnInit {
+export class CdkTable<T> implements AfterContentInit, AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDestroy, OnInit {
     constructor(_differs: IterableDiffers, _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef, _elementRef: ElementRef, role: string, _dir: Directionality, _document: any, _platform: Platform, _viewRepeater: _ViewRepeater<T, RenderRow<T>, RowContext<T>>, _coalescedStyleScheduler: _CoalescedStyleScheduler, _viewportRuler: ViewportRuler,
     _stickyPositioningListener: StickyPositioningListener,
     _ngZone?: NgZone | undefined);
@@ -337,6 +338,8 @@ export class CdkTable<T> implements AfterContentChecked, CollectionViewer, OnDes
     // (undocumented)
     ngAfterContentChecked(): void;
     // (undocumented)
+    ngAfterContentInit(): void;
+    // (undocumented)
     ngOnDestroy(): void;
     // (undocumented)
     ngOnInit(): void;