Q:

What is meant by AngularJS element?

I am trying to learn AngularJS. I was reading the https://github.com/angular/angular.js/wiki/Understanding-Directives : "You do NOT have to wrap AngularJS elements in jQuery()"
What is meant by an AngularJS element?
In Jquery, if I have a DOM element, say by using document.getElementByID() and if I want to make it a jquery element with access to all of its awesome functions, I will simply say
 var domElement = document.getElementByID("elemID");
 var $domElement = $(domElement); (To cache the element)

So, if in angular I dont have to wrap the DOM element as in Jquery, then can I simply query the DOM and access it and still be able to access all the angular methods.
If so, how it is done? Is it because of the ng-app binding?
Are all DOM elements inside ng-app internally accessed by Angular and turned to equivalent AngularJS elements?

A:

The wiki page is talking about the elements passed by Angular as arguments to the compile and link functions of the directive:
link: function LinkingFunction($scope, $element, $attributes) { ... }
                                       ^-- here

If you get an element from the DOM using document.getElementById(), it won't be wrapped in jQuery automatically.

