Directive can use another directive though 'require' keyword.
angular.module('docsTabsExample', [])
.directive('myTabs', function() {
return {
restrict: 'E',
transclude: true,
scope: {},
controller: function($scope) {
var panes = $scope.panes = [];
$scope.select = function(pane) {
angular.forEach(panes, function(pane) {
pane.selected = false;
});
pane.selected = true;
};
this.addPane = function(pane) {
if (panes.length === 0) {
$scope.select(pane);
}
panes.push(pane);
};
},
templateUrl: 'my-tabs.html'
};
})
.directive('myPane', function() {
return {
require: '^myTabs',
restrict: 'E',
transclude: true,
scope: {
title: '@'
},
link: function(scope, element, attrs, tabsCtrl) {
tabsCtrl.addPane(scope);
},
templateUrl: 'my-pane.html'
};
});
The myPane directive has a require option with value ^myTabs. When a directive uses this option, $compile will throw an error unless the specified controller is found. The ^ prefix means that this directive searches for the controller on its parents (without the ^ prefix, the directive would look for the controller on just its own element).