function applyDirectivesToNode(directives, compileNode, templateAttrs, transcludeFn,
                                   jqCollection, originalReplaceDirective, preLinkFns, postLinkFns,
                                   previousCompileContext) {
      previousCompileContext = previousCompileContext || {};

      var terminalPriority = -Number.MAX_VALUE,
          newScopeDirective,
          controllerDirectives = previousCompileContext.controllerDirectives,
          newIsolateScopeDirective = previousCompileContext.newIsolateScopeDirective,
          templateDirective = previousCompileContext.templateDirective,
          nonTlbTranscludeDirective = previousCompileContext.nonTlbTranscludeDirective,
          hasTranscludeDirective = false,
          hasElementTranscludeDirective = false,
          $compileNode = templateAttrs.$$element = jqLite(compileNode),
          directive,
          directiveName,
          $template,
          replaceDirective = originalReplaceDirective,
          childTranscludeFn = transcludeFn,
          linkFn,
          directiveValue;

      // executes all directives on the current element
      for(var i = 0, ii = directives.length; i < ii; i++) {
        directive = directives[i];
        var attrStart = directive.$$start;
        var attrEnd = directive.$$end;

        // collect multiblock sections
        if (attrStart) {
          $compileNode = groupScan(compileNode, attrStart, attrEnd);
        }
        $template = undefined;

        if (terminalPriority > directive.priority) {
          break; // prevent further processing of directives
        }

        if (directiveValue = directive.scope) {
          newScopeDirective = newScopeDirective || directive;

          // skip the check for directives with async templates, we'll check the derived sync
          // directive when the template arrives
          if (!directive.templateUrl) {
            assertNoDuplicate('new/isolated scope', newIsolateScopeDirective, directive,
                              $compileNode);
            if (isObject(directiveValue)) {
              newIsolateScopeDirective = directive;
            }
          }
        }

        directiveName = directive.name;

        if (!directive.templateUrl && directive.controller) {
          directiveValue = directive.controller;
          controllerDirectives = controllerDirectives || {};
          assertNoDuplicate("'" + directiveName + "' controller",
              controllerDirectives[directiveName], directive, $compileNode);
          controllerDirectives[directiveName] = directive;
        }

        if (directiveValue = directive.transclude) {
          hasTranscludeDirective = true;

          // Special case ngIf and ngRepeat so that we don't complain about duplicate transclusion.
          // This option should only be used by directives that know how to safely handle element transclusion,
          // where the transcluded nodes are added or replaced after linking.
          if (!directive.$$tlb) {
            assertNoDuplicate('transclusion', nonTlbTranscludeDirective, directive, $compileNode);
            nonTlbTranscludeDirective = directive;
          }

          if (directiveValue == 'element') {
            hasElementTranscludeDirective = true;
            terminalPriority = directive.priority;
            $template = groupScan(compileNode, attrStart, attrEnd);
            $compileNode = templateAttrs.$$element =
                jqLite(document.createComment(' ' + directiveName + ': ' +
                                              templateAttrs[directiveName] + ' '));
            compileNode = $compileNode[0];
            replaceWith(jqCollection, jqLite(sliceArgs($template)), compileNode);

            childTranscludeFn = compile($template, transcludeFn, terminalPriority,
                                        replaceDirective && replaceDirective.name, {
                                          // Don't pass in:
                                          // - controllerDirectives - otherwise we'll create duplicates controllers
                                          // - newIsolateScopeDirective or templateDirective - combining templates with
                                          //   element transclusion doesn't make sense.
                                          //
                                          // We need only nonTlbTranscludeDirective so that we prevent putting transclusion
                                          // on the same element more than once.
                                          nonTlbTranscludeDirective: nonTlbTranscludeDirective
                                        });
          } else {
            $template = jqLite(jqLiteClone(compileNode)).contents();
            $compileNode.empty(); // clear contents
            childTranscludeFn = compile($template, transcludeFn);
          }
        }

        if (directive.template) {
          assertNoDuplicate('template', templateDirective, directive, $compileNode);
          templateDirective = directive;

          directiveValue = (isFunction(directive.template))
              ? directive.template($compileNode, templateAttrs)
              : directive.template;

          directiveValue = denormalizeTemplate(directiveValue);

          if (directive.replace) {
            replaceDirective = directive;
            $template = jqLite('<div>' +
                                 trim(directiveValue) +
                               '</div>').contents();
            compileNode = $template[0];

            if ($template.length != 1 || compileNode.nodeType !== 1) {
              throw $compileMinErr('tplrt',
                  "Template for directive '{0}' must have exactly one root element. {1}",
                  directiveName, '');
            }

            replaceWith(jqCollection, $compileNode, compileNode);

            var newTemplateAttrs = {$attr: {}};

            // combine directives from the original node and from the template:
            // - take the array of directives for this element
            // - split it into two parts, those that already applied (processed) and those that weren't (unprocessed)
            // - collect directives from the template and sort them by priority
            // - combine directives as: processed + template + unprocessed
            var templateDirectives = collectDirectives(compileNode, [], newTemplateAttrs);
            var unprocessedDirectives = directives.splice(i + 1, directives.length - (i + 1));

            if (newIsolateScopeDirective) {
              markDirectivesAsIsolate(templateDirectives);
            }
            directives = directives.concat(templateDirectives).concat(unprocessedDirectives);
            mergeTemplateAttributes(templateAttrs, newTemplateAttrs);

            ii = directives.length;
          } else {
            $compileNode.html(directiveValue);
          }
        }

        if (directive.templateUrl) {
          assertNoDuplicate('template', templateDirective, directive, $compileNode);
          templateDirective = directive;

          if (directive.replace) {
            replaceDirective = directive;
          }

          nodeLinkFn = compileTemplateUrl(directives.splice(i, directives.length - i), $compileNode,
              templateAttrs, jqCollection, childTranscludeFn, preLinkFns, postLinkFns, {
                controllerDirectives: controllerDirectives,
                newIsolateScopeDirective: newIsolateScopeDirective,
                templateDirective: templateDirective,
                nonTlbTranscludeDirective: nonTlbTranscludeDirective
              });
          ii = directives.length;
        } else if (directive.compile) {
          try {
            linkFn = directive.compile($compileNode, templateAttrs, childTranscludeFn);
            if (isFunction(linkFn)) {
              addLinkFns(null, linkFn, attrStart, attrEnd);
            } else if (linkFn) {
              addLinkFns(linkFn.pre, linkFn.post, attrStart, attrEnd);
            }
          } catch (e) {
            $exceptionHandler(e, startingTag($compileNode));
          }
        }

        if (directive.terminal) {
          nodeLinkFn.terminal = true;
          terminalPriority = Math.max(terminalPriority, directive.priority);
        }

      }

      nodeLinkFn.scope = newScopeDirective && newScopeDirective.scope === true;
      nodeLinkFn.transclude = hasTranscludeDirective && childTranscludeFn;

      // might be normal or delayed nodeLinkFn depending on if templateUrl is present
      return nodeLinkFn;

      ////////////////////

      function addLinkFns(pre, post, attrStart, attrEnd) {
        if (pre) {
          if (attrStart) pre = groupElementsLinkFnWrapper(pre, attrStart, attrEnd);
          pre.require = directive.require;
          if (newIsolateScopeDirective === directive || directive.$$isolateScope) {
            pre = cloneAndAnnotateFn(pre, {isolateScope: true});
          }
          preLinkFns.push(pre);
        }
        if (post) {
          if (attrStart) post = groupElementsLinkFnWrapper(post, attrStart, attrEnd);
          post.require = directive.require;
          if (newIsolateScopeDirective === directive || directive.$$isolateScope) {
            post = cloneAndAnnotateFn(post, {isolateScope: true});
          }
          postLinkFns.push(post);
        }
      }


      function getControllers(require, $element, elementControllers) {
        var value, retrievalMethod = 'data', optional = false;
        if (isString(require)) {
          while((value = require.charAt(0)) == '^' || value == '?') {
            require = require.substr(1);
            if (value == '^') {
              retrievalMethod = 'inheritedData';
            }
            optional = optional || value == '?';
          }
          value = null;

          if (elementControllers && retrievalMethod === 'data') {
            value = elementControllers[require];
          }
          value = value || $element[retrievalMethod]('$' + require + 'Controller');

          if (!value && !optional) {
            throw $compileMinErr('ctreq',
                "Controller '{0}', required by directive '{1}', can't be found!",
                require, directiveName);
          }
          return value;
        } else if (isArray(require)) {
          value = [];
          forEach(require, function(require) {
            value.push(getControllers(require, $element, elementControllers));
          });
        }
        return value;
      }


      function nodeLinkFn(childLinkFn, scope, linkNode, $rootElement, boundTranscludeFn) {
        var attrs, $element, i, ii, linkFn, controller, isolateScope, elementControllers = {}, transcludeFn;

        if (compileNode === linkNode) {
          attrs = templateAttrs;
        } else {
          attrs = shallowCopy(templateAttrs, new Attributes(jqLite(linkNode), templateAttrs.$attr));
        }
        $element = attrs.$$element;

        if (newIsolateScopeDirective) {
          var LOCAL_REGEXP = /^\s*([@=&])(\??)\s*(\w*)\s*$/;
          var $linkNode = jqLite(linkNode);

          isolateScope = scope.$new(true);

          if (templateDirective && (templateDirective === newIsolateScopeDirective.$$originalDirective)) {
            $linkNode.data('$isolateScope', isolateScope) ;
          } else {
            $linkNode.data('$isolateScopeNoTemplate', isolateScope);
          }



          safeAddClass($linkNode, 'ng-isolate-scope');

          forEach(newIsolateScopeDirective.scope, function(definition, scopeName) {
            var match = definition.match(LOCAL_REGEXP) || [],
                attrName = match[3] || scopeName,
                optional = (match[2] == '?'),
                mode = match[1], // @, =, or &
                lastValue,
                parentGet, parentSet, compare;

            isolateScope.$$isolateBindings[scopeName] = mode + attrName;

            switch (mode) {

              case '@':
                attrs.$observe(attrName, function(value) {
                  isolateScope[scopeName] = value;
                });
                attrs.$$observers[attrName].$$scope = scope;
                if( attrs[attrName] ) {
                  // If the attribute has been provided then we trigger an interpolation to ensure
                  // the value is there for use in the link fn
                  isolateScope[scopeName] = $interpolate(attrs[attrName])(scope);
                }
                break;

              case '=':
                if (optional && !attrs[attrName]) {
                  return;
                }
                parentGet = $parse(attrs[attrName]);
                if (parentGet.literal) {
                  compare = equals;
                } else {
                  compare = function(a,b) { return a === b; };
                }
                parentSet = parentGet.assign || function() {
                  // reset the change, or we will throw this exception on every $digest
                  lastValue = isolateScope[scopeName] = parentGet(scope);
                  throw $compileMinErr('nonassign',
                      "Expression '{0}' used with directive '{1}' is non-assignable!",
                      attrs[attrName], newIsolateScopeDirective.name);
                };
                lastValue = isolateScope[scopeName] = parentGet(scope);
                isolateScope.$watch(function parentValueWatch() {
                  var parentValue = parentGet(scope);
                  if (!compare(parentValue, isolateScope[scopeName])) {
                    // we are out of sync and need to copy
                    if (!compare(parentValue, lastValue)) {
                      // parent changed and it has precedence
                      isolateScope[scopeName] = parentValue;
                    } else {
                      // if the parent can be assigned then do so
                      parentSet(scope, parentValue = isolateScope[scopeName]);
                    }
                  }
                  return lastValue = parentValue;
                }, null, parentGet.literal);
                break;

              case '&':
                parentGet = $parse(attrs[attrName]);
                isolateScope[scopeName] = function(locals) {
                  return parentGet(scope, locals);
                };
                break;

              default:
                throw $compileMinErr('iscp',
                    "Invalid isolate scope definition for directive '{0}'." +
                    " Definition: {... {1}: '{2}' ...}",
                    newIsolateScopeDirective.name, scopeName, definition);
            }
          });
        }
        transcludeFn = boundTranscludeFn && controllersBoundTransclude;
        if (controllerDirectives) {
          forEach(controllerDirectives, function(directive) {
            var locals = {
              $scope: directive === newIsolateScopeDirective || directive.$$isolateScope ? isolateScope : scope,
              $element: $element,
              $attrs: attrs,
              $transclude: transcludeFn
            }, controllerInstance;

            controller = directive.controller;
            if (controller == '@') {
              controller = attrs[directive.name];
            }

            controllerInstance = $controller(controller, locals);
            // For directives with element transclusion the element is a comment,
            // but jQuery .data doesn't support attaching data to comment nodes as it's hard to
            // clean up (http://bugs.jquery.com/ticket/8335).
            // Instead, we save the controllers for the element in a local hash and attach to .data
            // later, once we have the actual element.
            elementControllers[directive.name] = controllerInstance;
            if (!hasElementTranscludeDirective) {
              $element.data('$' + directive.name + 'Controller', controllerInstance);
            }

            if (directive.controllerAs) {
              locals.$scope[directive.controllerAs] = controllerInstance;
            }
          });
        }

        // PRELINKING
        for(i = 0, ii = preLinkFns.length; i < ii; i++) {
          try {
            linkFn = preLinkFns[i];
            linkFn(linkFn.isolateScope ? isolateScope : scope, $element, attrs,
                linkFn.require && getControllers(linkFn.require, $element, elementControllers), transcludeFn);
          } catch (e) {
            $exceptionHandler(e, startingTag($element));
          }
        }

        // RECURSION
        // We only pass the isolate scope, if the isolate directive has a template,
        // otherwise the child elements do not belong to the isolate directive.
        var scopeToChild = scope;
        if (newIsolateScopeDirective && (newIsolateScopeDirective.template || newIsolateScopeDirective.templateUrl === null)) {
          scopeToChild = isolateScope;
        }
        childLinkFn && childLinkFn(scopeToChild, linkNode.childNodes, undefined, boundTranscludeFn);

        // POSTLINKING
        for(i = postLinkFns.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
          try {
            linkFn = postLinkFns[i];
            linkFn(linkFn.isolateScope ? isolateScope : scope, $element, attrs,
                linkFn.require && getControllers(linkFn.require, $element, elementControllers), transcludeFn);
          } catch (e) {
            $exceptionHandler(e, startingTag($element));
          }
        }

        // This is the function that is injected as `$transclude`.
        function controllersBoundTransclude(scope, cloneAttachFn) {
          var transcludeControllers;

          // no scope passed
          if (arguments.length < 2) {
            cloneAttachFn = scope;
            scope = undefined;
          }

          if (hasElementTranscludeDirective) {
            transcludeControllers = elementControllers;
          }

          return boundTranscludeFn(scope, cloneAttachFn, transcludeControllers);
        }
      }
    }
Once the directives have been collected, their compile functions are executed. This method
is responsible for inlining directive templates as well as terminating the application
of the directives if the terminal directive has been reached.

@param {Array} directives Array of collected directives to execute their compile function.
       this needs to be pre-sorted by priority order.
@param {Node} compileNode The raw DOM node to apply the compile functions to
@param {Object} templateAttrs The shared attribute function
@param {function(angular.Scope[, cloneAttachFn]} transcludeFn A linking function, where the
                                                 scope argument is auto-generated to the new
                                                 child of the transcluded parent scope.
@param {JQLite} jqCollection If we are working on the root of the compile tree then this
                             argument has the root jqLite array so that we can replace nodes
                             on it.
@param {Object=} originalReplaceDirective An optional directive that will be ignored when
                                          compiling the transclusion.
@param {Array.<Function>} preLinkFns
@param {Array.<Function>} postLinkFns
@param {Object} previousCompileContext Context used for previous compilation of the current
                                       node
@returns linkFn