When does Angulars link function run? - angularjs

Question

From what I understand it only runs once before the page is rendered. But is there ever a case where it runs after the page has been rendered?
I tried testing a few things with this plnkr:
angular
.module('app', [])
.directive('test', function($http) {
return {
restrict: 'E',
template: '<input />',
link: function(scope, el, attrs) {
var input = angular.element(el[0].children[0]);
input.on('change', function() {
console.log('change event');
scope.$apply(function() {
console.log('digest cycle');
});
});
input.on('keyup', function() {
console.log('keyup event');
var root = 'http://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com';
$http.get(root+'/users')
.success(function() {
console.log('http request successful');
})
.error(function() {
console.log('http request error');
});
});
console.log('link function run');
}
};
});
Does typing in the input field cause the link function to run?
Do event listeners cause the link function to run?
Do http requests (made with $http?) cause the link function to run?
Do digest cycles cause the link function to run?
The answer to all of these questions seem to be "no".

Answer 1

The link function runs when an instance of the directive is compiled, in this case, when a <test></test> element is created. That can be when angular's bootstrapping compiles the page, when it comes into being from a ng-if, when a ng-repeat makes it, when it's made with $compile, etc.
link will never fire twice for the same instance of the directive. Notably, it fires right after the template has been compiled in the directive's lifecycle.

Answer 2

1 - No, it causes to change the only ng-model if you have it binded.
2 - No, it will only launch the code inside the event binds.
3 - Again no, the event bind will launch the $http.get(). And please don't put an $http directly on your directive. Use a factory or something like that.
4 - Dunno
As Dylan Watt said, the directive link runs only when the directive is compiled (only once) per element/attr.... You can compile it in different ways. Plain http, $compile, ng-repeat....
You can create a $watch inside your directive to "relaunch" some code on a binded element change.
This maybe can help you: How to call a method defined in an AngularJS directive?