Use `this.$watch` instead of `$scope.$watch` with 'Controller As'

Question

Currently I am using the Controller As format for scoping controllers.

This works great for keeping the scope of values on the views clear and easy to follo

Answer 1

Even with the controllerAs format, the $scope is there.

In fact what controllerAs does is bind the controller instance's this to the $scope.
E.g. controller="myController as myctrl" does (behind the scenes): $scope.myctrl = this (where this refers to the myController instance).

So, you can just inject and use the $scope for watches:

.controller('myController', function ($scope, contacts) {
    this.contacts = contacts;

    $scope.$watch(function () {
        return contacts;
    }, function (newValue, oldValue) {...});
});