Merge some commits into 18.0.x

[tbondwilkinson]

PR Checklist

Please check if your PR fulfills the following requirements:

• [x] The commit message follows our guidelines: https://github.com/angular/angular/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#commit
• [ ] Tests for the changes have been added (for bug fixes / features)
• [ ] Docs have been added / updated (for bug fixes / features)

PR Type

What kind of change does this PR introduce?

• [ ] Bugfix
• [ ] Feature
• [ ] Code style update (formatting, local variables)
• [ ] Refactoring (no functional changes, no api changes)
• [ ] Build related changes
• [ ] CI related changes
• [ ] Documentation content changes
• [ ] angular.io application / infrastructure changes
• [x] Other... Please describe: cherry-pick commits

[tbondwilkinson]

TESTED=no TGP required, this is a cherry-pick (into the 18.0.x branch) of a few commits that have already landed in g3

[AndrewKushnir]

Caretaker note: as mentioned in https://github.com/angular/angular/pull/55621#issuecomment-2089133553, this is a cherry-pick of already reviewed and approved commits (that are also synced into g3). No additional reviews are required, this PR is ready for merge.

[AndrewKushnir]

This PR was merged into the repository by commit 4837621df83c53a7534fe0ad7e1b474c35b6019f.