What is GraphQL
GraphQL is an application layer query language that construes a string by a server, which then returns the required data in a detailed format. Open sourced by Facebook in 2015, GraphQL was developed internally during the evolution from Facebook’s HTML5-powered mobile apps to native apps. Today it is the principle graph data query language driving the majority of interactions within iOS and Facebook Android applications. The makers of GraphQL plan to open-source an instruction program on how to implement the server. The goal is to increase GraphQL capabilities to adapt to a wide range of back-end’s. This will let the coders to use the technology in projects of any size to access their own data more competently. The product developers will be able to structure servers and provides powerful frameworks, abstractions, and tools.
HOW TO USE IT
GraphQL is a different way of structuring the contract between client and server. The servers publish a set of rules specific to an application. GraphQL then supplies the language to query the developer’s data for the correct answer, within the constraints of rules. This way product developers are able to execute data requirements in a natural form, such as a declarative one and a hierarchical one. To understand how to use GraphQL, better first look at what it is trying to achieve.
Give client-side developers a well-organized way to query data they want to retrieve.
Give server-side developers a well-organized way to get their data out to their users.
Give everyone an easy and efficient way of retrieving data.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT
The GraphQL query language is sited between client applications and the actual data sources. It works independently from data sources and other platforms. A GraphQL server can be made in PHP, Node or any other platform of the user’s choice. The users should be able to connect to GraphQL server with web apps, mobile apps or any other type of apps they may be using. They can then query and alter the data they are looking for. The major difference is that GraphQL does not come with a transport layer. That end of the operation is handled by a high-level framework, such as Relay. However, GraphQL have an excellent type system. The system is basically constructed on top of a layer of graphs with a set of rules defined by you. The users may not feel the need to display their data groups as a graph, but if the users really thinks about it, most of the time the user can structure his/her data schema in the form of graphs.
To envision what we are talking about, let’s have a look at some code. For this instance, we will look at creating a query for Product Hunt and want to retrieve data for a typical page:
{ product (id: “react-native-for-android”) { name, link, votes, comments
{ text } } }
The result would be:
{ ”
data”:
{ ”
product”:
{ ”
name”:
“React Native for Android”
, ”
link”:
“https://facebook.github.io/react-native/”
, ”
votes”:
“167”
, ”
comments”:
[ { ”
text”:
“Huuuuge for cross-platform progress.”
}, { ”
text”:
“Exciting stuff.”
} ]
}
}
}
Now the user is working with an upgraded version of Product Hunt and want to display the name of the author next to the comment. Then the user has to simply change the query like this:
{ product (id: “react-native-for-android”) { name, link, votes, comments
{ text, author { avatar } } } }
WHAT THE USER CAN DO WITH GRAPHQL
GraphQL is a very liberating platform. GraphQL, product developers no longer need to cope with ad hoc endpoints or worry about accessing data with multiple roundtrip object retrievals. Instead, the developer can easily create a sophisticated, declarative-hierarchical query dispatched to one single endpoint. Now all the experimentation and newly created views are built exclusively in the client development environment. The hassle of moving unstructured data from ad hoc endpoints into business objects is excluded. Instead, the user will get a powerful, intuitive type system you can use as a tool-building platform. The developer, will have the freedom to put more focus on client software and requirements without having to leave the development environment. As the system changes, the developer will be able to support shipped clients with confidence while staying well within the limits of mobile apps.