GraphQL

What

Query language

a way to get data from your database/server to the frontend

Problems that it solves

1. Frontend can get the exact data it needs in 1 API call
   1. use case: Facebook mobile app
   2. no long chain of API calls
   3. no under/over fetching
2. typing
   1. know the types of the data you need
3. Federation
   1. Syntax.FM

If you have siloed frontend & backend teams * they can work independently * frontend can mock the GraphQL server and just get the data they need * the backend can implement the GraphQL server independently

Metaphor

Subway: make it your way! (with limits)

In & Out: pick from options (REST)

Downsides

• setting up a GraphQL server is more complex
  • write your own reducers
  • or use a service
• making a request to a GraphQL server is more complex
  • need a library to generate the queries
  • or you have complex query params
• less likely to get cache
• need to address the [[N + 1 Problem]]
  • dataloader

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Last update: 2023-04-24