Building A Graphql Api | Graphql Projects

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a GraphQL API

This guide walks you through the process of creating a GraphQL API from scratch, using Node.js and Apollo Server.

Key Points:

Understand the fundamentals of GraphQL.
Set up a basic Node.js server.
Define your schema and resolvers.

Setting Up Your Environment

Begin by setting up a new Node.js project. Run the following commands:

mkdir graphql-api
cd graphql-api
npm init -y
npm install apollo-server graphql

Creating Your First Server

Create a file named server.js and set up your Apollo Server.

const { ApolloServer, gql } = require('apollo-server');

// Define your schema
const typeDefs = gql`
  type Query {
    hello: String
  }
`;

// Define your resolvers
const resolvers = {
  Query: {
    hello: () => 'Hello, world!',
  },
};

// Create the server
const server = new ApolloServer({ typeDefs, resolvers });

// Start the server
server.listen().then(({ url }) => {
  console.log(`🚀 Server ready at ${url}`);
});

Defining a Schema

Expand your schema to include more complex types. For example, define a User type.

const typeDefs = gql`
  type User {
    id: ID!
    name: String!
    email: String!
  }

  type Query {
    users: [User]
  }
`;

Adding Resolvers

Add resolvers to handle your queries. For example, create a mock list of users.

const resolvers = {
  Query: {
    users: () => [
      { id: '1', name: 'John Doe', email: 'john.doe@example.com' },
      { id: '2', name: 'Jane Smith', email: 'jane.smith@example.com' },
    ],
  },
};

Testing Your API

You can test your GraphQL API using tools like GraphQL Playground or Postman. Simply query the users field.

query {
  users {
    id
    name
    email
  }
}

Conclusion

You have successfully built a basic GraphQL API! From here, you can expand your API by adding mutations, authentication, and connecting to a database.

GraphQL - Building a GraphQL API