Behind GraphQL: A first principles approach

Designing GraphQL API's for scale is a challenging and exciting process. Although an extremely new technology GraphQL builds on system architecture patterns that have been around for a long time in different flavors.

Transcript

1. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   1
   System Design and Architecture
   
   @GraphQL
   

   View Slide

2. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   2
   –The GraphQL Website
   “GraphQL is a query language for your API, and a
   server-side runtime for executing queries by
   using a type system you define for your data.”
   

   View Slide

3. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   GraphQL influences our architecture uniquely,
   yet it builds on well known design patterns.
   3
   

   View Slide

4. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   - Api Gateway
   - Integration Database
   - Data Federation
   - Backend for Front End
   The Usual Suspects
   

   View Slide

5. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   API Gateway
   5
   
   

   View Slide

6. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   6
   - service client coupling
   - many round trips
   - redundant edge functions
   

   View Slide

7. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   7
   

   View Slide

8. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   8
   - client specific API
   - request routing
   - API composition
   - unique edge functions
   

   View Slide

9. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
   9
   - unique point of failure
   - development bottleneck
   - rollout strategy
   

   View Slide

10. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    The Integrated Database
    10
    

    View Slide

11. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    11
    - immediate synchronisation
    - no integration layer
    - faster rollout
    

    View Slide

12. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    12
    - Bounded Context Violation
    - complexity in development
    - deep client coupling
    

    View Slide

13. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    13
    Which amount?
    

    View Slide

14. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    14
    – Martin Fowler, Database Styles 2004
    “The resulting links between applications and
    databases end up being brittle and thus difficult
    to change.”
    

    View Slide

15. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    The Data Federation Pattern
    15
    

    View Slide

16. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    16
    

    View Slide

17. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    - different heterogeneous data sources
    - uniform consumer interface
    - improved governance
    - unique business domain mapping
    17
    

    View Slide

18. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    - difficult requirement reconciliation
    - non trivial merging strategies
    - need of more generic data structures
    18
    

    View Slide

19. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    19
    Apollo Federation
    - separation of concerns
    - graph orchestration
    - sophisticated tooling
    

    View Slide

20. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    20
    – Phil Calcado, Some thoughts on GraphQL vs. BFF 2019
    “ .. it is hard for me to believe that you can
    combine the needs of many different
    applications, owned by different teams, with
    different users and use cases, in a single
    schema”
    

    View Slide

21. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    Backend For Frontend
    21
    

    View Slide

22. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    22
    

    View Slide

23. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    23
    Thank @you !
    
    

    View Slide

24. @bogdanned github.com/bogdanned
    24
    #discussion
    

    View Slide