GRAPHQL FROM THE GROUND UP
SOFTGEEKS | THE INTERNETS | OCTOBER 2020
ELLEN SHAPIRO | @DESIGNATEDNERD | APOLLOGRAPHQL.COM
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WTF IS GRAPHQL?
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WHAT IS A GRAPH?
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WHAT IS A GRAPH?
(WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GRAPHQL)
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!
GRAPH THEORY
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In computer science, graphs are used to represent networks of
communication, data organization, computational devices, the flow of
computation, etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_theory#Computer_science
RELATIONAL DATABASES ARE FOCUSED ON
SINGLE RELATIONSHIPS
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GRAPHS HELP YOU TO TRACK
MANY RELATIONSHIPS
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user.father.bestFriend.children[0].middleName
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✨
GRAPHQL!
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GRAPH QUERY LANGUAGE
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HOW DO I GRAPHQL?
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SAMPLE SERVER
HTTPS://APOLLO-FULLSTACK-TUTORIAL.HEROKUAPP.COM/
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THE SCHEMA
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THE SCHEMA
WHAT IS IT POSSIBLE TO ASK FOR?
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SCHEMA DEFINITION LANGUAGE
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SCHEMA DEFINITION LANGUAGE
(BASICALLY, TYPESCRIPT)
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SCALAR TYPES
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SCALAR TYPES
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE TYPE SYSTEM
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OPTIONALS?!
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✍
POP QUIZ!
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Q. IS THIS TYPE OPTIONAL?
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Q. IS THIS TYPE OPTIONAL?
String
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Q. IS THIS TYPE OPTIONAL?
String
A: IT DEPENDS
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IS OPTIONAL SWIFT TYPE GRAPHQL TYPE
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IS OPTIONAL SWIFT TYPE GRAPHQL TYPE
No
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IS OPTIONAL SWIFT TYPE GRAPHQL TYPE
No String
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IS OPTIONAL SWIFT TYPE GRAPHQL TYPE
No String String!
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!
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GRAPHQL TYPES ARE
NULLABLE BY DEFAULT
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IS OPTIONAL SWIFT TYPE GRAPHQL TYPE
No String String!
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IS OPTIONAL SWIFT TYPE GRAPHQL TYPE
No String String!
Yes
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IS OPTIONAL SWIFT TYPE GRAPHQL TYPE
No String String!
Yes String?
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IS OPTIONAL SWIFT TYPE GRAPHQL TYPE
No String String!
Yes String? String
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OPERATIONS
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OPERATIONS
WHAT ARE THE ENTRY POINTS TO THE GRAPH?
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QUERY: PLEASE GIVE ME THIS DATA
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MUTATION: PLEASE CHANGE THIS DATA
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SUBSCRIPTION: PLEASE UPDATE ME IF DATA CHANGES
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✅
HOW THINGS ARE RELATED
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✅
HOW THINGS ARE RELATED
✅
WHAT YOU CAN ASK FOR
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✅
HOW THINGS ARE RELATED
✅
WHAT YOU CAN ASK FOR
➡
HOW YOU ASK FOR IT
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GRAPHIQL
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HOW WOULD REST DO THIS?
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VALIDATION
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!
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VALIDATION
IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK FOR EVEN POSSIBLE?
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VALIDATION + TYPES =
CODE GENERATION
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APOLLO IOS
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⬆
(IT ME)
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A VERY SHORTENED
VERSION OF APOLLO'S GENERATED CODE
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public final class LaunchInfoQuery: GraphQLQuery {
public init(id: GraphQLID) {
self.id = id
}
public struct Data: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var launch: Launch? {
public struct Launch: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var site: String?
public var mission: Mission?
public var rocket: Rocket?
public struct Mission: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
public struct Rocket: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
}
}
}
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public final class LaunchInfoQuery: GraphQLQuery {
public init(id: GraphQLID) {
self.id = id
}
public struct Data: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var launch: Launch? {
public struct Launch: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var site: String?
public var mission: Mission?
public var rocket: Rocket?
public struct Mission: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
public struct Rocket: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
}
}
}
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public final class LaunchInfoQuery: GraphQLQuery {
public init(id: GraphQLID) {
self.id = id
}
public struct Data: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var launch: Launch? {
public struct Launch: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var site: String?
public var mission: Mission?
public var rocket: Rocket?
public struct Mission: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
public struct Rocket: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
}
}
}
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public final class LaunchInfoQuery: GraphQLQuery {
public init(id: GraphQLID) {
self.id = id
}
public struct Data: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var launch: Launch? {
public struct Launch: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var site: String?
public var mission: Mission?
public var rocket: Rocket?
public struct Mission: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
public struct Rocket: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
}
}
}
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public final class LaunchInfoQuery: GraphQLQuery {
public init(id: GraphQLID) {
self.id = id
}
public struct Data: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var launch: Launch? {
public struct Launch: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var site: String?
public var mission: Mission?
public var rocket: Rocket?
public struct Mission: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
public struct Rocket: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
}
}
}
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public final class LaunchInfoQuery: GraphQLQuery {
public init(id: GraphQLID) {
self.id = id
}
public struct Data: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var launch: Launch? {
public struct Launch: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var site: String?
public var mission: Mission?
public var rocket: Rocket?
public struct Mission: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
public struct Rocket: GraphQLSelectionSet {
public var name: String?
}
}
}
}
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YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE THIS CODE
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YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE THIS CODE
(TIMES THE NUMBER OF OPERATIONS)
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YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE A
URLSESSION WRAPPER
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YOU DO HAVE TO WRITE SOME CODE
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apolloClient.fetch(query: LaunchInfoQuery(id: "80")) { result in
switch result {
case .failure(let error):
print("Error: \(error)")
case .success(let graphQLResult):
if let errors = graphQLResult.errors {
print("Errors: \(errors)")
}
if let missionName = graphQLData?.data?.launch?.mission?.name {
print("Mission name: \(String(describing: missionName)")
}
}
}
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apolloClient.fetch(query: LaunchInfoQuery(id: "80")) { result in
switch result {
case .failure(let error):
print("Error: \(error)")
case .success(let graphQLResult):
if let errors = graphQLResult.errors {
print("Errors: \(errors)")
}
if let missionName = graphQLData?.data?.launch?.mission?.name {
print("Mission name: \(String(describing: missionName)")
}
}
}
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apolloClient.fetch(query: LaunchInfoQuery(id: "80")) { result in
switch result {
case .failure(let error):
print("Error: \(error)")
case .success(let graphQLResult):
if let errors = graphQLResult.errors {
print("Errors: \(errors)")
}
if let missionName = graphQLData?.data?.launch?.mission?.name {
print("Mission name: \(String(describing: missionName)")
}
}
}
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apolloClient.fetch(query: LaunchInfoQuery(id: "80")) { result in
switch result {
case .failure(let error):
print("Error: \(error)")
case .success(let graphQLResult):
if let errors = graphQLResult.errors {
print("Errors: \(errors)")
}
if let missionName = graphQLData?.data?.launch?.mission?.name {
print("Mission name: \(missionName)
}
}
}
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PARTIAL RESULTS
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apolloClient.fetch(query: LaunchInfoQuery(id: "80")) { result in
switch result {
case .failure(let error):
print("Error: \(error)")
case .success(let graphQLResult):
if let errors = graphQLResult.errors {
print("Errors: \(errors)")
}
if let missionName = graphQLData?.data?.launch?.mission?.name {
print("Mission name: \(missionName)
}
}
}
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apolloClient.fetch(query: LaunchInfoQuery(id: "80")) { result in
switch result {
case .failure(let error):
print("Error: \(error)")
case .success(let graphQLResult):
if let errors = graphQLResult.errors {
print("Errors: \(errors)")
}
if let missionName = graphQLData?.data?.launch?.mission?.name {
print("Mission name: \(missionName)
}
}
}
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USE SWIFT EXTENSIONS
TO HANDLE NULLABILITY GRACEFULLY
GET WHAT YOU WANT
NOT WHAT FRONTEND, ANDROID, 3RD PARTY APIS, AND YOUR GRANDMA WANT
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YOU CAN ADD STUFF TO A GRAPH
WAY FASTER THAN YOU CAN WITH A REST API
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A REST PLAY
Me: Can we add this field that's on endpoint A to endpoint B?
Backend: Sure, we'll put it in the backlog.
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ANYTHING IN THE SCHEMA
CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE
RELATIONSHIPS DEFINED IN THE GRAPH
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user.father.bestFriend.children[0].middleName
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user.father?.bestFriend.children?[0].middleName
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WHAT IS GRAPHQL
NOT GOOD FOR?
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UPLOADING FILES
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BETTER GRAPHQL UPLOADS
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BETTER GRAPHQL UPLOADS
1. Upload to something that returns a URL
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BETTER GRAPHQL UPLOADS
1. Upload to something that returns a URL
2. Send the URL to your graph using GraphQL
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BETTER GRAPHQL UPLOADS
1. Upload to something that returns a URL
2. Send the URL to your graph using GraphQL
3. Tear out way less hair than trying to upload with GQL
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HIGHLY OPTIMIZED QUERIES
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GQL TOOLING HELPS FIND BOTTLENECKS
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GQL TOOLING HELPS FIND BOTTLENECKS
(BUT IT CAN'T ELIMINATE THEM)
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BEING ABLE TO
!
COMPLETELY REMOVE
THINGS QUICKLY
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GOOD NEWS: NO VERSIONING
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BAD NEWS: NO VERSIONING
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@deprecated
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!
→
"
→
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SIMPLE SECURITY
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YOU CAN ASK FOR ANYTHING YOU WANT!
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DEVELOPERS
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SECURITY TEAM
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YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO THINK
MORE GRANULARLY
ABOUT SECURITY
OBLIGATORY SUMMARY SLIDE
▸ A Graph is a way of conceptualizing data based on pieces of data
(nodes) and the ways those pieces are connected (edges).
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OBLIGATORY SUMMARY SLIDE
▸ A Graph is a way of conceptualizing data based on pieces of data
(nodes) and the ways those pieces are connected (edges).
▸ GraphQL is a way of querying your data and how it's connected
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OBLIGATORY SUMMARY SLIDE
▸ A Graph is a way of conceptualizing data based on pieces of data
(nodes) and the ways those pieces are connected (edges).
▸ GraphQL is a way of querying your data and how it's connected
▸ The Schema defines what you can ask for (with types!)
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OBLIGATORY SUMMARY SLIDE
▸ A Graph is a way of conceptualizing data based on pieces of data
(nodes) and the ways those pieces are connected (edges).
▸ GraphQL is a way of querying your data and how it's connected
▸ The Schema defines what you can ask for (with types!)
▸ Operations let you ask for and receive only the data you want
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OBLIGATORY SUMMARY SLIDE
▸ A Graph is a way of conceptualizing data based on pieces of data
(nodes) and the ways those pieces are connected (edges).
▸ GraphQL is a way of querying your data and how it's connected
▸ The Schema defines what you can ask for (with types!)
▸ Operations let you ask for and receive only the data you want
▸ GraphQL is a real cool hammer - not every problem is a nail
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WANT TO TRY APOLLO-IOS?
https://www.apollographql.com/docs/ios/tutorial/
THANK YOU!