Getting Started With GraphQL

GraphQL is a query language that offers a compact way to read and write relational data between the client and the server. It allows developers to ask for the exact information they need, without receiving any unnecessary data.

In this article we've prepared for you a collection of great resources for learning GraphQL. The lessons are separated into 3 categories, depending on your experience and knowledge with the new query language.

GraphQL Tutorial - Getting Started

In this tutorial you can learn about the basic parts of the GrapQL architecture, how to create your first project and set up a basic server and schema. You will learn how to implement GraphQL in a node.js environment and use it for reading and writing data to and from the server.

GraphQL + Apollo

A two-part tutorial that shows you how to setup GraphQL using the popular Apollo toolchain. Part one focuses on explaining what GraphQL and Apollo are and what they are used for. The second part includes some practical examples and code snippets that demonstrate key parts of developing a GraphQL server.

HowToGraphQL Fundamentals

A series of videos that go over everything you need to know about GraphQL and its related technology stack. There are four parts, each covering a specific topic: basic concepts, quick comparison to REST, core mechanics, and finally use cases for GraphQL in a project.

An Introduction to GraphQL via the GitHub API

In this article you can learn more about the reasoning behind GraphQL and what advantages it offers over REST. The tutorial covers installing and configuring GraphQL using the help of the GraphiQL.app IDE and then connecting your project to the GitHub API.

How to build a GraphQL server

An in-depth post that shows you how to build a flexible node.sj-based app with a GraphQL backend that can connect to different database technologies including SQL, MongoDB, and remote REST APIs. It covers more advanced schema definitions with multiple data types and separate resolve function for each type.

Authentication and Error Handling in GraphQL

A quick 15-minute talk on how to properly deal with errors and authenitcation in your GraphQL backend. The technique involves writing additional resolvers that will be executed when a request is made to the database, handling any potential errors and giving auth access.

From REST to GraphQL

A blog post about the advantages of moving your project from REST to GraphQL. It covers how to migrate your API and how to choose the correct types for your new schema in a way that makes it easier to work with more complex queries.

Creating a structured GraphQL API with Express.js, Apollo Server and Webpack

Step-by-step tutorial that shows you how to build a GraphQL app with Express, Apollo, Webpack, and some other helpful node.js modules.

Real-Time Chat with GraphQL Subscriptions and Apollo

Wth this tutorial you can learn how to build a chat application where the users can see their own and the locations of the other participants on a map. It shows you how to set up Graphcool backend and Apollo client, build a real-time chat with subscriptions and add geo-locations to the app.

If you want to go more in-depth with your GraphQL knowledge, here are some amazing free courses.

How To GraphQL

Probably the most in-depth learning resource for GraphQL, this course contains a large number of video and text lessons. The course gives you the choice to select the frontend/backend frameworks you like and get a tutorial specifically created for your needs (e.g. React + Relay or Vue + Apollo). There is also an in-browser playground where you can try out writing queries.

Building a GraphQL Server

A series of hands-on YouTube lessons in which you build a fully functioning node.js app with a GraphQL server. You will learn about setting up a dev environment, creating you server and schema, doing remote requests with axios, and much more.