How GraphQL Works
TL;DR
GraphQL is built on a strong type system. Clients describe the data they want, and the server responds with that data - nothing more, nothing less.
The Building Blocks
| Component | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Schema | The blueprint of your data - types, fields, and relationships | type User { id: ID! name: String! } |
| Query | How clients request data | { user(id: "1") { name } } |
| Mutation | For creating, updating, or deleting data | mutation { updateUser(id: "1", name: "New Name") { id } } |
| Subscription | For real-time updates | subscription { newMessage { text } } |
Request-Response Flow
Ecosystem Growth
- Client sends a query to the GraphQL endpoint.
- Server validates the query against the schema.
- Resolvers fetch and shape the requested data.
- Response is returned in JSON.
Example Mutation
GraphQL Query
Response
Updated 5 months ago