Building a GraphQL API - Beyond the basics

Creating a GraphQL API is about more than just exposing your data. To build an API that’s delightful to use for your API consumers you must consider the use cases. Version 4 of the GraphQL module enables you do to so, with the downside that you have to design your entire schema.

In this session, I'll take you from nothing to having implemented the three GraphQL operations (query, mutation and subscription) in Open Social. We’ll explore inner workings of the GraphQL module and take a look at the library underneath it. It’s not as scary as you think.

We'll take a look at turning your schema into data using Drupal, using modules for a modular API, pagination according to the Relay specification, and why we load data the way we do. I’ll also briefly highlight the work in progress for authorisation using OAuth scopes and API monitoring and security.

Optional viewing before this session:

Sebastian Siemssen (a.k.a Fubhy)’s excellent introduction of the GraphQL module and how it worked up to version 3 at DrupalCon New Orleans 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zFpiYmRIkc It also explains why you may want to use GraphQL instead of e.g. a traditional REST API.

Maria Comas (a.k.a. una_maria)’s session at DrupalCon Seattle 2019 providing a GraphQL 101 introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOaHRtaI8GY&t=110s

Follow along on GitHub

I've created a repository on GitHub where you can view an example project that uses the code and techniques from this presentation. Thanks to the kind people at Open Social for letting me share code from some of our internal modules.