Gain insights into GraphQL from a client perspective. Explore practical exercises, React integration, Apollo Client, and a live VM for real-time coding with GitHub’s GraphQL API.

GraphQLClient.tar.gz

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RunApp

RunApolllo

RunGraphQLReact

This course was written to be as practical as possible. It offers an interactive learning experience, starting off with a general introduction to GraphQL and proceeding to allow you to play with GraphQL Queries and Mutations using GitHub’s GraphQL API.

After getting you comfortable with the basics of GraphQL, the course moves on to how to use GraphQL with React and then on how to integrate it with Apollo Client. You'll implement an issue tracker application using GraphQL combined with both React and Apollo Client.

Finally, with this course Educative introduces its newest feature: A live VM. You will now have access to a terminal with a native look and feel where you can modify code and see changes in real time - all inside your browser!

A Practical Guide to GraphQL: From the Client Perspective

Now that we have an idea of what GraphQL is, let's delve deeper into its implementation.

GraphQL's implementation can be divided into two components:
1. Server Component
2. Client Component

## GraphQL Server

A GraphQL server essentially takes in your API and exposes your GraphQL API via an endpoint. It has two core parts:
* **A Schema** 
* **Resolve functions**

### Schema

The schema is a model of the data that can be retrieved through the GraphQL server. It specifies what queries clients are allowed to make, what *types* (scalar, object, query, mutation) of data can be fetched from the server, and what the relationships between these types are. 

That being said, there is one critical piece of information that the schema doesn’t provide: where the data for each type comes from.

This is where resolve functions come in.

### Resolve Functions

Resolve functions are like little routers. They specify how the types and fields in the schema are connected to various backends. Through these functions, you are able to answer questions such as  “How do I get the data regarding Course Authors?” and “Which backend do I need to call with what arguments to get the data regarding Courses?”.

Perhaps the greatest feature of GraphQL is that it hides all of the backend complexity from the clients. Even if your app uses multiple backends, all the client will see is a single GraphQL endpoint with a simple, self-documenting API for your application.

## GraphQL Client 

A GraphQL client is the front end component where you are actually able to accept queries, connect to the GraphQL endpoint, and make queries to collect data. The GraphQL client is straightforward and will be our main focus throughout this course.

Now that we have an idea of what GraphQL is, let's delve deeper into its implementation.

GraphQL's implementation can be divided into two components:
1. Server Component
2. Client Component

# GraphQL Server

A GraphQL server essentially takes in your API and exposes your GraphQL API via an endpoint. It has two core parts:
* **A Schema** 
* **Resolve functions**

## Schema

The schema is a model of the data that can be retrieved through the GraphQL server. It specifies what queries clients are allowed to make, what *types* (scalar, object, query, mutation) of data can be fetched from the server, and what the relationships between these types are. 

That being said, there is one critical piece of information that the schema doesn’t provide: where the data for each type comes from.

This is where resolve functions come in.

## Resolve Functions

Resolve functions are like little routers. They specify how the types and fields in the schema are connected to various backends. Through these functions, you are able to answer questions such as  “How do I get the data regarding Course Authors?” and “Which backend do I need to call with what arguments to get the data regarding Courses?”.

Perhaps the greatest feature of GraphQL is that it hides all of the backend complexity from the clients. Even if your app uses multiple backends, all the client will see is a single GraphQL endpoint with a simple, self-documenting API for your application.

# GraphQL Client 

A GraphQL client is the front end component where you are actually able to accept queries, connect to the GraphQL endpoint, and make queries to collect data. The GraphQL client is straightforward and will be our main focus throughout this course.

A brief introduction to the GraphQL server and client.

An Introduction to GraphQL

How to Get Started

Exploring GitHub's GraphQL API

Combining React with GraphQL

Build a Digital Library Using Gatsby and GraphQL

Introducing Apollo Client with GraphQL

React with Apollo and GraphQL

Local Installation Guide

GraphQL Server and GraphQL Client

GraphQL Server