GraphQL - Part1 notes

GQL

// WHat is it? GraphQL
It's a consistent way for your frontend to request data from your backend. It's beatufiul because the frontend sends a query
which is in the same format as what the backend would return. Less ambiguity
e.g requesting sandwitch from backend , a gql query may be:
sandwidth {
bread
ham
cheese
}

// 
GraphQL on the server side is strongly typed as well

GraphQL data types:
Scalar types:

- String
- Int
- Float
- Boolean

Default types is null.
String! ( means data type cannot be null )
To use a list type, surround the type in square brackets, so [Int] is a list of integers.


// How is this different from rest?
REST - Representational State Transfer
think about making API request for sandwidth, in rest we'll do 3 api requests:
1 for bread, 1 for ham, 1 for cheese

Graphql we have just 1 end point. The return from backend is dependent on the query from frontend APi.

// Wwhen do we need GraphQL then?
1. For large sized projects where data is changing fast. No advantage from smaller projects and smaller teams

We see that GraphQL simplifies how we return data from frontend code

GraphQL mutation:
 it's a convention to indicate that data would be modified on the server
 
 // We can write GraphQL with Apollo client - best and easiest way