Introduction to GraphQL Course (How To)

Simplify your backend with GraphQL, the new query language and runtime that is taking the world by storm. With GraphQL, it’s no longer necessary to resolve a bunch of different REST endpoints to get a complete chunk of data. We can use GraphQL to tell a server which data we want, and exactly what it should look like. Whether you’re a front-end developer looking to simplify your workflow, or a back-end developer looking for a way to compose more robust APIs, this course is the perfect place to start.

What you'll learn

• GraphQL vs. REST
• Working in a GraphiQL environment
• Querying a GraphQL API

Getting Started with GraphQL

Welcome! In this stage, you will get an overview of what GraphQL is and why it’s so useful for web development. After we define some of the basic terminology, you’ll learn how to setup a sandbox for GraphQL, and run your first query!

Chevron 8 steps

• What is GraphQL

  2:35

• GraphQL vs. REST

  2:37

• GraphQL Terminology: Queries, Types, and Fields

  1:03

• instruction

  Next Video Not Required

• (Skip this Video) Testing GraphQL in Launchpad

  2:09

• instruction

  Follow Along Using GitHub

• Executing Your First Query

  3:01

• Introduction to GraphQL Review

  4 questions

Fetching Data with Queries

GraphQL queries specify which data we want to fetch, and how we want that data to look when it comes back. In this stage, you will learn the various ways you can request data in a query.

Chevron 5 steps

• Anatomy of a Query

  1:14

• instruction

  Using GitHub with This Course

• Selecting Fields

  3:05

• Lists

  1:40

• Fetching Data Review

  7 questions

Making Changes with Mutations

You have learned how to retrieve certain information using a GraphQL query, but what about when we want to make changes? That is where Mutations come in. In this stage, we will use Mutations to modify our data.

Chevron 5 steps

• Anatomy of a Mutation

  1:38

• Mutating with Scalar Type

  3:52

• Mutating with a Scalar Type Review

  3 questions

• Mutating with Input Object Types

  4:32

• Mutating with an Input Object Type

  5 questions

Reusable GraphQL

Congratulations, you can fetch and modify data with GraphQL. In our final stage, we will learn some extra features that make working with GraphQL even easier.

Chevron 6 steps

• Named Operations

  3:21

• Using Aliases to Rename Fields

  3:37

• Aliases Review

  5 questions

• Passing in Variables

  5:11

• Specifying Default Variables

  3:42

• Variables Review

  5 questions