apollo-upload-client

What is apollo-upload-client?

The apollo-upload-client package is a client for Apollo GraphQL that enables file uploads via GraphQL mutations. It extends Apollo Client to support file uploads using the GraphQL multipart request specification.

What are apollo-upload-client's main functionalities?

File Upload

This feature allows you to upload files via GraphQL mutations. The code sample demonstrates how to set up an Apollo Client with the upload link and perform a file upload mutation.

const { ApolloClient, InMemoryCache, HttpLink } = require('@apollo/client');
const { createUploadLink } = require('apollo-upload-client');

const link = createUploadLink({ uri: 'http://localhost:4000/graphql' });

const client = new ApolloClient({
  link,
  cache: new InMemoryCache()
});

const UPLOAD_FILE = gql`
  mutation($file: Upload!) {
    uploadFile(file: $file) {
      url
    }
  }
`;

const file = new File(['foo'], 'foo.txt', {
  type: 'text/plain',
});

client.mutate({
  mutation: UPLOAD_FILE,
  variables: { file }
}).then(response => {
  console.log(response.data.uploadFile.url);
});

Other packages similar to apollo-upload-client

apollo-link-rest

This package allows you to call REST endpoints from Apollo Client. While it does not specifically handle file uploads, it can be used to integrate RESTful file upload endpoints with Apollo Client.

graphql-request

A minimal GraphQL client that supports file uploads via the multipart request specification. It is more lightweight compared to apollo-upload-client and can be used in environments where a full Apollo Client setup is not required.

README

apollo-upload-client

A terminating Apollo Link for Apollo Client that fetches a GraphQL multipart request if the GraphQL variables contain files (by default FileList, File, or Blob instances), or else fetches a regular GraphQL POST or GET request (depending on the config and GraphQL operation).

• Installation
• Examples
• Requirements
• Exports

Installation

To install with npm, run:

npm install apollo-upload-client

Polyfill any required globals (see Requirements) that are missing in your server and client environments.

Remove any uri, credentials, or headers options from the ApolloClient constructor.

Apollo Client can only have 1 terminating Apollo Link that sends the GraphQL requests; if one such as HttpLink is already setup, remove it.

Initialize the client with a terminating Apollo Link using the function createUploadLink.

Also ensure the GraphQL server implements the GraphQL multipart request spec and that uploads are handled correctly in resolvers.

Examples

Use FileList, File, or Blob instances anywhere within query or mutation variables to send a GraphQL multipart request.

See also the example API and client.

FileList

import { gql, useMutation } from "@apollo/client";

const MUTATION = gql`
  mutation ($files: [Upload!]!) {
    uploadFiles(files: $files) {
      success
    }
  }
`;

function UploadFiles() {
  const [mutate] = useMutation(MUTATION);

  return (
    <input
      type="file"
      multiple
      required
      onChange={({ target: { validity, files } }) => {
        if (validity.valid)
          mutate({
            variables: {
              files,
            },
          });
      }}
    />
  );
}

File

import { gql, useMutation } from "@apollo/client";

const MUTATION = gql`
  mutation ($file: Upload!) {
    uploadFile(file: $file) {
      success
    }
  }
`;

function UploadFile() {
  const [mutate] = useMutation(MUTATION);

  return (
    <input
      type="file"
      required
      onChange={({
        target: {
          validity,
          files: [file],
        },
      }) => {
        if (validity.valid)
          mutate({
            variables: {
              file,
            },
          });
      }}
    />
  );
}

Blob

import { gql, useMutation } from "@apollo/client";

const MUTATION = gql`
  mutation ($file: Upload!) {
    uploadFile(file: $file) {
      success
    }
  }
`;

function UploadFile() {
  const [mutate] = useMutation(MUTATION);

  return (
    <input
      type="text"
      required
      onChange={({ target: { validity, value } }) => {
        if (validity.valid) {
          const file = new Blob([value], { type: "text/plain" });

          // Optional, defaults to `blob`.
          file.name = "text.txt";

          mutate({
            variables: {
              file,
            },
          });
        }
      }}
    />
  );
}

Requirements

• Node.js versions ^18.15.0 || >=20.4.0.
• Browsers matching the Browserslist query > 0.5%, not OperaMini all, not dead.

Consider polyfilling:

• AbortController
• fetch
• FormData

Projects must configure TypeScript to use types from the ECMAScript modules that have a // @ts-check comment:

• compilerOptions.allowJs should be true.
• compilerOptions.maxNodeModuleJsDepth should be reasonably large, e.g. 10.
• compilerOptions.module should be "node16" or "nodenext".

Exports

The npm package apollo-upload-client features optimal JavaScript module design. It doesn’t have a main index module, so use deep imports from the ECMAScript modules that are exported via the package.json field exports:

• createUploadLink.mjs
• formDataAppendFile.mjs
• isExtractableFile.mjs