graphiql

What is graphiql?

The 'graphiql' npm package is an in-browser IDE for exploring GraphQL. It allows developers to interactively build and test GraphQL queries, mutations, and subscriptions. It provides a user-friendly interface with features like syntax highlighting, intelligent type-ahead, and documentation explorer.

What are graphiql's main functionalities?

Interactive Query Building

This feature allows users to build and test GraphQL queries interactively. The code sample demonstrates how to set up GraphiQL with a custom fetcher function to interact with a GraphQL endpoint.

const React = require('react');
const ReactDOM = require('react-dom');
const GraphiQL = require('graphiql');
const fetch = require('isomorphic-fetch');

function graphQLFetcher(graphQLParams) {
  return fetch('https://my-graphql-endpoint.com/graphql', {
    method: 'post',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(graphQLParams),
  }).then(response => response.json());
}

ReactDOM.render(
  React.createElement(GraphiQL, { fetcher: graphQLFetcher }),
  document.getElementById('graphiql')
);

Syntax Highlighting and Intelligent Type-Ahead

GraphiQL provides syntax highlighting and intelligent type-ahead, making it easier to write and understand GraphQL queries. The code sample shows the basic setup, which includes these features by default.

const React = require('react');
const ReactDOM = require('react-dom');
const GraphiQL = require('graphiql');
const fetch = require('isomorphic-fetch');

function graphQLFetcher(graphQLParams) {
  return fetch('https://my-graphql-endpoint.com/graphql', {
    method: 'post',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(graphQLParams),
  }).then(response => response.json());
}

ReactDOM.render(
  React.createElement(GraphiQL, { fetcher: graphQLFetcher }),
  document.getElementById('graphiql')
);

Documentation Explorer

The Documentation Explorer feature allows users to browse the schema documentation directly within the GraphiQL interface. This helps in understanding the available types, queries, and mutations.

const React = require('react');
const ReactDOM = require('react-dom');
const GraphiQL = require('graphiql');
const fetch = require('isomorphic-fetch');

function graphQLFetcher(graphQLParams) {
  return fetch('https://my-graphql-endpoint.com/graphql', {
    method: 'post',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(graphQLParams),
  }).then(response => response.json());
}

ReactDOM.render(
  React.createElement(GraphiQL, { fetcher: graphQLFetcher }),
  document.getElementById('graphiql')
);

Other packages similar to graphiql

apollo-server

Apollo Server is a community-driven, open-source GraphQL server that works with any GraphQL schema. It provides a simple setup for creating a GraphQL server and includes features like schema stitching, caching, and performance monitoring. Unlike GraphiQL, which is an IDE, Apollo Server focuses on the server-side implementation of GraphQL.

graphql-playground

GraphQL Playground is another in-browser IDE for GraphQL, similar to GraphiQL. It offers a more modern interface and additional features like query history, configuration settings, and multiple tabs. It is often used as a replacement for GraphiQL in many projects.

altair

Altair is a feature-rich GraphQL client that provides a clean and modern interface for testing GraphQL queries and mutations. It includes features like query history, variable management, and file uploads. Altair is similar to GraphiQL but offers more advanced features and a more polished user experience.

README

GraphiQL

/ˈɡrafək(ə)l/ A graphical interactive in-browser GraphQL IDE. Try the live demo.

Getting started

Using a node.js server? Just use express-graphql! It can automatically present GraphiQL. Using another GraphQL service? GraphiQL is pretty easy to set up. With npm:

npm install --save graphiql

Alternatively, if you are using yarn:

yarn add graphiql

GraphiQL provides a React component responsible for rendering the UI, which should be provided with a function for fetching from GraphQL, we recommend using the fetch standard API.

import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
import GraphiQL from 'graphiql';
import fetch from 'isomorphic-fetch';

function graphQLFetcher(graphQLParams) {
  return fetch(window.location.origin + '/graphql', {
    method: 'post',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify(graphQLParams),
  }).then(response => response.json());
}

ReactDOM.render(<GraphiQL fetcher={graphQLFetcher} />, document.body);

Build for the web with webpack or browserify, or use the pre-bundled graphiql.js file. See the example in the git repository to see how to use the pre-bundled file.

Don't forget to include the CSS file on the page! If you're using npm or yarn, you can find it in node_modules/graphiql/graphiql.css, or you can download it from the releases page.

For an example of setting up a GraphiQL, check out the example in this repository which also includes a few useful features highlighting GraphiQL's API.

Features

• Syntax highlighting
• Intelligent type ahead of fields, arguments, types, and more.
• Real-time error highlighting and reporting.
• Automatic query completion.
• Run and inspect query results.

Usage

GraphiQL exports a single React component which is intended to encompass the entire browser viewport. This React component renders the GraphiQL editor.

import GraphiQL from 'graphiql';

<GraphiQL />

GraphiQL supports customization in UI and behavior by accepting React props and children.

Props:

• fetcher: a function which accepts GraphQL-HTTP parameters and returns a Promise or Observable which resolves to the GraphQL parsed JSON response.

• schema: a GraphQLSchema instance or null if one is not to be used. If undefined is provided, GraphiQL will send an introspection query using the fetcher to produce a schema.

• query: an optional GraphQL string to use as the initial displayed query, if undefined is provided, the stored query or defaultQuery will be used.

• variables: an optional GraphQL string to use as the initial displayed query variables, if undefined is provided, the stored variables will be used.

• operationName: an optional name of which GraphQL operation should be executed.

• response: an optional JSON string to use as the initial displayed response. If not provided, no response will be initially shown. You might provide this if illustrating the result of the initial query.

• storage: an instance of [Storage][] GraphiQL will use to persist state. Only getItem and setItem are called. Default: window.localStorage

• defaultQuery: an optional GraphQL string to use when no query is provided and no stored query exists from a previous session. If undefined is provided, GraphiQL will use its own default query.

• onEditQuery: an optional function which will be called when the Query editor changes. The argument to the function will be the query string.

• onEditVariables: an optional function which will be called when the Query variable editor changes. The argument to the function will be the variables string.

• onEditOperationName: an optional function which will be called when the operation name to be executed changes.

• onToggleDocs: an optional function which will be called when the docs will be toggled. The argument to the function will be a boolean whether the docs are now open or closed.

• getDefaultFieldNames: an optional function used to provide default fields to non-leaf fields which invalidly lack a selection set. Accepts a GraphQLType instance and returns an array of field names. If not provided, a default behavior will be used.

Children:

• <GraphiQL.Logo>: Replace the GraphiQL logo with your own.

• <GraphiQL.Toolbar>: Add a custom toolbar above GraphiQL.

• <GraphiQL.ToolbarButton>: Add a button to the toolbar above GraphiQL.

• <GraphiQL.Footer>: Add a custom footer below GraphiQL Results.

Usage Examples

class CustomGraphiQL extends React.Component {
  constructor(props) {
    super(props);
    this.state = {
      // REQUIRED:
      // `fetcher` must be provided in order for GraphiQL to operate
      fetcher: this.props.fetcher,

      // OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
      // GraphQL artifacts
      query: '',
      variables: '',
      response: '',

      // GraphQL Schema
      // If `undefined` is provided, an introspection query is executed
      // using the fetcher.
      schema: undefined,

      // Useful to determine which operation to run
      // when there are multiple of them.
      operationName: null,
      storage: null,
      defaultQuery: null,

      // Custom Event Handlers
      onEditQuery: null,
      onEditVariables: null,
      onEditOperationName: null,

      // GraphiQL automatically fills in leaf nodes when the query
      // does not provide them. Change this if your GraphQL Definitions
      // should behave differently than what's defined here:
      // (https://github.com/graphql/graphiql/blob/master/src/utility/fillLeafs.js#L75)
      getDefaultFieldNames: null
    };
  }

  _onClickToolbarButton(event) {
    alert('Clicked toolbar button!');
  }

  render() {
    return (
      <GraphiQL ...this.state>
        <GraphiQL.Logo>
          Custom Logo
        </GraphiQL.Logo>
        <GraphiQL.Toolbar>
          // GraphiQL.ToolbarButton usage
          <GraphiQL.ToolbarButton
            onClick={this._onClickToolbarButton}
            title="ToolbarButton"
            label="Click Me as well!"
          />
          // Some other possible toolbar items
          <button name="GraphiQLButton">Click Me</button>
          <OtherReactComponent someProps="true" />
        </GraphiQL.Toolbar>
        <GraphiQL.Footer>
          // Footer works the same as Toolbar
          // add items by appending child components
        </GraphiQL.Footer>
      </GraphiQL>
    );
  }
}

Query Samples

Query

GraphQL queries declaratively describe what data the issuer wishes to fetch from whoever is fulfilling the GraphQL query.

query FetchSomeIDQuery($someId: String!) {
  human(id: $someId) {
    name
  }
}

More examples available from: GraphQL Queries.

Mutation

Given this schema,

const schema = new GraphQLSchema({
  query: new GraphQLObjectType({
    fields: {
      numberHolder: { type: numberHolderType },
    },
    name: 'Query',
  }),
  mutation: new GraphQLObjectType({
    fields: {
      immediatelyChangeTheNumber: {
        type: numberHolderType,
        args: { newNumber: { type: GraphQLInt } },
        resolve: (function (obj, { newNumber }) {
          return obj.immediatelyChangeTheNumber(newNumber);
        })
      }
    },
    name: 'Mutation',
  })
});

then the following mutation queries are possible:

mutation TestMutation {
  first: immediatelyChangeTheNumber(newNumber: 1) {
    theNumber
  }
}

Read more in this mutation test in graphql-js.

Relay has another good example using a common pattern for composing mutations. Given the following GraphQL Type Definitions,

input IntroduceShipInput {
  factionId: ID!
  shipName: String!
  clientMutationId: String!
}

type IntroduceShipPayload {
  faction: Faction
  ship: Ship
  clientMutationId: String!
}

mutation calls are composed as such:

mutation AddBWingQuery($input: IntroduceShipInput!) {
  introduceShip(input: $input) {
    ship {
      id
      name
    }
    faction {
      name
    }
    clientMutationId
  }
}
{
  "input": {
    "shipName": "B-Wing",
    "factionId": "1",
    "clientMutationId": "abcde"
  }
}

Read more from Relay Mutation Documentation.

Fragment

Fragments allow for the reuse of common repeated selections of fields, reducing duplicated text in the document. Inline Fragments can be used directly within a selection to condition upon a type condition when querying against an interface or union. Therefore, instead of the following query:

{
  luke: human(id: "1000") {
    name
    homePlanet
  }
  leia: human(id: "1003") {
    name
    homePlanet
  }
}

using fragments, the following query is possible.

{
  luke: human(id: "1000") {
    ...HumanFragment
  }
  leia: human(id: "1003") {
    ...HumanFragment
  }
}

fragment HumanFragment on Human {
  name
  homePlanet
}

Read more from GraphQL Fragment Specification.