May 2017 Summaries

Sashko Stubailo and Jonas Helfer created graphql-tools, a tool that simplifies the process of creating GraphQL APIs using the GraphQL schema definition language. The project started as a way to make working with GraphQL easier, particularly for UI developers who want to fetch data quickly and efficiently without having to deal with complex server-side logic. graphql-tools allows users to create a schema using the GraphQL Schema Definition Language, import custom scalar types, mock API responses based on a schema definition, handle common errors, and more. The tool is production-ready and has been battle-tested by dozens of companies in their production applications. It provides a regular GraphQL.js schema object that can be used with favorite GraphQL server middleware. The authors aim to keep graphql-tools lightweight and un-opinionated, encouraging users to submit issues or pull requests for potential improvements. With the release of version 1.0, the project is now more accessible to new developers, including those building their first GraphQL server, as demonstrated by a "hello world" example that showcases how to create a simple GraphQL schema using graphql-tools. The tool also highlights the benefits of relationships between types in GraphQL, such as one-to-many and one-to-one relationships, which can be defined using the schema language. Mutations are also supported, allowing users to update data and then fetch new results. The project is actively hiring for open-source, backend, and other roles to work on next-generation API technology.

Apollo Optics is now offering a free tier for small projects, allowing developers to instrument their GraphQL APIs and gain insights into server performance without worrying about running out of time in a trial. The new free tier provides up to 10,000 requests per month, enabling developers to understand how their server works, even if it's still in development. With Optics, users can see detailed information on query resolution and aggregate statistics on schema field usage, making it an essential tool for GraphQL developers. To get started with Optics, developers simply need to install the `optics-agent` package, import it into their application, instrument their schema, middleware, and context, and sign up for a free account on optics.apollodata.com.

The Neo4j team is announcing a GraphQL Community Graph Hackathon to encourage developers to build applications against the public GraphQL endpoint of the community graph. The hackathon, which runs from now until May 22nd, aims to bring together the people and activities of the GraphQL community in a single database with a GraphQL-API endpoint. Participants are encouraged to submit their demos, applications, dashboards, visualizations, timelines, or React components that query and explore the community graph data, with the first 15 submissions receiving Apple AirPods as prizes. The hackathon is open to anyone worldwide and provides an opportunity for developers to showcase their creations and share their thoughts on GraphQL at the Neo4j booth during GraphQL Europe.

Launchpad is an in-browser GraphQL server playground that allows users to write a GraphQL schema example in JavaScript and instantly create a serverless, publicly-accessible GraphQL endpoint. Users can view, run, and share examples of GraphQL server patterns, demo a GraphQL server package, create client-side examples, and focus on the GraphQL part without worrying about setting up a project with Babel or installing npm packages. The platform provides features such as ownership and visibility control, secrets for sensitive information, and a "download" button to eject into a vanilla Node.js GraphQL server project. Launchpad is designed to empower the community to learn and discover how to develop GraphQL servers, and it will continue to evolve with user feedback.

The Apollo Team is embarking on a European tour to attend GraphQL Europe, a first-ever European GraphQL conference, and other events such as React Europe in Paris. The team will be giving talks, connecting with the community, and meeting attendees at various locations including conferences, meetups, and social gatherings. They will also be sharing their expertise through workshops and lightning talks, with topics ranging from best practices to the latest developments in GraphQL clients. The tour includes stops in Berlin for GraphQL Europe and London for a GraphQL meetup.

The author of the text discusses their company's decision to adopt GraphQL and the Apollo toolchain for a mobile app project, Expo Home. They evaluate the technology by its merits and flaws, rather than adhering to a dogma or following popular trends. The team aims to build a fast and easy-to-maintain front-end and back-end, while avoiding tradeoffs in user experience, performance, stability, over-fetching, and tech debt. The author leverages Apollo's mock data and GraphiQL tools to work in parallel with their teammate, resulting in a smooth workflow and production-ready results. They also discuss the future plans for Expo Home, including leveraging GraphQL subscriptions and bringing pieces of the web experience to mobile clients.

The React Native FlatList component provides a simple way to display scrollable lists in mobile applications. To take advantage of its features, such as infinite scroll pagination and pull to refresh, developers can use GraphQL and Apollo Client libraries to manage data loading and management. By using the `FlatList` component with Apollo Client's refetch method, developers can easily implement pull to refresh behavior, while also leveraging caching, network status tracking, and other critical features that reduce boilerplate code. This approach enables product developers to spend less time managing data and more time building a great application, resulting in a better developer experience.

This tutorial series has covered various aspects of building a React + GraphQL app with great UX using Apollo, including the basics of GraphQL mutations, server-side rendering, and subscriptions. In part 4 of this series, we're focusing on speeding up GraphQL mutations with optimistic UI and store updates. By utilizing these techniques, developers can hide network latency from their users, providing a better user experience. The tutorial demonstrates how to use Apollo Client's `update` property to perform store updates after a mutation and how to simulate zero-latency server responses using Optimistic UI. With these changes, the addChannel mutation should now look much better, and the app will provide a more seamless user experience.