Creating a GraphQL server with Ktor

GraphQL has emerged as a popular alternative to REST for creating backend APIs, with its ability to expose data from various sources without being tied to a specific data storage system. This article explores setting up a GraphQL server in Ktor, leveraging the KGraphQL library to expose an existing MySQL datasource as a GraphQL API. It covers the process of configuring a Ktor application, using Kotlin to define data models, and utilizing GraphQL's key operations: queries, mutations, and subscriptions (though the latter is not supported by KGraphQL at this time). Developers are guided through setting up a GraphiQL Playground for testing during development and disabling it when deploying to production, ensuring secure and efficient API management. The article also highlights the similarities between Kotlin and GraphQL, particularly in handling nullability, and emphasizes the importance of tools like LogRocket for monitoring and debugging GraphQL requests in production environments.