How to Best Monitor GraphQL APIs

Since its introduction in 2015, GraphQL has emerged as a flexible alternative to REST, offering frontend developers the ability to define and request all necessary data in a single query, which theoretically reduces latency. However, monitoring GraphQL APIs presents unique challenges due to the shift from multiple endpoints to often just one, complicating traditional monitoring methods. The architecture of a simple GraphQL system includes a schema, a GraphQL engine, and resolvers, but the introduction of data-loaders can optimize data access by consolidating multiple requests into one. Effective monitoring of GraphQL involves observing the HTTP endpoint for overall API health, analyzing specific GraphQL queries for performance issues, monitoring resolvers and data-loaders for data-source access patterns, and employing tracing methods to provide a comprehensive view of the query lifecycle. Understanding the backend structure of a GraphQL API can reveal meaningful monitoring opportunities, making it easier to address issues related to caching and error handling.