Building GraphQL Servers with Node.JS & Prisma

1. @nikolasburk
Building GraphQL Servers
with Node.JS & Prisma

2. Nikolas Burk 👋
Developer at Prisma
$ whoami
@nikolasburk

3. Why GraphQL?
@nikolasburk

4. Query exactly the data
you need

5. Strongly typed schema

6. Schema stitching

7. Rich ecosystem &
Awesome community

8. Learn more 💡
https://blog.graph.cool/b60cfa683511
Top 5 Reasons To Use GraphQL
@nikolasburk
https://www.howtographql.com/basics/0-introduction/
GraphQL Introduction

9. GraphQL Server Development
@nikolasburk

10. 3 parts of a GraphQL server
1. Structure: The GraphQL schema
2. Behaviour: Resolver functions
3. Network Layer: Network, Middleware, …

11. 1) The GraphQL Schema
• Strongly typed & written in GraphQL Schema Definition
Language (SDL)
• Defines API capabilities ( = contract for client-server
communication)
• Special root types: Query, Mutation, Subscription
@nikolasburk

12. Example: Hello World
SCHEMA
@nikolasburk
SERVER RESPONSEQUERY

13. Example: CRUD for User type
@nikolasburk

14. 2) Resolver functions
• Concrete implementation of the API
• One resolver function per field in SDL schema
• Query execution: Invoke resolvers for all fields in query
@nikolasburk

15. Example: Hello World
SCHEMA
@nikolasburk
RESOLVER

16. Example: CRUD for User type
@nikolasburk

17. 3) Network Layer
• Based on `graphql-yoga`
• Network configuration: port, endpoints, CORS, …
• Middleware (analytics, logging, crash reporting,…)
@nikolasburk

18. …putting it all together
1) SCHEMA
2) RESOLVERS
3) NETWORK LAYER
x

19. Building a clone of the Medium API
…from scratch
• Queries
• Retrieve a list of all posts (or filter for `title` or `content`)
• Retrieve a single post by its `id`
• Mutations
• Create a new draft
• Publish a draft
• Delete any post by its `id` (published or draft)
@nikolasburk

20. Architecture

21. Steps
@nikolasburk
Step 0: Minimal GraphQL server
Step 1: Extend API with query arguments
Step 2: Complete API operations
Step 3: Add database layer with Prisma and Prisma bindings
Step 4: Complete API operations against the database

22. @nikolasburk
I code, you follow 🙌

23. Get the code
@nikolasburk
$ # clone the repo
$ git clone https://github.com/nikolasburk/amsjs-workshop.git
$ cd amsjs-workshop
$
$ # navigate to the initial setup
$ git checkout step0

25. We are hiring!
www.prisma.io/jobs