Using GraphQL is good, but it gets complex when you are building an application that is big and dynamic. Fortunately, there is a new tool called Grafbase that enables you to connect and link different data sources into one unified GraphQL endpoint.

In addition, you will be importing your existing schema from your GitHub repositories and editing them in the Grafbase platform. Furthermore, it helps you to test your schema before you deploy the schema.

Grafbase prioritizes efficiency by giving you the ability to:

• Optimize your GraphQL API using Grafbase edge caching
• Query in real-time because it supports live queries
• Authenticate your endpoint by integrating your IAM provider
• Centralizing schemas through its schema branching features

It is quick at processing queries because it has edge caching features that make sure that your data is always easily accessible. 

Grafbase has many features and functions; therefore, this article will dive deep into showcasing how Grafbase improves the quality of working with GraphQL servers.

What Is Grafbase?

Grafbase is a GraphQL platform that aggregates different data sources into one API endpoint. You can then make API requests using the endpoint and API key to launch a GraphQL API.

Grafbase was founded in 2021 and released in 2022 by its founder, Fredrik Bjork, with the aim of helping developers cut costs and time spent on unifying data sources manually. 

Grafbase comes with a free plan that is meant for personal use and testing purposes. The Grafbase premium version offers collaboration, and the enterprise version offers SSO/SAML and trail auditing features.

Grafbase has both local and hosted platforms that unify data sources to create one unified GraphQL endpoint. The local platform is facilitated by its CLI that can be installed using the node package manager command: npm install -g grafbase. 

Grafbase supports scalars and directives such as @model, which allow you to add leaves and customize runtime execution and type validation behavior. 

Grafbase does not only unify the data sources, but it also automatically creates standard queries and mutations for you, using the inserted data and schema, thus helping you to save time.

In order to facilitate the transformation of data prior to its delivery to the client side, Grafbase offers robust capabilities. Developers now have the ability to do complicated data transformations directly on the server side by utilizing inbuilt Grafbase GraphQL resolvers. These transformations include filtering, sorting, and aggregating of data. 

The resolver methods provided by Grafbase make it possible for developers to implement their own unique logic to change or improve the data. This ensures that customers obtain the precise data structure that they desire.

For testing purposes, Grabase has an inbuilt GraphQL playground and stores your data in DynamoDB.

Grafbase has a resourceful dashboard that offers templates. For example, there is a Twitter template that has a GraphQL schema that retrieves all the data that is needed to create a tweet. Here is the schema template auto-generated by Grafbase:

type User @model {
username: String! @unique
email: Email! @unique
url: URL
avatar: URL
likes: [Like]
tweets: [Tweet]
}
type Tweet @model {
text: String!
user: User!
likes: [Like]
replies: [Tweet]
media: [Media] @length(max: 4)
}
type Like @model {
tweet: Tweet!
user: User!
}
type Media @model {
url: URL
type: MediaType
}
enum MediaType {
IMAGE
VIDEO
}

Grafbase hates the idea of starting from scratch, which is time-consuming. In a period of 2 years, Grafbase has already created libraries and boilerplates that help you to integrate Grafbase with Javascript frameworks such as Next.js. 

It also has a Kotlin library you can use to integrate Grafbase into your Android application code. 

Here is a list of Grafbase libraries and boilerplates that help you add Grafbase to your favorite frameworks:

1. Next.js
2. Next
3. SvelteKit
4. Remix
5. SolidJS
6. Deno
7. Fresh
8. Swift
9. Qwik
10. React
11. Kotlin
12. Vue

GraphQL Issues That Can Be Eliminated by Grafbase

In this section, you will learn how Grafbase solves issues that come with GraphQL.

Steep Learning Curve

GraphQL has a steeper learning curve compared to traditional REST APIs. Developers need to understand the GraphQL schema, queries, and mutations, as well as the specific implementation details of the GraphQL server. 

Solution

To solve the learning curve, Grafbase automated some of the schema creation tasks so that you don't have to do them, thus being beginner-friendly. Effective documentation and client development are essential for building robust GraphQL APIs. 

Grafbase provides powerful tooling to automatically generate comprehensive API documentation, including type definitions, query examples, and interactive playgrounds. This feature facilitates client development by providing clear guidance on available data structures and query syntax, reducing the learning curve for new developers and enhancing collaboration between frontend and backend teams.

Backend Infrastructure Complexity

GraphQL introduces a new layer of complexity to the backend infrastructure. It requires setting up a GraphQL server, defining a schema, and resolving the queries and mutations. Implementing caching and authentication mechanisms can also be more complex with GraphQL compared to REST.

Solution

This complexity of GraphQL backend infrastructure is reduced by Grafbase, which functions as a GraphQL data source gateway. 

By offering a unifying data source platform, Grafbase makes the process of retrieving data from numerous sources more manageable and straightforward. Using Grafbase, developers are able to aggregate data from a variety of different backend systems, databases, and APIs into a unified API endpoint. This capability not only makes the development process more streamlined but it also removes the necessity of making repeated round trips to various endpoints and enables more effective data aggregation. 

Slow and Limited Caching 

GraphQL relies heavily on client-side caching to optimize data fetching. However, the problem with client-side caching is that it is complex and hard to track since it is stored on the user's device. Implementing an efficient caching strategy can be challenging, especially when dealing with complex data dependencies and evolving schemas. Without proper caching, GraphQL requests might result in increased network traffic and decreased performance.

Solution

By leveraging Grafbase's edge caching mechanisms, developers can store frequently accessed data on the server side and avoid redundant database queries, resulting in faster response times and reduced server load. Caching can be customized based on specific requirements by using arguments such as maxAge, which states how long the cache lasts. Caching is important because it ensures that the most relevant and up-to-date data is available to clients while minimizing latency and maximizing scalability.

Security Considerations

GraphQL exposes a single endpoint, allowing clients to query and mutate data in a more fine-grained manner. While this flexibility can be advantageous, it also requires careful consideration of security measures. Protecting against malicious queries, enforcing access control, and preventing denial-of-service attacks can be more challenging in a GraphQL API.

Solution

Grafbase secures your GraphQL API by using secure tokens and an IAM provider to secure your GraphQL backend. Grafbase doesn't give Identity solutions, rather, it gives you the opportunity to integrate Grafbase with your favorite IAM providers, such as Auth0 and JWT, to secure your GraphQL backend.

1. Using Clerk 
2. Using Auth0
3. Using NextAuth.js as your JWT provider

In addition to giving you Identity and Access Management (IAM), Grafbase also strengthens your security by giving you the ability to create rules that control access to the database and user management. Here are rules you can enforce when using Grafbase:

1. Model-level rules
2. Field-level rules
3. Operation rules
4. Signed-in rules
5. Group-based rules
6. Global rules

How Does Grafbase Work?

Grafbase aims to reduce many tasks that developers have to do so that they can focus on important tasks. Grafbase manages your deployments and GraphQL backend infrastructure. 

Seamlessly connecting your data sources using Grafbase ensures that your systems are always synchronized.

Grafbase is able to handle large projects because it creates a GraphQL project using your schema taken from your connected GitHub repository. There can be multiple schemas spread throughout your repository, and Grafbase will unify them using the branching concept. 

You need to have a GitHub account to be able to use Grafbase. When you create a project, the first task you will do is connect Grafbase with GitHub.

After connecting GitHub to Grafbase, your repositories will be displayed. Choose the repository that has your project schema to create a project. If you don't have a schema created yet, go ahead and select one of the templates displayed on the right.

Choosing to deploy a template will create a repository in your account and auto-generate any necessary schema that is needed to create a GraphQL API.

When everything is good, go ahead and deploy the app. 

Deploying the app will take a minute. After the deployment process has been finished, you will be presented with the Grafbase API access credentials, which are the endpoint and the API key. The Grafbase API enables you to access the Grafbase dashboard from anywhere. You can make requests to this API to use your GraphQL API deployed by Grafbase.

Conclusion

Grafbase has been proven to be a game-changing GraphQL tool, empowering developers with streamlined data retrieval, efficient backend integration, flexible edge caching, real-time capabilities, and comprehensive documentation. 

By leveraging Grafbase's features, you can build powerful and scalable applications while minimizing development time and effort. Whether it's aggregating data from multiple sources, implementing real-time features, or optimizing performance through caching.