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For more information, visit https://graphql.org/.
In this article
About GraphQL
Why Scope is using GraphQL
About GraphQL
The GraphQL data query language is:
A specification. The spec determines the validity of the schema on the API server. The schema determines the validity of client calls.
Strongly typed. The schema defines an API's type system and all object relationships.
Introspective. A client can query the schema for details about the schema.
Hierarchical. The shape of a GraphQL call mirrors the shape of the JSON data it returns. Nested fields let you query for and receive only the data you specify in a single round trip.
An application layer. GraphQL is not a storage model or a database query language. The graph refers to graph structures defined in the schema, where nodes define objects and edges define relationships between objects. The API traverses and returns application data based on the schema definitions, independent of how the data is stored.
Why Scope is using GraphQL
Scope chose GraphQL for our API v3 because it offers significantly more flexibility for our integrators. The ability to define precisely the data you want—and only the data you want—is a powerful advantage over the REST API v2 endpoints. GraphQL lets you replace multiple REST requests with a single call to fetch the data you specify.
GraphQL Terminology
The Scope GraphQL API represents an architectural and conceptual shift from the Scope REST APIs. You will likely encounter some new terminology in the GraphQL API reference docs.
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A schema defines a GraphQL API's type system.
It describes the complete set of possible data (objects, fields, relationships, everything) that a client can access. Calls from the client are validated and executed against the schema. A client can find information about the schema via introspection. A schema resides on the GraphQL API server. For more information, see "Discovering the Scope GraphQL API."
All calls are validated and executed against the Scope GraphQL schema:
Allowed operations: queries and mutations.
Schema-defined types: scalars, objects, enums, interfaces, unions, and input objects.
Note that you may need to rely on both the docs and the schema validation to successfully call the GraphQL API.
For other information, such as authentication and rate limit details, check out the guides.
Field
A field is a unit of data you can retrieve from an object. As the official GraphQL docs say: "The GraphQL query language is basically about selecting fields on objects."
The official spec also The official spec also says about fields:
All GraphQL operations must specify their selections down to fields which return scalar values to ensure an unambiguously shaped response.
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