Get this repository on your machine by cloning it!
git clone https://github.com/nananananate/express-graphql-demo
Navigate into the repository.
cd express-graphql-demo
Now install the dependencies needed.
If you're curious on what the dependencies are, we explain them later.
npm install
You are now ready to run the demo!
For learning purposes, there are two apps (or servers) that you can run!
The basic server runs by using this command:
node server-basic
With server-basic being the name of the file holding our basic server, server-basic.js.
**Now your server is running on localhost:8000
This server more closely reflects a real-world Express GraphQL API. It is modeled after PeterPortal API.
The more advanced server can be run with this command:
node server
Since server.js is the expected name, you can also run the app with this command:
npm start
Now your server is running on localhost:8080
Note that the port is now 8080! It is a different port so that you can run both servers concurrently to compare them.
These dependencies are installed when you run npm install, but let's explain why we use them!
express is a Node.js web framework, typically used for a back-end web app. And if you know back-end, you know that you'll be making a Web API!
Recall that GraphQL is a language, not a tool. The graphql dependency is the official Javascript implementation of GraphQL, developed by the GraphQL Organization.
express-graphql is what links graphql with express. Without it, there would be no GraphQL endpoint on your Express app!