GraphQL Ruby

The graphql gem implements the GraphQL Server Specification in Ruby.

Use it to add a GraphQL API to your Ruby or Rails app.

Install the Gem

Get going fast with the graphql gem, battle-tested and trusted by GitHub, Shopify, Flexport, Chime, and Kickstarter.

# Download the gem:
bundle add graphql
# Setup with Rails:
rails generate graphql:install

Define Your Schema

Describe your application with a GraphQL schema to create a self-documenting, strongly-typed API.

# app/graphql/types/profile_type.rb
class Types::ProfileType < Types::BaseObject
  field :id, ID, null: false
  field :name, String, null: false
  field :avatar, Types::PhotoType
end

Serve Queries

Provide custom data to clients and extend your API with mutations, subscriptions, streaming responses, and multiplexing.

# app/controllers/graphql_controller.rb
result = MySchema.execute(
  params[:query],
  variables: params[:variables],
  context: { current_user: current_user },
)
render json: result

Harden Your API

Confidently deploy GraphQL with GraphQL-Ruby:

Testing helpers to validate your system
Authorization integrates with your app's permission system
GraphQL::Dataloader optimizes access to data sources
Complexity limits, timeouts, and rate limits to protect your server resources
Tracing for integration with your APM or custom usage
API versioning to roll out changes while preserving client experience
Persisted queries to guarantee approved API usage
Caching to serve repeated data requests

Integrate with Client Libraries

graphql-ruby-client provides integration with Apollo Client, Relay, GraphiQL, urql, or custom JavaScript.

Going Beyond

Customize your GraphQL API:

Language tooling for manipulating GraphQL documents
Type system extensions for customizing your schema definition
Query analysis for ahead-of-time query inspection