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Get Started with GraphQL and Laravel

solomon04

Solomon Antoine

Posted on January 16, 2022

Get Started with GraphQL and Laravel

Get Started with GraphQL and Laravel

GraphQL is a powerful REST alternative that allows developers to build APIs. We will be using GraphQL to create a simple CRUD application that allows us to create, read, update and delete data.

Setup the project

Prerequisites

  1. PHP
  2. Composer
  3. NPM (optional)
  4. Docker

Create new Laravel Project

Use composer to create a new Laravel project by running:

composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel graphql-basics
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Install Laravel Sail

We will be using Laravel Sail to run our local environment. Sail allows us to seamlessly run Docker without complex configuration

composer require laravel/sail --dev
php artisan sail:install
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Select [0] the mysql service

Start Docker

Create a sail shortcut:

alias sail='[ -f sail ] && bash sail || bash vendor/bin/sail'
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Start Sail & Docker:

sail up -d
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Install GraphQL Laravel library

The most popular GraphQL libraries for Laravel are Rebing & Lighthouse, in our tutorial we will be using Rebing
which we can install by running:

composer require rebing/graphql-laravel
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Then publish the config file

sail artisan vendor:publish --provider="Rebing\\GraphQL\\GraphQLServiceProvider"
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Prepare database migrations & models

Run the following command to create the Company model, migration and factory:

sail artisan make:model Company -m -f
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Migration

Edit the generated migration file by replacing its content with the following:

<?php

use Illuminate\\Database\\Migrations\\Migration;
use Illuminate\\Database\\Schema\\Blueprint;
use Illuminate\\Support\\Facades\\Schema;

class CreateCompaniesTable extends Migration
{
    /**
     * Run the migrations.
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function up()
    {
        Schema::create('companies', function (Blueprint $table) {
            $table->id();
            $table->string('name');
            $table->string('contact_email');
            $table->string('street_address');
            $table->string('city');
            $table->string('country');
            $table->string('domain');

            $table->timestamps();
        });
    }

    /**
     * Reverse the migrations.
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function down()
    {
        Schema::dropIfExists('companies');
    }
}
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Model

Now, add these fields as $fillable properties for the Company model.

<?php

namespace App\\Models;

use Illuminate\\Database\\Eloquent\\Factories\\HasFactory;
use Illuminate\\Database\\Eloquent\\Model;

class Company extends Model
{
    use HasFactory;

    /**
     * The attributes that are mass assignable.
     *
     * @var string[]
     */
    protected $fillable = [
        'name',
        'contact_email',
        'street_address',
        'city',
        'country',
        'domain'
    ];
}
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Factory

Let's create our Company factory for seeding purposes.

<?php

namespace Database\\Factories;

use Illuminate\\Database\\Eloquent\\Factories\\Factory;

class CompanyFactory extends Factory
{
    /**
     * Define the model's default state.
     *
     * @return array
     */
    public function definition()
    {
        return [
            'name' => $this->faker->company,
            'contact_email' => $this->faker->companyEmail,
            'street_address' => $this->faker->streetAddress,
            'city' => $this->faker->city,
            'country' => $this->faker->country,
            'domain' => $this->faker->domainName
        ];
    }
}
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Update Database Seeder 

<?php

namespace Database\\Seeders;

use App\\Models\\Company;
use Illuminate\\Database\\Seeder;

class DatabaseSeeder extends Seeder
{
    /**
     * Seed the application's database.
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function run()
    {
        Company::factory(10)->create();
    }
}
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Migrate & Seed Database

Run this command to seed our database:

sail artisan migrate --seed
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Build our GraphQL Server

Let's start defining our GraphQL schema

Create GraphQL Type for Company

Run the following command to create our GraphQL type:

sail artisan make:graphql:type CompanyType
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Then navigate to the app/GraphQL/Types directory and modify the file like so:

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\\GraphQL\\Types;

use App\\Models\\Company;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\Type;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Type as GraphQLType;

class CompanyType extends GraphQLType
{
    protected $attributes = [
        'name' => 'Company',
        'description' => '',
        'model' => Company::class
    ];

    public function fields(): array
    {
        return [
            'id' => [
                'type' => Type::id(),
                'description' => 'The auto incremented ID of a company'
            ],
            'name' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The name of a company'
            ],
            'contact_email' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The primary point of contact for a company'
            ],
            'street_address' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The street address of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'city' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The city of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'country' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The country of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'domain' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The web domain for a company'
            ]
        ];
    }
}
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Create GraphQL Queries

Queries will be used to retrieve data from the database.

CompanyQuery

Run the following to create the company query:

sail artisan make:graphql:query CompanyQuery
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Then navigate to the app/GraphQL/Queries directory and modify the file like so:

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\\GraphQL\\Queries;

use App\\Models\\Company;
use Closure;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\ResolveInfo;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\Type;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Facades\\GraphQL;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Query;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\SelectFields;

class CompanyQuery extends Query
{
    protected $attributes = [
        'name' => 'company'
    ];

    public function type(): Type
    {
        return GraphQL::type('Company');
    }

    public function args(): array
    {
        return [
            'id' => [
                'name' => 'id',
                'type' => Type::id(),
                'rules' => ['required']
            ],
        ];
    }

    public function resolve($root, array $args, $context, ResolveInfo $resolveInfo, Closure $getSelectFields)
    {
        return Company::findOrFail($args['id']);
    }
}
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CompaniesQuery

Run the following to create the companies query:

sail artisan make:graphql:query CompaniesQuery
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Then navigate to the app/GraphQL/Queries directory and modify the file like so:

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\\GraphQL\\Queries;

use App\\Models\\Company;
use Closure;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\ResolveInfo;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\Type;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Facades\\GraphQL;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Query;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\SelectFields;

class CompaniesQuery extends Query
{
    protected $attributes = [
        'name' => 'companies'
    ];

    public function type(): Type
    {
        return Type::listOf(GraphQL::type('Company'));
    }

    public function resolve($root, array $args, $context, ResolveInfo $resolveInfo, Closure $getSelectFields)
    {
        return Company::all();
    }
}
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Create the GraphQL Mutations

Mutations are used insert, update, and delete an entity.

Create Company Mutation

Run the following command to create new mutation:

sail artisan make:graphql:mutation CreateCompanyMutatio
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Then navigate to the app/GraphQL/Mutations directory and modify the file like so:

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\\GraphQL\\Mutations;

use App\\Models\\Company;
use Closure;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\ResolveInfo;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\Type;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Facades\\GraphQL;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Mutation;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\SelectFields;

class CreateCompanyMutation extends Mutation
{
    protected $attributes = [
        'name' => 'createCompany'
    ];

    public function type(): Type
    {
        return GraphQL::type('Company');
    }

    public function args(): array
    {
        return [
            'name' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The name of a company'
            ],
            'contact_email' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The primary point of contact for a company',
                'rules' => ['email']
            ],
            'street_address' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The street address of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'city' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The city of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'country' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The country of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'domain' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The web domain for a company'
            ]
        ];
    }

    public function resolve($root, array $args, $context, ResolveInfo $resolveInfo, Closure $getSelectFields)
    {
        return Company::create($args);
    }
}
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Update Company Mutation

Run the following command to create new mutation:

sail artisan make:graphql:mutation UpdateCompanyMutation
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Then navigate to the app/GraphQL/Mutations directory and modify the file like so:

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\\GraphQL\\Mutations;

use App\\Models\\Company;
use Closure;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\ResolveInfo;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\Type;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Facades\\GraphQL;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Mutation;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\SelectFields;

class UpdateCompanyMutation extends Mutation
{
    protected $attributes = [
        'name' => 'updateCompany'
    ];

    public function type(): Type
    {
        return GraphQL::type('Company');
    }

    public function args(): array
    {
        return [
            'id' => [
                'name' => 'id',
                'type' =>  Type::nonNull(Type::int()),
            ],
            'name' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The name of a company'
            ],
            'contact_email' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The primary point of contact for a company',
                'rules' => ['email']
            ],
            'street_address' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The street address of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'city' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The city of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'country' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The country of a company headquarters'
            ],
            'domain' => [
                'type' => Type::nonNull(Type::string()),
                'description' => 'The web domain for a company'
            ]
        ];
    }

    public function resolve($root, array $args, $context, ResolveInfo $resolveInfo, Closure $getSelectFields)
    {
        $company = Company::findOrFail($args['id']);

        $company->update($args);

        return $company->refresh();
    }
}
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Delete Company Mutation

Run the following command to create new mutation:

sail artisan make:graphql:mutation DeleteCompanyMutation
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Then navigate to the app/GraphQL/Mutations directory and modify the file like so:

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\\GraphQL\\Mutations;

use App\\Models\\Company;
use Closure;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\ResolveInfo;
use GraphQL\\Type\\Definition\\Type;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\Mutation;
use Rebing\\GraphQL\\Support\\SelectFields;

class DeleteCompanyMutation extends Mutation
{
    protected $attributes = [
        'name' => 'deleteCompany'
    ];

    public function type(): Type
    {
        return Type::boolean();
    }

    public function args(): array
    {
        return [
            'id' => [
                'name' => 'id',
                'type' =>  Type::id(),
            ],
        ];
    }

    public function resolve($root, array $args, $context, ResolveInfo $resolveInfo, Closure $getSelectFields)
    {
        $company = Company::findOrFail($args['id']);

        return $company->delete();
    }
}
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Load Schema

We need to register to schema within the GraphQL configuration file, located at config/graphql.php:

'schemas' => [
        'default' => [
            'query' => [
                // ExampleQuery::class,
                \\App\\GraphQL\\Queries\\CompanyQuery::class,
                \\App\\GraphQL\\Queries\\CompaniesQuery::class
            ],
            'mutation' => [
                // ExampleMutation::class,
                \\App\\GraphQL\\Mutations\\CreateCompanyMutation::class,
                \\App\\GraphQL\\Mutations\\UpdateCompanyMutation::class,
                \\App\\GraphQL\\Mutations\\DeleteCompanyMutation::class
            ],
            // The types only available in this schema
            'types' => [
                \\App\\GraphQL\\Types\\CompanyType::class
            ],

            // Laravel HTTP middleware
            'middleware' => null,

            // Which HTTP methods to support; must be given in UPPERCASE!
            'method' => ['GET', 'POST'],

            // An array of middlewares, overrides the global ones
            'execution_middleware' => null,
        ],
    ],
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Run the Application

Since we already started the app using Sail, we can go to the url: http://localhost/graphiql to test our endpoints

Return all companies 

{
  companies {
    id
    name
    contact_email
    street_address
    city
    country
    domain
  }
}
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Return single company 

{
  company(id:1) {
    id
    name
    contact_email
    street_address
    city
    country
    domain
  }
}
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Create company 

mutation {
  createCompany(name:"Apple Inc.", contact_email:"support@apple.com",
    street_address:"One Apple Park Way", city: "Cupertino", country:"USA", domain:"apple.com") {
    name
    domain
  }
}
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Update Company 

mutation {
  updateCompany(id: 3, name: "Facebook Inc.", contact_email: "support@facebook.com",
  street_address:"1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park", city: "Menlo Park", country: "USA",
    domain: "facebook.com") {
    name
    domain
  }
}
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Delete Company 

mutation {
  deleteCompany(id: 7)
}
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Recap

In conclusion, GraphQL is a very powerful tool for building modern APIs. If you found this tutorial useful, considering subscribing to my YouTube channel where I record
programming content on the regular.

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solomon04
Solomon Antoine

Posted on January 16, 2022

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