GraphiQL vs Monaco Editor
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Browser-based GraphQL IDE plus the editor and language tools behind it.
Open source · MIT
A code editor component for web pages, taken from VS Code's editor.
The short answer
Choose GraphiQL if you need…
- Teams that want an in-browser GraphQL query tool embedded in their own web app or server
- Developers building editor or IDE plugins for GraphQL
- Framework or plugin authors who want to add a GraphQL IDE experience
- Developers who want schema-aware autocomplete and linting in CodeMirror or Monaco
Choose Monaco Editor if you need…
- Web developers adding a code editing box to a browser app
- Teams building online IDEs, playgrounds, or code-sample tools
- Developers who want VS Code-style editing without running VS Code
- Projects that need to show or edit code in the browser with custom language features
Side-by-side
| GraphiQL | Monaco Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 16.9k | 46.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
GraphiQL
This monorepo holds GraphiQL, an in-browser IDE for writing and testing GraphQL queries against a server, along with the packages that power it. It also includes editor integrations for CodeMirror and Monaco, and a language server (LSP) that IDE extensions such as VS Code can use for GraphQL support.
Monaco Editor
Monaco Editor is the code editor from VS Code, packaged so that developers can embed it in a web page. It gives a web app features such as syntax-aware editing and smart suggestions. It is distributed as an npm package and is driven through a JavaScript API built around models (the text being edited) and editors (the view of it).
Best for
GraphiQL
- Teams that want an in-browser GraphQL query tool embedded in their own web app or server
- Developers building editor or IDE plugins for GraphQL
- Framework or plugin authors who want to add a GraphQL IDE experience
- Developers who want schema-aware autocomplete and linting in CodeMirror or Monaco
Monaco Editor
- Web developers adding a code editing box to a browser app
- Teams building online IDEs, playgrounds, or code-sample tools
- Developers who want VS Code-style editing without running VS Code
- Projects that need to show or edit code in the browser with custom language features
Strengths
GraphiQL
- Official project under the GraphQL Foundation, with the reference implementation of the tooling
- Covers several layers: browser UI, editor modes, and a reusable language server
- MIT licensed and actively maintained, with a recent push date
Monaco Editor
- Built from VS Code's own editor sources, so many editing features come along
- Distributed on npm with an ESM build and TypeScript type definitions (monaco.d.ts)
- MIT licensed and widely used, with an interactive playground and docs
Not ideal for
GraphiQL
- People who just want a finished desktop app; the README describes libraries and packages rather than a standalone installer
- Users who need Internet Explorer or old browser support, which the README explicitly does not provide
- Anyone looking for a simple one-line tool; the monorepo spans many packages, so the right one depends on the goal
Monaco Editor
- People who just want a desktop code editor; the README points to VS Code itself for that
- Mobile web apps, since the FAQ says the editor is not supported in mobile browsers
- Projects that need VS Code extensions to run in the browser, since the FAQ says they generally will not work
- Projects that must load pages from file:// , because web workers are required and the FAQ says they fail there
Trade-offs
GraphiQL
- Many packages with different roles, so newcomers must work out which one they need
- The README warns that graphiql versions below 1.4.7 have an XSS issue when the connected server is untrusted
- Monaco support is described as 'in the works' in the README
Monaco Editor
- Requires a web server (http or https); it will not run from file:// without one
- The AMD build is deprecated and will be removed in future versions
- The README says it is not supported on mobile browsers
Getting started
GraphiQL
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/graphql/graphiqlMonaco Editor
Install the package
npm install monaco-editorFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between GraphiQL and Monaco Editor?
GraphiQL: Browser-based GraphQL IDE plus the editor and language tools behind it. Monaco Editor: A code editor component for web pages, taken from VS Code's editor. GraphiQL suits teams that want an in-browser graphql query tool embedded in their own web app or server, while Monaco Editor suits web developers adding a code editing box to a browser app.
Are GraphiQL and Monaco Editor free?
GraphiQL: Free and open source. Monaco Editor: Free and open source.
Is GraphiQL or Monaco Editor more popular?
Monaco Editor has more GitHub stars (46.9k) than GraphiQL (16.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to GraphiQL and Monaco Editor?
Other options people compare them with include Editor.md.
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.