Apollo Server
A JavaScript GraphQL server that works with Express, Koa, Hapi and similar Node frameworks.
- Stars
- 14k
- Forks
- 2k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 5 days ago
- Type
- Library
What it is
Apollo Server is a JavaScript library for running a GraphQL API on Node.js. You describe your data with a GraphQL schema and write resolver functions that fetch the data for each field. It plugs into common Node web frameworks so clients can send GraphQL queries over HTTP. The description says it is spec-compliant and built for a schema-first way of working.
- Expose a GraphQL endpoint over an existing Express server
- Define a typed schema and connect resolvers that read from your database or other services
- Serve GraphQL queries from a Node.js backend to a web or mobile front end
Great for
- Node.js developers who want to add a GraphQL API to an existing Express, Koa or Hapi app
- Teams that prefer defining a schema first and then implementing resolvers
- Developers who want a widely used, MIT-licensed GraphQL server in TypeScript
Not ideal for
- People who only need a REST API or static site, since GraphQL adds a layer they would not use
- Non-programmers, because it requires writing server code in JavaScript or TypeScript
- Projects that need a non-Node.js server language, since this library runs only on Node.js
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js
Install the server package
npm install @apollo/server graphql - 2
Run it
- Install the packages with npm
- Define a GraphQL schema and resolvers in your code
- Start a server with your chosen web framework integration
- Send a GraphQL query to the endpoint to check the result
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the schema-first approach described in the project description to keep API design explicit
- Check the official documentation linked from the homepage for framework integrations
- Review the package's README for configuration options not shown in this truncated excerpt
Downloads
Strengths
- Built to follow the GraphQL spec and designed for production use, per its description
- Works with several popular Node.js web frameworks
- Open source under the MIT license with a large community (about 14,000 stars)
Trade-offs
- Requires working knowledge of GraphQL concepts such as schemas and resolvers
- The README excerpt provided is truncated, so details on configuration and advanced features could not be verified here
- Being a JavaScript/TypeScript library, it is only useful within the Node.js ecosystem
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| apollo-server (this) | 14k | Library | intermediate | 5 days ago | Node.js developers who want to add a GraphQL API to an existing Express, Koa or Hapi app |
| graphql-code-generator | 11.3k | Dev tool | intermediate | 4 days ago | Frontend developers who want typed code for GraphQL queries |
| http-proxy-middleware | 11.1k | Library | intermediate | 5 days ago | Node.js developers running an Express, Connect, or Next.js dev server who need to forward /api requests to a backend |
| apollo-client | 19.8k | Library | intermediate | 5 days ago | Developers building React apps that query a GraphQL API |
| payload | 45.6k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers already building with Next.js and React who want a backend without a separate server |
| validator.js | 23.7k | Library | beginner | 2 months ago | JavaScript developers validating form or API input on Node.js |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.