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graphql-go

A Go library for building GraphQL servers, following the reference graphql-js implementation.graphql-go/graphql

GitHub Download v0.8.1
Stars
10.1k
Forks
850
Licence
MIT
Language
Go
Last update
5 months ago
Type
Library

What it is

This is a Go library that lets you define a GraphQL schema and run GraphQL queries against it from Go code. GraphQL is a way for clients to ask an API for exactly the fields they need. The README says it follows the official graphql-js reference implementation and supports queries, mutations and subscriptions.

  • Define a schema with object types and fields in Go and resolve them with Go functions
  • Run a GraphQL query string against a schema and get JSON results back
  • Add mutations and subscriptions to a Go API
  • Pair it with the third-party graphql-go-handler listed in the README to serve queries over HTTP

Great for

  • Go developers who want to expose a GraphQL API from a Go service
  • Teams that want to build a schema in Go code rather than a separate schema file
  • Developers who want to match graphql-js behavior in a Go backend

Not ideal for

  • People who are not writing Go, since this is a Go library and needs a Go toolchain
  • Anyone looking for a ready-made server or hosted app, since the README describes a library, not a finished product
  • Projects that need the README's documented feature set beyond queries, mutations and subscriptions, because the README does not list more detail
Step-by-step guide: how to use graphql-goInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
gqlgen vs graphql-go

How to get it

  1. 1

    Install with a package manager

    You'll need: Go

    Install the library

    go get github.com/graphql-go/graphql
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Install the library with go get
    • Copy the hello-world example from the README into a main.go file
    • Run the program with go run main.go
    • Check that it prints {"data":{"hello":"world"}}
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Read the examples/ directory in the repository for more complex schemas
    • Review graphql_test.go to see how features are exercised
    • Use the godoc reference at pkg.go.dev for the full API
    • Add graphql-go-handler to serve your schema over HTTP
    • Consider dataloader from the README to batch data fetches

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHubRelease v0.8.1Release notes and source

Strengths

  • Follows the official graphql-js reference implementation, according to the README
  • Covers queries, mutations and subscriptions
  • Has godoc documentation and a small runnable example in the README

Trade-offs

  • The README is truncated and gives only a single small example, so advanced usage relies on the examples directory and tests
  • The latest release is v0.8.1 and has no binaries, since it is a library rather than a program
  • HTTP serving is not included; the README points to a separate third-party handler

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
graphql (this)10.1kLibraryintermediate5 months agoGo developers who want to expose a GraphQL API from a Go service
gqlgen10.8kLibraryintermediate8 days agoGo developers building a new GraphQL API
apollo-server14kLibraryintermediate5 days agoNode.js developers who want to add a GraphQL API to an existing Express, Koa or Hapi app
hoppscotch80.7kAppbeginner6 days agoDevelopers who want to test REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, or other APIs without a heavy desktop client
query50.5kLibraryintermediate4 days agoFrontend developers building apps that load data from a server
graphql-js20.3kLibraryintermediate4 days agoJavaScript or TypeScript developers building a GraphQL API 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.