What it means
Schema and operations
A GraphQL schema describes the types and capabilities available to a client. Queries request data, mutations perform designated changes and subscriptions describe supported streams. The specification does not prescribe a database or automatically implement application permissions.
Choosing an interface
Clients can select the fields needed for a view, while servers control which fields exist and how they resolve. Authorization, operation cost controls, error handling and pagination remain application responsibilities. A GraphQL endpoint cannot be assumed to exist merely because a provider offers a REST API.
Related concepts
In practice
A concrete example
An admin dashboard requests an invoice’s amount, status and customer reference in one supported GraphQL query.
Technical notes & boundaries
GraphQL does not inherently guarantee faster queries, fewer database calls, delivery of payment events or safe retries of mutations.
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Original references used for this definition. Product details and standards can change.