---
title: Welcome
fullwidth: false
---
<div class="hero">
  <div class="hero-title">
    <img class="graphql-ruby-img" src="{{ site.baseurl }}/graphql-ruby.png" alt="GraphQL Ruby Logo"/>
    <h1>GraphQL Ruby</h1>
  </div>
  <div class="hero-subtitle">
    <p>The <code>graphql</code> gem implements the <a href="https://spec.graphql.org/draft/">GraphQL Server Specification</a> in Ruby.</p>
    <p>Use it to add a GraphQL API to your Ruby or Rails app.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="hero-part shaded">
    <div class="hero-feature">
      <h2>Install the Gem</h2>
      <p>
        <a href="{{ site.baseurl}}/getting_started">Get going fast</a> with the <code><a href="https://rubygems.org/gems/graphql">graphql</a></code> gem,
        battle-tested and trusted by <a href="https://githubengineering.com/the-github-graphql-api/#open-source">GitHub</a>, <a href="https://www.graphql.com/articles/graphql-at-shopify">Shopify</a>, <a href="https://flexport.com">Flexport</a>, </a><a href="https://www.chime.com">Chime</a>, and <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/">Kickstarter</a>.
      </p>
{% highlight bash %}
# Download the gem:
bundle add graphql
# Setup with Rails:
rails generate graphql:install
{% endhighlight %}
    </div>
    <div class="hero-feature">
      <h2>Define Your Schema</h2>
      <p>
        Describe your application with a
        <a href="{{ site.baseurl }}/schema/definition">GraphQL schema</a>
        to create a self-documenting, strongly-typed API.
      </p>
{% highlight ruby %}
# app/graphql/types/profile_type.rb
class Types::ProfileType < Types::BaseObject
  field :id, ID, null: false
  field :name, String, null: false
  field :avatar, Types::PhotoType
end
{% endhighlight %}
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="hero-part">
    <div class="hero-feature">
      <h2>Serve Queries</h2>
      <p>
        Provide custom data to clients and extend your API with
        {% internal_link "mutations", "/mutations/mutation_root" %},
        {% internal_link "subscriptions", "/subscriptions/overview" %},
        {% internal_link "streaming responses", "/defer/overview" %},
        and {% internal_link "multiplexing", "/queries/multiplex" %}.
      </p>
{% highlight ruby %}
# app/controllers/graphql_controller.rb
result = MySchema.execute(
  params[:query],
  variables: params[:variables],
  context: { current_user: current_user },
)
render json: result
{% endhighlight %}
    </div>
    <div class="hero-feature">
      <h2>Harden Your API</h2>
      <p>
        Confidently deploy GraphQL with GraphQL-Ruby:
        <ul>
          <li>{% internal_link "Testing helpers", "/testing/overview" %} to validate your system</li>
          <li>{% internal_link "Authorization", "/authorization/overview" %} integrates with your app's permission system</li>
          <li>{% internal_link "GraphQL::Dataloader", "/dataloader/overview" %} optimizes access to data sources</li>
          <li>{% internal_link "Complexity limits", "/queries/complexity_and_depth" %}, {% internal_link "timeouts", "/queries/timeout" %}, and {% internal_link "rate limits", "/limiters/overview" %} to protect your server resources</li>
          <li>{% internal_link "Tracing", "/queries/tracing" %} for integration with your APM or custom usage</li>
          <li>{% internal_link "API versioning", "/changesets/overview" %} to roll out changes while preserving client experience</li>
          <li>{% internal_link "Persisted queries", "/operation_store/overview" %} to guarantee approved API usage </li>
          <li>{% internal_link "Caching", "/object_cache/overview" %} to serve repeated data requests</li>
        </ul>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="hero-part shaded">
    <div class="hero-feature">
      <h2>Integrate with Client Libraries</h2>
      <p>
        <code>{% internal_link "graphql-ruby-client", "/javascript_client/overview" %}</code> provides integration with
        {% internal_link "Apollo Client", "/javascript_client/apollo_subscriptions" %},
        {% internal_link "Relay", "/javascript_client/relay_subscriptions" %},
        {% internal_link "GraphiQL", "/javascript_client/graphiql_subscriptions" %},
        {% internal_link "urql", "/javascript_client/urql_subscriptions" %}, or custom JavaScript.
      </p>
    </div>
    <div class="hero-feature">
      <h2>Going Beyond</h2>
      <p>
        Customize your GraphQL API:
        <ul>
          <li>{% internal_link "Language tooling", "/language_tools/visitor/ %} for manipulating GraphQL documents</li>
          <li>{% internal_link "Type system extensions", "/type_definitions/extensions/ %} for customizing your schema definition</li>
          <li>{% internal_link "Query analysis", "/queries/ast_analysis" %} for ahead-of-time query inspection</li>
        </ul>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

<h3 style="text-align: center; margin: 50px auto;">
  Add <a href="https://graphql.org">GraphQL</a> to your Ruby app. <a href="/getting_started">Get Started!</a>
</h3>