Understanding API Connect for GraphQL

IBM® API Connect for GraphQL as a Service provides a GraphQL server and a command-line interface for creating, testing, and deploying GraphQL APIs.

API Connect for GraphQL can be provisioned as a managed service on Amazon Web Services, or deployed on-premises. Whatever your choice of deployment, API Connect for GraphQL helps you build clean, declarative, consistent APIs and run them at scale with built-in optimizations. To learn about the on-premises deployment, see IBM API Connect Essentials Software documentation.

With IBM API Connect for GraphQL as a Service, you can build GraphQL APIs quickly and easily using declarative building blocks. Each building block connects to a source of data and outputs a graph. API Connect for GraphQL supports a variety of backend data sources (REST, SOAP, SQL, NoSQL, GraphQL) and provides query optimization and a powerful introspection feature, reducing the time and effort needed to create your APIs.

Notice: StepZen was acquired by IBM in 2023 and renamed to API Connect for GraphQL. Some artifacts still use the StepZen name.

Learn more about API Connect for GraphQL by exploring the topics in Table 1.

Table 1. API Connect for GraphQL topics to explore
See this doc To learn about this feature
CLI reference CLI commands

The CLI is the primary tool for creating, uploading, deploying, and testing your GraphQL API.
Custom directives reference Custom directives

Custom directives allow you to extend your schema to code data connections, sequence queries, stitch schemas, and more.
Connecting to frontends Connecting to frontends

You can connect API Connect for GraphQL to frontends like Postman, JavaScript, and Node.js.
Working with GraphQL features API Connect for GraphQL features

Encode Form Data into a request or on an HTTP POST method. Explore built-in GraphQL scalar types, and custom API Connect for GraphQL scalar types. Use mock data to test your queries and schemas. Create sequences of queries.
Securing Schemas and Endpoints Securing your schema and endpoint

Use Admin keys, API keys, JWTs, and field policies to secure access to your schemas, endpoints, and backend data sources.
Using GraphQL federation Combining subgraphs into a supergraph

Build subgraphs and federate them in API Connect for GraphQL. You can also proxy subgraphs built with other apps, and then easily enable them for Apollo Federation.