Build a GraphQL API and deploy it in minutes with Encore 🚀

TL;DR

This guide shows how to build a GraphQL API with Encore. It implements a backend for a url shortener as an example, and shows how you deploy it to Encore's free development cloud.

🚀 What's on deck:

• Installing Encore.
• Starting a development environment with Encore.
• Run locally and try Encore’s developer dashboard.
• Test the API using the GraphQL Playground.
• Deploying to Encore's development cloud.

Install Encore

Install the Encore CLI to run your local environment:

• macOS: brew install encoredev/tap/encore
• Linux: curl -L https://encore.dev/install.sh | bash
• Windows: iwr https://encore.dev/install.ps1 | iex

Create your app

Create a new Encore application and clone this example with this command:

encore app create my-app-name --example=graphql

Running locally

Before running your application, make sure you have Docker installed and running. It's required to locally run Encore applications with databases.

Run your Encore backend:

encore run

You should see this:

👉 Open http://localhost:9400/ to view Encore's local developer dashboard.

🌟 Using the API

Let's run some queries using the GraphQL Playground!

👉 Open http://localhost:4000/graphql/playground in your browser.

Shorten a URL

mutation {
  shorten(url: "https://encore.dev") {
    id
    url
  }
}

Listing all shortened URLs

query {
  urls {
    id
    url
  }
}

Getting a URL from a shortened ID

query {
  get(id: "some-id") {  # Use an actual ID you have
    id
    url
  }
}

🚀 Deploy

Deploy your backend to a staging environment in Encore's free development cloud:

git add -A .
git commit -m 'Initial commit'
git push encore

👉 Then head over to the Cloud Dashboard to monitor your deployment and find your production URL.

From there you can also see metrics, traces, connect your app to a GitHub repo to get automatic deploys on new commits, and connect your own AWS or GCP account to use for deployment.

🎉 Great job - you're done!

You now have a scalable and production-ready web app foundation running in the cloud.

Keep building with these Open Source App Templates. 👈

If you have questions or want to share your work, join the developers hangout in Encore's community Slack. 👈