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Hello guys, you might have heard about GraphQL, the next exciting technology for web developers. GraphQL is gaining a lot of popularity because of its superiority over traditional REST APIs.
Many big companies like Facebook, Coursera, [GitHub], and [Yelp] have already started using it, which has also helped a lot in terms of gaining popularity.
There is a good chance that you might have already have heard about GraphQL in blogs pots, on Dev.to, or, in general Web but like many others not sure whether it's worth learning or not and if yes, from where to start.
Well, I have been learning GraphQL since last week and I would like to share some of the resources I have been using for my learning.
If you happen to learn GraphQL you can also get benefit from these tutorials and courses and if you happen to be a GraphQL expert, maybe you can advise if I am in the right direction or not. You can also suggest some of the great GraphQL resources which are not mentioned in this list and I should look.
Anyway, before I go into which courses and tutorials to learn GraphQL, let me give you a brief overview of What is GraphQL and why should a web developer learn GraphQL.
The GraphQL is nothing but a query language from Facebook which aims to solve pertinent problems with REST APIs like a lot of endpoints, under-fetching, and over-fetching of data, and versioning.
It provides a wrapper around APIs which makes it easier from front-end to use a single endpoint to get all the things they need.
For, example Github's REST API for user data, https://api.github.com/users/ returns User details which contain 31 fields, if you are just interested in id, location, and url then you are fetching a lot of unnecessary data which could impact performance and scalability of your application.
GraphQL solves this problem by wrapping this API and providing a simpler interface based upon your requirement.
It also makes it easier to evolve APIs over time and enables powerful developer tools. Once you start using GraphQL I am sure you will also start loving its flexibility, type-safety, and community of support.
Because of these awesome qualities, GraphQL is getting more and more popular every passing day and who knows it may replace REST in the coming years. Many companies like Coursera have already use GraphQL for their API. They have also built tools that can dynamically translate their REST APIs to GraphQL.
If these things excite you and you want to try GraphQL or explore more, you can check out the tutorials and courses, both free and paid, I am going to share with you now.
Top 5 Courses to Learn GraphQL for API Development
There are so many GraphQL resources on the internet and its difficult to choose which one is the best, but, you don't need to. All you need is try a couple of courses and tutorials and stick to the one where you can connect with the instructor, because, that's what makes the whole difference.
It doesn't matter if that course is not in-depth or covers everything about GraphQL because as a beginner its more important to learn important stuff and learn them better.
As I have told you before, I was a nerd and preferred to learn everything from books until a couple of years ago but now I totally rely on online training courses. I found them more active, interesting, and engaging. So whenever I have some free time like commuting to work and back, I learn from these courses.
Anyway, enough about learning from online courses, now let's see some of the GraphQL courses I have bought to learn GraphQL from scratch.
1. The Modern GraphQL Bootcamp (Advanced Node.js)
This is another awesome GraphQL course from Udemy which will teach you how to build GraphQL applications using Node.js. Includes Prisma, authentication, Apollo Client, and much more.
If you have been on Udemy, you may know [Andrew Mead], one of the most popular instructors. Having attended his Node.js course I have become a big fan of him.
This is again a gem of the course and I strongly recommend this to every Web developer who wants to learn GraphQL. Andrew focuses on project-based learning which is IMHO the best way to learn a new technology or framework and this course is no exception.
here is the link to join this course --- The Modern GraphQL Bootcamp (Advanced Node.js)**
You will first understand GraphQL concepts and what it offers in comparison to REST, before delving into details for creating GraphQL Schemas, building API and testing it.
On the social side, the course has on average 4.8 ratings from 1,137 ratings given by 8,211 students enrolled in this course, which means you are not alone. A lot of people have joined this course and learned GraphQL better.
2. GraphQL with React Course
In this course, you will learn and master GraphQL by building real web apps with React and Node JS. The course is perfect for both beginner and experienced developers starting with GraphQL.
This is also the first GraphQL course I bought because I am a huge fan of [Stephen Grider] Having attended his React course, I love how explains things and I am able to connect with him.
I not only like his teaching skills but also how he delivers his courses and his subject matter expertise. All his courses are top class and this one is no different.
You will not only learn about GraphQL but also about Apolog clients to communicate with GraphQL from your web application. You will also learn to build single page application using React.js and GraphQL.
You can sign up here.
On the Social side, this course is one of the best-sellers with on average 4.6 ratings from close to 28,000 students which speaks volumes about the quality of this course.
Though I like this course, there is one downside of this course, you need to know React JS. If you don't know React then this is probably not the right course for you.
3. Complete guide to building a GraphQL API
If for some reason you are not able to connect to Stephen Grider's course or you don't know React but want to learn GraphQL then this is another awesome course to start with.
In this course, instructor Xavier Decuyper will teach you everything you need to know to build your own GraphQL API. I particularly liked the way he compared REST with GraphQL and highlights the shortcomings of REST APIs in terms of over-fetching and under-fetching data.
This is also one of the highest-rated GraphQL courses on Udemy, an average of 4.8 from 162 ratings given by 761 students enrolled. The numbers are not as big as the first course but the material is awesome and I can say that because I simply loved the course.
Here is the link to join the course --- Complete guide to building a GraphQL API
On the downside, this is a short course with just 2 hours of content so you won't find a lot of supplementary stuff but if you are completely focused on GraphQL and want to learn how to build GraphQL API with JavaScript and graphics then this is the course for you.
4. Building Scalable APIs with GraphQL
For a change, this is a GraphQL course from Pluralsight. Since I also have Pluralsight membership I often go there are looking for courses and tutorials on the latest technology. Luckily I find this course which is seriously awesome.
In this course, instructor Sameer Buna will teach you how to build and consume GraphQL APIs with real-world examples. You not only learn about consuming GraphQL APIs but also how to build your own GraphQL APIs.
You'll also learn about how to create a GraphQL schema and how to use it via an interface, including an HTTP-based one, along with different features of the GraphQL language as well as how to build them in a GraphQL server.
In short, a good course to learn GraphQL from scratch, particularly if you have a Pluralsight membership. If not, I suggest you get one because Pluaralsight is an awesome place to learn new things.
You can also take this course for free by taking their 10-day FREE Pass which provides 200 minutes of access (the course is 2 hours 10 m long) to all of their courses and tutorials.
here is the link to join this course --- Building Scalable APIs with GraphQL
5. GraphQL by Example
This is the fourth GraphQL course I bought on Udemy, yeah I often go on a shopping spree on Udemy, especially during their crazy sales when they sell courses on just $10 or less.
Anyway talking about this course, it's also a project-based course and you will learn GraphQL by creating a full-stack JavaScript application with Node.js, Express, Apollo Server, React, Apollo Client.
This means you will not only learn how to consume GraphQL API using HTTP but also using Appolo clients. The course also teaches you essential things bout GraphQL Server and GraphQL Schema
Talking about social, the course has on average 4.6 ratings from 256 ratings given by 1,392 students enrolled, which is not bad. In short, a nice course to learn GraphQL if you like learning by examples.
That's all about some of the best courses to learn GraphQL for Beginners. As I said, GraphQL looks really promising and can be used as an alternative to REST and many companies like Coursera are actually using that. Since I have just started learning GraphQL and still have a long way to go but whatever I have learned so far, shows that GraphQL is here for the long run and every Web developer should explore it.
Btw, GraphQL also has limitations like a GPL query always return an HTTP status code of 200 OK, even if the query is not successful, this issue can make error handling difficult. Another problem is Caching, GraphQL lacks built-in caching support, so you must provide your own caching support.
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Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like these GraphQL courses then please share with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions, books or courses which are useful for anyone learning GraphQL, please drop a note.
P. S. --- If you interested in learning GraphQL but looking for a free tutorial to start with the GraphQL - A Primer on Udemy is perfect to start with. It's completely free and provides a nice overview of GraphQL from a beginner's perspective.
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