JavaScript Everywhere

Chapter 14. Working with Apollo Client

I remember my first internet connection vividly. My computer’s modem would dial in to a local number connected to my internet service provider (ISP), setting me free on the web. As magical as this felt at the time, it is a far cry from the instant, always-on connections that we use today. Here’s what the process looked like:

1. Sit down at my computer and open the ISP software.

2. Click Connect, and wait for the modem to dial the number.

3. If the connection is successful, hear the glorious “modem sounds.” If not, such as during peak hours when the lines may be overloaded and busy, try again.

4. Once connected, receive a success notification and browse the web in all of its GIF-filled 90s glory.

This cycle may seem arduous, but it still represents the way in which services speak to each other: they request a connection, make that connection, send a request, and get something back in return. Our client applications will work in the same manner. We will first make a connection to our server API application and, if successful, make requests to that server.

In this chapter, we’ll use Apollo Client to connect to our API. Once we’ve connected, we’ll write a GraphQL query, which will be used to display data on a page. We’ll also introduce pagination, both within an API query and in our interface components.

Running the API Locally

The development of our web client application will require access to a local instance of our API. If you’ve been following ...