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plugins/backend-development/skills/api-design-principles/references/graphql-schema-design.md

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+# GraphQL Schema Design Patterns
+
+## Schema Organization
+
+### Modular Schema Structure
+```graphql
+# user.graphql
+type User {
+  id: ID!
+  email: String!
+  name: String!
+  posts: [Post!]!
+}
+
+extend type Query {
+  user(id: ID!): User
+  users(first: Int, after: String): UserConnection!
+}
+
+extend type Mutation {
+  createUser(input: CreateUserInput!): CreateUserPayload!
+}
+
+# post.graphql
+type Post {
+  id: ID!
+  title: String!
+  content: String!
+  author: User!
+}
+
+extend type Query {
+  post(id: ID!): Post
+}
+```
+
+## Type Design Patterns
+
+### 1. Non-Null Types
+```graphql
+type User {
+  id: ID!              # Always required
+  email: String!       # Required
+  phone: String        # Optional (nullable)
+  posts: [Post!]!      # Non-null array of non-null posts
+  tags: [String!]      # Nullable array of non-null strings
+}
+```
+
+### 2. Interfaces for Polymorphism
+```graphql
+interface Node {
+  id: ID!
+  createdAt: DateTime!
+}
+
+type User implements Node {
+  id: ID!
+  createdAt: DateTime!
+  email: String!
+}
+
+type Post implements Node {
+  id: ID!
+  createdAt: DateTime!
+  title: String!
+}
+
+type Query {
+  node(id: ID!): Node
+}
+```
+
+### 3. Unions for Heterogeneous Results
+```graphql
+union SearchResult = User | Post | Comment
+
+type Query {
+  search(query: String!): [SearchResult!]!
+}
+
+# Query example
+{
+  search(query: "graphql") {
+    ... on User {
+      name
+      email
+    }
+    ... on Post {
+      title
+      content
+    }
+    ... on Comment {
+      text
+      author { name }
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### 4. Input Types
+```graphql
+input CreateUserInput {
+  email: String!
+  name: String!
+  password: String!
+  profileInput: ProfileInput
+}
+
+input ProfileInput {
+  bio: String
+  avatar: String
+  website: String
+}
+
+input UpdateUserInput {
+  id: ID!
+  email: String
+  name: String
+  profileInput: ProfileInput
+}
+```
+
+## Pagination Patterns
+
+### Relay Cursor Pagination (Recommended)
+```graphql
+type UserConnection {
+  edges: [UserEdge!]!
+  pageInfo: PageInfo!
+  totalCount: Int!
+}
+
+type UserEdge {
+  node: User!
+  cursor: String!
+}
+
+type PageInfo {
+  hasNextPage: Boolean!
+  hasPreviousPage: Boolean!
+  startCursor: String
+  endCursor: String
+}
+
+type Query {
+  users(
+    first: Int
+    after: String
+    last: Int
+    before: String
+  ): UserConnection!
+}
+
+# Usage
+{
+  users(first: 10, after: "cursor123") {
+    edges {
+      cursor
+      node {
+        id
+        name
+      }
+    }
+    pageInfo {
+      hasNextPage
+      endCursor
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### Offset Pagination (Simpler)
+```graphql
+type UserList {
+  items: [User!]!
+  total: Int!
+  page: Int!
+  pageSize: Int!
+}
+
+type Query {
+  users(page: Int = 1, pageSize: Int = 20): UserList!
+}
+```
+
+## Mutation Design Patterns
+
+### 1. Input/Payload Pattern
+```graphql
+input CreatePostInput {
+  title: String!
+  content: String!
+  tags: [String!]
+}
+
+type CreatePostPayload {
+  post: Post
+  errors: [Error!]
+  success: Boolean!
+}
+
+type Error {
+  field: String
+  message: String!
+  code: String!
+}
+
+type Mutation {
+  createPost(input: CreatePostInput!): CreatePostPayload!
+}
+```
+
+### 2. Optimistic Response Support
+```graphql
+type UpdateUserPayload {
+  user: User
+  clientMutationId: String
+  errors: [Error!]
+}
+
+input UpdateUserInput {
+  id: ID!
+  name: String
+  clientMutationId: String
+}
+
+type Mutation {
+  updateUser(input: UpdateUserInput!): UpdateUserPayload!
+}
+```
+
+### 3. Batch Mutations
+```graphql
+input BatchCreateUserInput {
+  users: [CreateUserInput!]!
+}
+
+type BatchCreateUserPayload {
+  results: [CreateUserResult!]!
+  successCount: Int!
+  errorCount: Int!
+}
+
+type CreateUserResult {
+  user: User
+  errors: [Error!]
+  index: Int!
+}
+
+type Mutation {
+  batchCreateUsers(input: BatchCreateUserInput!): BatchCreateUserPayload!
+}
+```
+
+## Field Design
+
+### Arguments and Filtering
+```graphql
+type Query {
+  posts(
+    # Pagination
+    first: Int = 20
+    after: String
+
+    # Filtering
+    status: PostStatus
+    authorId: ID
+    tag: String
+
+    # Sorting
+    orderBy: PostOrderBy = CREATED_AT
+    orderDirection: OrderDirection = DESC
+
+    # Searching
+    search: String
+  ): PostConnection!
+}
+
+enum PostStatus {
+  DRAFT
+  PUBLISHED
+  ARCHIVED
+}
+
+enum PostOrderBy {
+  CREATED_AT
+  UPDATED_AT
+  TITLE
+}
+
+enum OrderDirection {
+  ASC
+  DESC
+}
+```
+
+### Computed Fields
+```graphql
+type User {
+  firstName: String!
+  lastName: String!
+  fullName: String!  # Computed in resolver
+
+  posts: [Post!]!
+  postCount: Int!    # Computed, doesn't load all posts
+}
+
+type Post {
+  likeCount: Int!
+  commentCount: Int!
+  isLikedByViewer: Boolean!  # Context-dependent
+}
+```
+
+## Subscriptions
+
+```graphql
+type Subscription {
+  postAdded: Post!
+
+  postUpdated(postId: ID!): Post!
+
+  userStatusChanged(userId: ID!): UserStatus!
+}
+
+type UserStatus {
+  userId: ID!
+  online: Boolean!
+  lastSeen: DateTime!
+}
+
+# Client usage
+subscription {
+  postAdded {
+    id
+    title
+    author {
+      name
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+## Custom Scalars
+
+```graphql
+scalar DateTime
+scalar Email
+scalar URL
+scalar JSON
+scalar Money
+
+type User {
+  email: Email!
+  website: URL
+  createdAt: DateTime!
+  metadata: JSON
+}
+
+type Product {
+  price: Money!
+}
+```
+
+## Directives
+
+### Built-in Directives
+```graphql
+type User {
+  name: String!
+  email: String! @deprecated(reason: "Use emails field instead")
+  emails: [String!]!
+
+  # Conditional inclusion
+  privateData: PrivateData @include(if: $isOwner)
+}
+
+# Query
+query GetUser($isOwner: Boolean!) {
+  user(id: "123") {
+    name
+    privateData @include(if: $isOwner) {
+      ssn
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### Custom Directives
+```graphql
+directive @auth(requires: Role = USER) on FIELD_DEFINITION
+
+enum Role {
+  USER
+  ADMIN
+  MODERATOR
+}
+
+type Mutation {
+  deleteUser(id: ID!): Boolean! @auth(requires: ADMIN)
+  updateProfile(input: ProfileInput!): User! @auth
+}
+```
+
+## Error Handling
+
+### Union Error Pattern
+```graphql
+type User {
+  id: ID!
+  email: String!
+}
+
+type ValidationError {
+  field: String!
+  message: String!
+}
+
+type NotFoundError {
+  message: String!
+  resourceType: String!
+  resourceId: ID!
+}
+
+type AuthorizationError {
+  message: String!
+}
+
+union UserResult = User | ValidationError | NotFoundError | AuthorizationError
+
+type Query {
+  user(id: ID!): UserResult!
+}
+
+# Usage
+{
+  user(id: "123") {
+    ... on User {
+      id
+      email
+    }
+    ... on NotFoundError {
+      message
+      resourceType
+    }
+    ... on AuthorizationError {
+      message
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### Errors in Payload
+```graphql
+type CreateUserPayload {
+  user: User
+  errors: [Error!]
+  success: Boolean!
+}
+
+type Error {
+  field: String
+  message: String!
+  code: ErrorCode!
+}
+
+enum ErrorCode {
+  VALIDATION_ERROR
+  UNAUTHORIZED
+  NOT_FOUND
+  INTERNAL_ERROR
+}
+```
+
+## N+1 Query Problem Solutions
+
+### DataLoader Pattern
+```python
+from aiodataloader import DataLoader
+
+class PostLoader(DataLoader):
+    async def batch_load_fn(self, post_ids):
+        posts = await db.posts.find({"id": {"$in": post_ids}})
+        post_map = {post["id"]: post for post in posts}
+        return [post_map.get(pid) for pid in post_ids]
+
+# Resolver
+@user_type.field("posts")
+async def resolve_posts(user, info):
+    loader = info.context["loaders"]["post"]
+    return await loader.load_many(user["post_ids"])
+```
+
+### Query Depth Limiting
+```python
+from graphql import GraphQLError
+
+def depth_limit_validator(max_depth: int):
+    def validate(context, node, ancestors):
+        depth = len(ancestors)
+        if depth > max_depth:
+            raise GraphQLError(
+                f"Query depth {depth} exceeds maximum {max_depth}"
+            )
+    return validate
+```
+
+### Query Complexity Analysis
+```python
+def complexity_limit_validator(max_complexity: int):
+    def calculate_complexity(node):
+        # Each field = 1, lists multiply
+        complexity = 1
+        if is_list_field(node):
+            complexity *= get_list_size_arg(node)
+        return complexity
+
+    return validate_complexity
+```
+
+## Schema Versioning
+
+### Field Deprecation
+```graphql
+type User {
+  name: String! @deprecated(reason: "Use firstName and lastName")
+  firstName: String!
+  lastName: String!
+}
+```
+
+### Schema Evolution
+```graphql
+# v1 - Initial
+type User {
+  name: String!
+}
+
+# v2 - Add optional field (backward compatible)
+type User {
+  name: String!
+  email: String
+}
+
+# v3 - Deprecate and add new field
+type User {
+  name: String! @deprecated(reason: "Use firstName/lastName")
+  firstName: String!
+  lastName: String!
+  email: String
+}
+```
+
+## Best Practices Summary
+
+1. **Nullable vs Non-Null**: Start nullable, make non-null when guaranteed
+2. **Input Types**: Always use input types for mutations
+3. **Payload Pattern**: Return errors in mutation payloads
+4. **Pagination**: Use cursor-based for infinite scroll, offset for simple cases
+5. **Naming**: Use camelCase for fields, PascalCase for types
+6. **Deprecation**: Use `@deprecated` instead of removing fields
+7. **DataLoaders**: Always use for relationships to prevent N+1
+8. **Complexity Limits**: Protect against expensive queries
+9. **Custom Scalars**: Use for domain-specific types (Email, DateTime)
+10. **Documentation**: Document all fields with descriptions