Hire GraphQL developers
One API endpoint where each client asks for exactly the data it needs.
- Latest specificationSeptember 2025 editionpublished 8 September 2025, the first new edition since October 2021
- Reference implementationGraphQL.js 17.0.0released 15 June 2026, the first major release since 2021
- New in the specOneOf input objects, schema coordinates, operation descriptionsoperation descriptions help document operations for AI tools; the spec is maintained by the GraphQL Foundation
Checked September 2026 · graphql.org, GraphQL spec (September 2025), GraphQL.js release notes
GraphQL is a query language and runtime for APIs. The client asks for the exact fields it needs in a single request, and a typed schema documents what is available. It suits products where web, mobile and partner apps all read the same data in different shapes.
A GraphQL developer designs the schema, writes resolvers, and handles the parts that are easy to get wrong: caching, authorisation per field, and slow nested queries. For a simple app with one front end, a plain REST API is often the better and cheaper choice.
What a GraphQL developer does
- Design GraphQL schemas, types and mutations around your business data
- Build servers with Apollo Server, GraphQL Yoga, Hot Chocolate or graphql-ruby
- Fix N+1 query problems with DataLoader and batching
- Add field-level authorisation, query depth limits and cost limits
- Set up federation to join several services into one graph
- Integrate front ends with Apollo Client, Relay or urql
What businesses build with it
- Shared APIs serving web, iOS and Android apps
- Dashboards that combine data from several back-end services
- Headless commerce and CMS front ends
- Public developer APIs with self-documenting schemas
- Tool APIs for AI agents that need typed, described operations
Why teams choose it
- Clients get exactly the fields they need, which cuts over-fetching on mobile
- The typed schema doubles as documentation and drives code generation
- Adding fields rarely breaks existing clients
- Trade-off: HTTP caching, rate limiting and query performance take more work than with REST
Roles people hire for
- GraphQL Developer
- GraphQL API Engineer
- Backend Developer (GraphQL, Node.js)
- Apollo Federation Engineer
Common questions
Should we use GraphQL or REST?
Use GraphQL if several clients need the same data in different shapes, or if you are joining several services behind one API. For a single web app with simple CRUD screens, REST is usually simpler to build, cache and monitor.
Can you add GraphQL on top of our existing REST API?
Yes. A GraphQL layer can call your existing REST endpoints or database, so you can move clients over gradually. We check for slow nested queries before it goes live.
Often used with
Hire GraphQL developers
Need a GraphQL developer?
Tell us what you are building. A few lines is enough. We reply by email, usually the same working day.