10/23/2020

Reading time:2 min

DataStax-Examples/graphql-example-java

by DataStax-Examples

GraphQL is an emerging web service technology with significant momentum in the developer community.Aside from its growing popularity, there are several technical reasons why GraphQL is a good fit for a Apache Cassandra™ or DataStax Enterprise backed application.This application shows how to build a working application on Cassandra or DSE with GraphQL and a modern javascript based frontend.Contributor(s): Sebastián EstévezObjectivesDemonstrate how to build a GraphQL API with Cassandra and DSEProject LayoutThe asset includes both frontend and backend components:API project - Java application that uses Dropwizard to generate a GraphQL web service that writes and reads data in Cassandra or DSEindex.html - Javascript single page app hosted by the java app that interacts with the GraphQL service to perform CRUD operations (based on CRUDL.io)How this Sample WorksTake AwaysThis asset looks to improve outcomes for projects that involve custom built Cassandra or DSE Applications by:reducing the learning curve required to build an GraphQL app that interacts with Cassandra or DSEaccelerating time to value by providing a quick way to build a UI that leverages a Cassandra or DSE backendminimize project risk by encouraging developers to follow application building best practices such as by only sending the data needed to paint the UIfuture proof their applications by handling application changes and new requirements seamlessly through leveraging relationships in the GraphQL schemaGraphQLGraphQL requires developers to lay out their logical data models and access patterns up front in a strongly typed structure known as the GraphQL schema. This is makes it a great match for Cassandra or DSE, since we tend to create data models based on access patterns.GraphQL does not make any assumptions about the persistence layer. Instead it allows developers to generate a custom Data Access Object for each access pattern.CRUDLCRUDL is a javascript library that leverages React and Redux to build a single page admin UI for REST or GraphQL frontends.DropwizardDropwizard is a Java framework that focuses on production readiness and ships out of the box with metrics, multi-threading, etc. so that developers can focus on their business logic. This is a popular tool to build microservices and is more performant and production ready than many alternatives including spring.Setup and RunningPrerequisitesJava 8A Cassandra, DDAC, DSE cluster or Apollo database ( docker is a nice option for local install - see docs )This application requires that you specify and environment variable IP which is the contact point of your DSE cluster.If you need to change this it is located in the eightfour.yaml file.RunningOnce you load this file into IntelliJ there is a pre-configured configuration named run. Once you start this then a scroll oftext will go by and once you see a line similar to the following:INFO [2019-11-06 23:48:56,613] org.eclipse.jetty.server.Server: Started @3725msthe server is now running. It can be reached at:http://localhost:8080

Read this article if you want to know more about DataStax-Examples/graphql-example-java

GraphQL is an emerging web service technology with significant momentum in the developer community. Aside from its growing popularity, there are several technical reasons why GraphQL is a good fit for a Apache Cassandra™ or DataStax Enterprise backed application.

This application shows how to build a working application on Cassandra or DSE with GraphQL and a modern javascript based frontend.

Contributor(s): Sebastián Estévez

Objectives

Demonstrate how to build a GraphQL API with Cassandra and DSE

Project Layout

The asset includes both frontend and backend components:

API project - Java application that uses Dropwizard to generate a GraphQL web service that writes and reads data in Cassandra or DSE
index.html - Javascript single page app hosted by the java app that interacts with the GraphQL service to perform CRUD operations (based on CRUDL.io)

How this Sample Works

Take Aways

This asset looks to improve outcomes for projects that involve custom built Cassandra or DSE Applications by:

reducing the learning curve required to build an GraphQL app that interacts with Cassandra or DSE
accelerating time to value by providing a quick way to build a UI that leverages a Cassandra or DSE backend
minimize project risk by encouraging developers to follow application building best practices such as by only sending the data needed to paint the UI
future proof their applications by handling application changes and new requirements seamlessly through leveraging relationships in the GraphQL schema

GraphQL

GraphQL requires developers to lay out their logical data models and access patterns up front in a strongly typed structure known as the GraphQL schema. This is makes it a great match for Cassandra or DSE, since we tend to create data models based on access patterns.
GraphQL does not make any assumptions about the persistence layer. Instead it allows developers to generate a custom Data Access Object for each access pattern.

CRUDL

CRUDL is a javascript library that leverages React and Redux to build a single page admin UI for REST or GraphQL frontends.

Dropwizard

Dropwizard is a Java framework that focuses on production readiness and ships out of the box with metrics, multi-threading, etc. so that developers can focus on their business logic. This is a popular tool to build microservices and is more performant and production ready than many alternatives including spring.

Setup and Running

Prerequisites

Java 8
A Cassandra, DDAC, DSE cluster or Apollo database ( docker is a nice option for local install - see docs )

This application requires that you specify and environment variable IP which is the contact point of your DSE cluster. If you need to change this it is located in the eightfour.yaml file.

Running

Once you load this file into IntelliJ there is a pre-configured configuration named run. Once you start this then a scroll of text will go by and once you see a line similar to the following:

INFO  [2019-11-06 23:48:56,613] org.eclipse.jetty.server.Server: Started @3725ms

the server is now running. It can be reached at:

http://localhost:8080

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