Apollo GraphQL + Caching

[mrkurt]

A demonstration of Apollo GraphQL servers + Redis caching on Fly.

[mrkurt]

Done by @karllhughes: https://github.com/fly-examples/edge-graphql

[mrkurt]

We need to expand the readme on this a bit and make sure all these are addressed:

• [ ] what this application is (it’s a hello-world for graphql that uses redis to cache)
• [ ] why graphql is a good fit for edge applications
• [ ] caching and graphql, how graphql is a really good fit for caching but lots of people don’t do it because it’s perceived as hard to do, turns out not so much
• [ ] this whole application is just a docker container, you can build and run it locally to play with it, but it also loads trivially on Fly to run on a global edge network

[codepope]

Overview

• What is this, what does it demonstrate, what does it achieve, what does it enable

Deploying to Fly

• Speed run to getting it up and running, avoid distractions like local testing in readme
• Don't forget to explain how to get an account from the command line (idea for flyctl - add first time run mode which asks if they have signed up)

Running Graphql Queries

• Include graphql queries as scripts in the repo so users don't cut and paste complex curls)

What happens within the app

• Broad stroke description of the processing involved in edge caching
• Be explicit about what is being done for you (the caching process) without new code.

What is Fly and Why Fly

• Explainers for what Fly is with links to docs and other backgrounders
• Explainer on how it enables edge caching

Testing Latency

• How to show the proof of performance
• Again include scripts ready rolled
• Also would note that all the script examples are hardwired for one book - might be an idea to offer some alternative values so that users can easily miss the cache and then test the follow up access time.

Running Locally

• not sure about this section at least until we have docker-compose support :) Suggest dropping or running natively with a quick install of Redis.