# Getting Started With GraphQL

## Get familiar with Ash resources

If you haven't already, read the [Ash Getting Started Guide](https://hexdocs.pm/ash/get-started.html). This assumes that you already have resources set up, and only gives you the steps to _add_ AshGraphql to your resources/domains.

## Bring in the `ash_graphql` dependency

```elixir
def deps()
  [
    ...
    {:ash_graphql, "~> 1.0.0"}
  ]
end
```

## Add the `AshGraphql.Domain` extension

Add the following to your domain module, which allows AshGraphQl to be configured at the domain. If you don't have one, be sure to start with the [Ash Getting Started Guide](https://hexdocs.pm/ash/get-started.html).

```elixir
defmodule Helpdesk.Support do
  use Ash.Domain, extensions: [
    AshGraphql.Domain
  ]

  graphql do
    authorize? false # Defaults to `true`, use this to disable authorization for the entire domain (you probably only want this while prototyping)
  end

  ...
end
```

## Add a graphql section to your resource

Some example queries/mutations are shown below. If no queries/mutations are added, nothing will show up in the GraphQL API, so be sure to set one up if you want to try it out.

```elixir
defmodule Helpdesk.Support.Ticket. do
  use Ash.Resource,
    ...,
    extensions: [
      AshGraphql.Resource
    ]

  graphql do
    type :ticket

    queries do
      # Examples

      # create a field called `get_ticket` that uses the `read` read action to fetch a single ticke
      get :get_ticket, :read
      # create a field called `most_important_ticket` that uses the `most_important` read action to fetch a single record
      read_one :most_important_ticket, :most_important

      # create a field called `list_tickets` that uses the `read` read action to fetch a list of tickets
      list :list_tickets, :read
    end

    mutations do
      # Examples

      create :create_ticket, :create
      update :update_ticket, :update
      destroy :destroy_ticket, :destroy
    end
  end

  ...
end
```

## Add AshGraphql to your schema

If you don't have an absinthe schema, you can create one just for ash.

in `lib/helpdesk/schema.ex`

```elixir
defmodule Helpdesk.GraphqlSchema do
  use Absinthe.Schema

  use AshGraphql, domains: [Helpdesk.Support]

  # The query and mutation blocks is where you can add custom absinthe code
  query do
  end

  mutation do
  end
end
```

## Connect your schema

### Using Phoenix

Add the following code to your Phoenix router. It's useful to set up the Absinthe playground for trying things out, but it's optional.

```elixir
pipeline :graphql do
  plug AshGraphql.Plug
end

scope "/" do
  pipe_through [:graphql]

  forward "/gql",
    Absinthe.Plug,
    schema: Module.concat(["Helpdesk.GraphqlSchema"])

  forward "/playground",
          Absinthe.Plug.GraphiQL,
          schema: Module.concat(["Helpdesk.GraphqlSchema"]),
          interface: :playground
end
```

> ### Whats up with `Module.concat/1`? {: .info}
>
> This `Module.concat/1` prevents a [compile-time dependency](https://dashbit.co/blog/speeding-up-re-compilation-of-elixir-projects) from this router module to the schema module. It is an implementation detail of how `forward/2` works that you end up with a compile-time dependency on the schema, but there is no need for this dependency, and that dependency can have _drastic_ impacts on your compile times in certain scenarios.

If you started with `mix new ...` instead of `mix phx.new ...` and you want to
still use Phoenix, the fastest path that way is typically to just create a new
Phoenix application and copy your resources/config over.

### Using Plug

If you are unfamiliar with how plug works, this [guide](https://elixirschool.com/en/lessons/specifics/plug/#dependencies)
will be helpful for understanding it. It also guides you through adding plug to your application.

Then you can use a `Plug.Router` and [forward](https://hexdocs.pm/plug/Plug.Router.html#forward/2) to your plugs similar to how it is done for phoenix:

```elixir
plug AshGraphql.Plug

forward "/gql",
  to: Absinthe.Plug,
  init_opts: [schema: Module.concat(["Helpdesk.GraphqlSchema"])]

forward "/playground",
  to: Absinthe.Plug.GraphiQL,
  init_opts: [
    schema: Module.concat(["Helpdesk.GraphqlSchema"]),
    interface: :playground
  ]
```

For information on why we are using `Module.concat/1`, see the note above in the Phoenix section.

## What's next?

Topics:

- [GraphQL Generation](/documentation/topics/graphql-generation.md)

How Tos:

- [Authorize With GraphQL](/documentation/topics/authorize-with-graphql.md)
- [Handle Errors](/documentation/topics/handle-errors.md)
- [Use Enums with GraphQL](/documentation/topics/use-enums-with-graphql.md)
- [Use JSON with GraphQL](/documentation/topics/use-json-with-graphql.md)

[Monitoring](/documentation/monitoring.md)