# GraphQL API (Beta)

> [Introduced][ce-19008] in GitLab 11.0.

[GraphQL](https://graphql.org/) is a query language for APIs that
allows clients to request exactly the data they need, making it
possible to get all required data in a limited number of requests.

The GraphQL data (fields) can be described in the form of types,
allowing clients to use [clientside GraphQL
libraries](https://graphql.org/code/#graphql-clients) to consume the
API and avoid manual parsing.

Since there's no fixed endpoints and datamodel, new abilities can be
added to the API without creating breaking changes. This allows us to
have a versionless API as described in [the GraphQL
documentation](https://graphql.org/learn/best-practices/#versioning).

## Enabling the GraphQL feature

The GraphQL API itself is currently in Alpha, and therefore hidden behind a
feature flag. You can enable the feature using the [features api][features-api] on a self-hosted instance.

For example:

```shell
curl --data "value=100" --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/features/graphql
```

## Available queries

A first iteration of a GraphQL API includes only 2 queries: `project` and
`merge_request` and only returns scalar fields, or fields of the type `Project`
or `MergeRequest`.

## GraphiQL

The API can be explored by using the GraphiQL IDE, it is available on your
instance on `gitlab.example.com/-/graphql-explorer`.

[ce-19008]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/merge_requests/19008
[features-api]: ../features.md
