GraphQL Specification October 2021 Edition: What’s New and What’s Coming
The wait is finally over! After three long years, the GraphQL specification has been updated with the October 2021 Edition. This new release is the result of tireless efforts by 35 contributors who worked on nearly 100 changes. But what’s really new in this update?
The Power of Incremental Improvements
At first glance, it might seem like there aren’t many groundbreaking new features in this release. However, the majority of the changes are actually small but significant improvements that refine the existing spec. These incremental updates may not be flashy, but they’re crucial for maintaining the stability and consistency of GraphQL.
Why Did It Take So Long?
So, why did it take over three years to release this new spec? According to GraphQL Java creator Andi Marek, the GraphQL spec releases aren’t as important as you might think. The real action happens in the Working Draft pre-release, which is continuously updated with the latest features. This means that GraphQL servers, clients, and tools can stay ahead of the curve without waiting for official releases.
The Art of Contributing to GraphQL
Adding new features to the GraphQL spec requires a rigorous process that involves four stages: Strawman, Proposal, Draft, and Accepted. This process ensures that every change is carefully vetted and debated by the community before being added to the spec. Anyone can contribute to the spec, from proposing new features to implementing solutions.
New Features in the October 2021 Spec
So, what’s new in this release? Let’s take a look at some of the exciting new features:
- Custom Scalar Specification URLs: This feature allows you to unambiguously identify the behavior of custom scalars via a new directive,
@specifiedBy. - Interfaces Implementing Other Interfaces: You can now declare that a GraphQL interface implements another interface.
- Repeatable Directives and Directive Order: Directives can now be added multiple times, and the order in which they’re applied matters.
Features That Didn’t Make the Cut
While these new features are exciting, there are still many open pull requests waiting to be merged into the spec. Some of these features, like polymorphic input union types, have been in the works for years. The good news is that contributors are taking their time to ensure that the accepted solution is the best one available.
The Future of GraphQL
As we look to the future, there are many promising features on the horizon. From allowing the full Unicode range in GraphQL queries to deprecating input values, these upcoming changes will have a significant impact on the ecosystem. With the GraphQL community’s commitment to careful consideration and rigorous testing, we can trust that these new features will be well worth the wait.
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