---
title: "GitHub Copilot GraphQL API"
description: "Streamlined GitHub Copilot setup for GraphQL API development with Apollo Server and optimized resolver patterns."
category: "configuration"
tags: ["github-copilot", "graphql", "apollo-server", "schema", "resolvers", "api", "dataloader", "typescript"]
tech_stack: ["graphql", "apollo-server", "apollo-client", "prisma", "dataloader", "typescript"]
---

This setup simplifies using GitHub Copilot for developing a GraphQL API with Apollo Server and effective resolver patterns.

### Configuration Overview
With this configuration, you can develop a GraphQL API efficiently using Apollo Server. It follows a schema-first approach, incorporates optimized resolver patterns, and uses DataLoader to manage N+1 query issues.

### Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure you have the following:

- **Node.js**: Version 14 or later
- **npm**: Version 6 or later
- **TypeScript**: Version 4.0 or later
- **GitHub Copilot**: Installed and set up in your IDE
- **Apollo Server**: Latest version
- **Prisma**: Latest version for managing your database
- **DataLoader**: For batching and caching queries

### Installation & Setup
Let’s get started with the installation process:

1. **Create a new Node.js project**:
   ```bash
   mkdir graphql-api && cd graphql-api
   npm init -y
   ```
   
2. **Install necessary dependencies**:
   ```bash
   npm install apollo-server graphql prisma dataloader
   npm install --save-dev typescript @types/node ts-node
   ```

3. **Initialize TypeScript**:
   ```bash
   npx tsc --init
   ```

4. **Set up Prisma**:
   ```bash
   npx prisma init
   ```
   - Don’t forget to set your database connection in `prisma/schema.prisma`.

5. **Create the GraphQL schema**:
   - Make a new file called `src/schema.graphql` and define your types:
   ```graphql
   type User {
     id: ID!
     name: String!
     email: String!
   }
   type Query {
     users: [User!]!
   }
   ```

6. **Implement resolvers**:
   - Create a new file named `src/resolvers.ts`:
   ```typescript
   import { IResolvers } from 'apollo-server';
   import DataLoader from 'dataloader';
   import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client';

   const prisma = new PrismaClient();
   const userLoader = new DataLoader(async (ids: readonly string[]) => {
     const users = await prisma.user.findMany({ where: { id: { in: ids } } });
     return ids.map(id => users.find(user => user.id === id));
   });

   const resolvers: IResolvers = {
     Query: {
       users: async () => {
         return await prisma.user.findMany();
       }
     }
   };

   export default resolvers;
   ```

7. **Set up the Apollo Server**:
   - Create a file called `src/index.ts`:
   ```typescript
   import { ApolloServer } from 'apollo-server';
   import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
   import resolvers from './resolvers';

   const typeDefs = readFileSync('./src/schema.graphql', 'utf-8');

   const server = new ApolloServer({ typeDefs, resolvers });

   server.listen().then(({ url }) => {
     console.log(`🚀 Server ready at ${url}`);
   });
   ```

8. **Run the server**:
   ```bash
   npx ts-node src/index.ts
   ```

### File Structure
Here’s how your project should look:
```
graphql-api/
├── prisma/
│   └── schema.prisma
├── src/
│   ├── index.ts
│   ├── resolvers.ts
│   └── schema.graphql
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
└── .env
```

### Key Configuration Files
- **`schema.graphql`**: This file defines your GraphQL types and queries.
- **`resolvers.ts`**: Here, you’ll find functions that handle your queries.
- **`index.ts`**: This serves as the main entry point for your Apollo Server.

### Advanced Options
Consider these options to enhance your API:
- **Caching Strategies**: Add caching in your resolvers to boost performance.
- **Subscriptions**: Take advantage of Apollo Server's support for GraphQL subscriptions to enable real-time data.
- **Middleware**: Use middleware for tasks like authentication and logging.

### Troubleshooting
If you run into issues, here are some tips:
- **Error: "Cannot find module"**: Double-check that all dependencies are installed correctly and that your paths are accurate.
- **Database connection issues**: Check your database credentials in the `.env` file and ensure your database server is up and running.
- **N+1 query problem**: Make sure you’ve implemented DataLoader correctly in your resolvers.

### Best Practices
Keep these practices in mind:
- **Use schema-first development**: It helps to define your schema before diving into resolvers for better clarity.
- **Batch requests with DataLoader**: This prevents N+1 query issues and keeps your data fetching efficient.
- **Version control**: Keep all your configuration files under version control, like Git, for easier collaboration.

### Performance Tuning
Here are some strategies to enhance performance:
- **Optimize resolver performance**: Implement caching and batching techniques to reduce database calls.
- **Monitor server performance**: Use tools like Apollo Studio to track performance metrics and fine-tune your queries.
- **Environment variables**: Store sensitive information and configuration settings in environment variables to keep them secure.