Improving User Experiences with a Nullable Schema
When designing a GraphQL schema, it’s tempting to mark every field as non-null using the "!" operator. While it may seem convenient and simplifies code readability, this seemingly innocuous choice can have unforeseen consequences for your applications, especially during service disruptions. Moreover, these downsides might not become apparent until a significant portion of your schema has been marked as non-nullable. In this talk, we will: - Challenge the traditional server-centric approach and advocate for shifting the responsibility of field nullability to the client. - Explore the reasons behind this paradigm shift and introduce existing and upcoming tools that empower clients to determine whether a field can be null or not. - Delve into the Client Controlled Nullability proposal, demonstrating its potential in GraphQL workflows. - Provide practical methods and best practices to safely migrate away from a non-null schema, ensuring compatibility with existing clients without causing disruptions.