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I have a GraphQL (GQL) server and am using TypeScript (TS) on the front end. Here is my GQL type.

type AutomatedAlgorithmValue {
  politicalEntityAlgorithmValueId: Long
  politicalEntityId: Long!
  ...
}

politicalEntityId is non-nullable. This gives me the behavior if I ask for politicalEntityId, then it is guaranteed to be there, but if I don't ask for it then the query runs as normal.

I use graphql-codegenerator to create the TS types out of the GQL schema. The TS types makes the politicalEntityId as non-null, so now on the front end I have to always request the politicalEntityId as part of the AutomatedAlgorithmValue type even if it isn't something that I want to request.

In my front end code, I am holding the data in a hook

let [results, setResults] = useState<AutomatedAlgorithmValue[]>([]);

Here is my GQL request

executeAutomatedAlgorithmProcess(politicalEntityId: $id, type: $type) {
    values {
      politicalEntityAlgorithmValueId
    }
  }

At this point I don't need the politicalEntityId, but when I try to add the data to my results, the TS compiler knows I am adding null for the non-null property politicalEntityId and an error is thrown.

It gets even worse if there is a non-null object with other non-null properties, because now the request gets larger and larger with each unnecessary non-null property/object.

How are others handling this? Do I have to create a new type each time? Do I use Pick to determine what the data is going to be in the results hook? Is there a plugin that makes everything nullable and if so should I use that?

jhamm
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  • just don't **duplicate data** from query into state? it's simply not necessary ... use alias to rename result `data`? – xadm Jan 13 '21 at 21:40
  • It isn't necessary, but then I lose all the type goodness when I use the result, or I have to create new types every time I pull some data out of a GQL query, which is just untenable. – jhamm Jan 14 '21 at 14:24

1 Answers1

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So I think you're using a type that is generated based off your GraphQL schema using graphql-code-generator's typescript plugin. As you are saying, these types have every field specified in the schema.

I believe what you also need to do is use the typescript-operations plugin. The typescript operations plugin basically does what you're talking about using Pick, but does it automatically based on the frontend queries you have defined. So the types that the typescript operations plugin generates match the operations you declare.

You'll also oftentimes use a third plugin on top of these two as well that is specific for you client like react-query, react-apollo, urql, etc so you end up with ready to use hooks for each operation that have type safety.

TLadd
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