GraphQL subscriptions in the Explorer

The GraphOS Studio Explorer provides support for executing GraphQL subscription operations using a variety of protocols (including WebSocket and HTTP). You can configure the Explorer to use whichever protocol your GraphQL endpoint requires.

Setup

To execute a GraphQL subscription operation in the GraphOS Studio Explorer, first open the Explorer's Connection settings to specify your subscriptions endpoint and implementation:

Which 'implementation' do I choose?

• If you're subscribing to a subgraph or a standalone GraphQL server, choose whichever WebSocket subprotocol the server uses.

  • If you aren't sure which subprotocol the server uses, choose Autodetect and the Explorer will attempt to determine the correct subprotocol.

• If you're subscribing to the Apollo Router, choose Multipart subscriptions. This is the HTTP-based protocol that the router uses.

  • Learn more about subscriptions with the Apollo Router.

Executing a subscription

You define a subscription operation in the Explorer's Operation panel, just as you do for a query or mutation:

When you run the subscription, a Subscriptions panel appears in the bottom right that updates as new data arrives:

• The most recently received payload is displayed at the top of the panel.
• The dot next to STATUS indicates whether the Explorer is connected to your subscriptions endpoint (green if connected, red if disconnected).
• Click the X next to Listening to stop listening for updates. The updates you've already received remain in the panel.
• Click the X next to Subscriptions to close the panel entirely.

Troubleshooting connection issues

If you can't connect to your subscriptions endpoint, double-check all of the following in the Explorer's Connection settings:

• The protocol of your endpoint URL (ws/wss for WebSocket, http/https for HTTP)
• The path of your endpoint URL
• Your selected subscriptions implementation (see Setup)