swapi-graphql VS Gatsby

My first introduction to GraphQL was roughly 7 years ago, about a year after it was initially announced by Facebook. My first taste was using the "SWAPI," The Star Wars API, GraphQL wrapper that the team at Facebook created. You can view the source code for it here. It was an eye-opening experience, GraphQL felt like a game changer, but I only had an excuse to use it once joining Amplication.

Other GraphQL clients offer similar functionality for testing and interacting with a GraphQL API, but this article places greater emphasis on using GraphQL Playground. To test our queries, we will work with the StarWars API.

Have you ever used graphql and more specifically graphiql?

Before getting started we need to find a working GraphQL SWAPI endpoint. The official repo is only for setting up our own server (which is nice to have), but if we don't want to set up a demo server, then we need a ready to use endpoint.

The first time I started building static websites is when I discovered Gatsby. I built several projects using Gatsby and hosted it on Netlify free tier. It felt like a really robust architecture and I loved that it was free.

A Gatsby site uses Gatsby, which leverages React and GraphQL to create fast and optimized web experiences. Gatsby is often used for building static websites, progressive web apps (PWAs), and even full-blown dynamic web applications.

While Next.js is a powerful framework for building server-rendered React applications, it's not the only option for developers looking to create high-performance websites. One notable alternative is Gatsby, a static site generator that leverages React and GraphQL.

The other piece of important information to acknowledge here is that when we say RSCs need a framework, “framework” effectively just means “Next.js.” There are some smaller frameworks (like Waku) that support RSCs. There are also some larger and more established frameworks (like Redwood) that have plans to support RSCs or (like Gatsby) only support RSCs in beta. We will likely see this change once we get React 19 and RSCs are part of the Stable version. However, for now, Next.js is currently the only framework recommended in the official React docs that supports server components.

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GatsbyJS

Babel plugins are everywhere. From being used to remove unwanted exports from files in Gatsby to being used to disallow users from doing re-exports in Nextjs.

In terms of GitHub stars, SSGs like Next.js, Hugo, Gatsby, Docusaurus, Nuxt.js, and Jekyll top the list. Some popular SSGs even host conferences and workshops, providing resources and networking opportunities for those looking to explore more advanced topics in depth.

Flexibility : Developers have complete control over the frontend so they can use their preferred tools and frameworks like React, Next.js, Gatsby, or Remix.