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Overview

Sources in Rails GraphQL provide a powerful abstraction for bridging data models to your GraphQL schema. They automatically generate objects, inputs, queries, and mutations based on your underlying data structure.

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What is a Source?

A source is an abstract object that contains fields, objects, and operations which are delivered to your schemas through proxies. Sources maintain ownership of objects while making them available across multiple schemas and namespaces.

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Built-in Sources

Rails GraphQL includes ActiveRecordSource for bridging ActiveRecord models: 
module GraphQL
  class UserSource < Rails::GraphQL::Source::ActiveRecordSource
    # Automatically creates:
    # - User object type
    # - UserInput input type
    # - user/users query fields
    # - createUser/updateUser/deleteUser mutations
  end
end

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Creating a Custom Source

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Basic Structure

Inherit from Rails::GraphQL::Source::Base: 
module GraphQL
  class CustomSource < Rails::GraphQL::Source::Base
    # Assign the source to a model/class
    assigned_to 'MyDataModel'
    
    # Configure namespaces
    namespace :api
    
    # Define hooks
    step(:object) do
      # Build object type fields
    end
    
    step(:query) do
      # Build query fields
    end
  end
end

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Assignment

Connect your source to a Ruby class: 
class CustomSource < Rails::GraphQL::Source::Base
  # By class name (string)
  assigned_to 'MyDataModel'
  
  # By constant
  assigned_to MyDataModel
  
  # Auto-inferred from source name
  # UserSource -> User
  # BlogPostSource -> BlogPost
end

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Source Hooks

Sources use hooks to define schema elements at different stages:

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Available Hooks

  • :start - Initial setup
  • :object - Build object type fields
  • :input - Build input type fields
  • :query - Build query fields
  • :mutation - Build mutation fields
  • :subscription - Build subscription fields

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Defining Hooks

step(:object) do
  # Add fields to the object type
  safe_field :name, :string, null: false
  safe_field :email, :string
end

step(:query) do
  # Build the object first
  build_object
  
  # Add query fields
  safe_field(:user, object, null: false) do
    argument :id, :id, null: false
    before_resolve(:load_user)
  end
end

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Accessing Source Components

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Object Type

Access or create the GraphQL object type: 
object  # Returns or creates the object type
object.field :name, :string

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Input Type

Access or create the GraphQL input type: 
input  # Returns or creates the input type
input.argument :name, :string, null: false

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Real-World Example: REST API Source

Create a source that bridges a REST API: 
module GraphQL
  class RestApiSource < Rails::GraphQL::Source::Base
    class_attribute :endpoint, instance_accessor: false
    class_attribute :model_class, instance_accessor: false
    
    # Set the API endpoint
    def self.api_endpoint(url)
      self.endpoint = url
    end
    
    # Build object with API fields
    step(:object) do
      build_fields_from_schema
    end
    
    # Build query fields
    step(:query) do
      build_object
      
      safe_field(plural_name, [object]) do
        before_resolve(:fetch_collection)
      end
      
      safe_field(singular_name, object, null: false) do
        argument :id, :id, null: false
        before_resolve(:fetch_single)
      end
    end
    
    # Build mutation fields
    step(:mutation) do
      build_object
      build_input
      
      safe_field("create_#{singular_name}", object, null: false) do
        argument singular_name, input, null: false
        perform(:create_via_api)
      end
      
      safe_field("update_#{singular_name}", object, null: false) do
        argument :id, :id, null: false
        argument singular_name, input, null: false
        perform(:update_via_api)
      end
    end
    
    class << self
      def singular_name
        base_name.underscore
      end
      
      def plural_name
        singular_name.pluralize
      end
      
      private
      
      def build_fields_from_schema
        # Introspect API schema and build fields
        api_schema.each do |field_name, field_type|
          safe_field field_name, field_type
        end
      end
      
      def api_schema
        # Return field definitions from API
        HTTParty.get("#{endpoint}/schema").parsed_response
      end
    end
    
    # Instance methods for resolvers
    def fetch_collection
      response = HTTParty.get(self.class.endpoint)
      response.parsed_response.map { |data| model_class.new(data) }
    end
    
    def fetch_single
      id = event.argument(:id)
      response = HTTParty.get("#{self.class.endpoint}/#{id}")
      model_class.new(response.parsed_response)
    end
    
    def create_via_api
      data = event.argument(self.class.singular_name)
      response = HTTParty.post(self.class.endpoint, body: data.to_h)
      model_class.new(response.parsed_response)
    end
    
    def update_via_api
      id = event.argument(:id)
      data = event.argument(self.class.singular_name)
      response = HTTParty.patch("#{self.class.endpoint}/#{id}", body: data.to_h)
      model_class.new(response.parsed_response)
    end
  end
end
Usage: 
module GraphQL
  class ProductSource < RestApiSource
    api_endpoint 'https://api.example.com/products'
    assigned_to Product
  end
end

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Example: MongoDB Source

Create a source for MongoDB documents: 
module GraphQL
  class MongoSource < Rails::GraphQL::Source::Base
    self.abstract = true
    
    # Build object fields from Mongoid model
    step(:object) do
      model.fields.each do |name, field|
        next if skip_field?(name, on: :object)
        
        type = map_mongo_type(field.type)
        safe_field name, type, null: !field.required?
      end
    end
    
    # Build input fields
    step(:input) do
      model.fields.each do |name, field|
        next if skip_field?(name, on: :input)
        next if name == '_id'
        
        type = map_mongo_type(field.type)
        argument name, type, null: !field.required?
      end
    end
    
    # Build query fields
    step(:query) do
      build_object
      
      safe_field(plural, [object]) do
        argument :limit, :int, default: 100
        before_resolve(:load_documents)
      end
      
      safe_field(singular, object, null: false) do
        argument :id, :id, null: false
        before_resolve(:load_document)
      end
    end
    
    # Build mutation fields
    step(:mutation) do
      build_object
      build_input
      
      safe_field("create_#{singular}", object, null: false) do
        argument singular, input, null: false
        perform(:create_document)
      end
      
      safe_field("update_#{singular}", object, null: false) do
        argument :id, :id, null: false
        argument singular, input, null: false
        perform(:update_document)
      end
      
      safe_field("delete_#{singular}", :boolean, null: false) do
        argument :id, :id, null: false
        perform(:delete_document)
      end
    end
    
    class << self
      delegate :model_name, to: :model
      delegate :singular, :plural, to: :model_name
      
      alias model assigned_class
      
      private
      
      def map_mongo_type(mongo_type)
        case mongo_type.to_s
        when 'String' then :string
        when 'Integer' then :int
        when 'Float' then :float
        when 'Boolean', 'Mongoid::Boolean' then :boolean
        when 'Date' then :date
        when 'DateTime', 'Time' then :date_time
        when 'Hash' then :json
        else :string
        end
      end
    end
    
    # Resolver methods
    def load_documents
      limit = event.argument(:limit) || 100
      model.limit(limit).to_a
    end
    
    def load_document
      id = event.argument(:id)
      model.find(id)
    end
    
    def create_document
      data = event.argument(singular).to_h
      model.create!(data)
    end
    
    def update_document
      id = event.argument(:id)
      data = event.argument(singular).to_h
      document = model.find(id)
      document.update!(data)
      document
    end
    
    def delete_document
      id = event.argument(:id)
      document = model.find(id)
      document.destroy!
    end
    
    private
    
    def model
      self.class.model
    end
    
    def singular
      self.class.singular
    end
  end
end
Usage: 
module GraphQL
  class ArticleSource < MongoSource
    assigned_to Article  # Mongoid model
  end
end

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Field Management

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safe_field

Use safe_field to add fields that respect skip rules: 
safe_field :name, :string  # Only added if not skipped

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Skipping Fields

Skip fields globally: 
skip_fields! :internal_id, :legacy_field
Skip fields for specific types: 
skip_from(:input, :created_at, :updated_at)

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Only Fields

Limit fields for specific types: 
self.segmented_only_fields[:input] = [:name, :email].to_set

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Namespaces

Sources can belong to multiple namespaces: 
class UserSource < Rails::GraphQL::Source::Base
  # Single namespace
  namespace :api
  
  # Multiple namespaces
  namespace :api, :admin
  
  # Set namespace (replaces previous)
  set_namespace :public
end

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Attaching to Schemas

Sources automatically attach to schemas in their namespaces: 
class ApiSchema < Rails::GraphQL::Schema
  namespace :api
  # UserSource fields automatically available
end
Manually attach: 
UserSource.attach_fields!(:all)
UserSource.attach_fields!(:query)  # Only query fields

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Advanced Features

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Custom Type Creation

Create additional types: 
step(:start) do
  @custom_type = create_type(:object, 'CustomType') do
    field :name, :string
  end
end

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Validation

Validate assignments: 
validate_assignment('BaseClass') do |value|
  "The #{value.name} is not a valid model"
end

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Hooks with Context

Access source context in hooks: 
step(:object) do
  # self is the source class
  # Access class methods and attributes
  assigned_class.columns.each do |column|
    safe_field column.name, map_type(column.type)
  end
end

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Best Practices

Create abstract source classes for common patterns:
class MyApiSource < Rails::GraphQL::Source::Base
  self.abstract = true
  # Common configuration
end
Always skip fields containing sensitive data:
skip_fields! :password_digest, :api_token
Always use safe_field instead of field to respect skip rules.
Implement proper validation and error handling in resolver methods.
Add comments explaining what data model your source bridges and any special behavior.

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Testing Sources

RSpec.describe GraphQL::UserSource do
  describe '.object' do
    it 'creates object type with expected fields' do
      expect(described_class.object.field_names).to include(:name, :email)
    end
  end
  
  describe '.schemas' do
    it 'belongs to correct namespaces' do
      expect(described_class.schemas.map(&:namespace)).to include(:api)
    end
  end
  
  describe '#load_user' do
    it 'loads user by ID' do
      user = create(:user)
      source = described_class.new(event: double(argument: user.id))
      expect(source.load_user).to eq(user)
    end
  end
end

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Next Steps

ActiveRecord Source

Learn about the built-in ActiveRecord source

Namespaces

Organize your schemas with namespaces

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