Graphql Operations

What it does

When your agent uses it

• Writing GraphQL queries
• Organizing operations with fragments
• Optimizing data fetching patterns
• Setting up type generation

Example prompts

• “/graphql-operations”

Requirements

• Compatibility (from SKILL.md): Any GraphQL client (Apollo Client, urql, Relay, etc.)
• Pre-approved tools (allowed-tools): Bash(npm:*), Bash(npx:*), Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep

Workflow steps

4 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

1. 1Request Only What You Need
2. 2Name All Operations
3. 3Use Variables, Not Inline Values
4. 4Colocate Fragments with Components

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 5f02fcf. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

• Tool permissions

  Pre-approves these tools, so the agent can use them without asking each time:

  • Bash(npm:*)
  • Bash(npx:*)
  • Read
  • Write
  • Edit
  • Glob
  • Grep

  From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

• Runs code

  No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are graphql and typescript).

  From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

• Network

  No URLs in SKILL.md.

  From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

• Credentials

  Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

  From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

• Compatibility

  Any GraphQL client (Apollo Client, urql, Relay, etc.)

  From compatibility in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

Context cost

Graphql Operations loads about 1.3k tokens when it runs, and up to ~11k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 85 tokens; SKILL.md has 288 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it

~85

When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches

~1.3k

With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them

~11k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from apollographql/skills at commit 5f02fcf, republished under its MIT licence (© apollographql). 288 words, ~1,313 tokens.

name

graphql-operations

description

Guide for writing GraphQL operations (queries, mutations, fragments) following best practices. Use this skill when: (1) writing GraphQL queries or mutations, (2) organizing operations with fragments, (3) optimizing data fetching patterns, (4) setting up type generation or linting, (5) reviewing operations for efficiency.

allowed-tools

Bash(npm:*), Bash(npx:*), Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep

compatibility

Any GraphQL client (Apollo Client, urql, Relay, etc.)

license

MIT

metadata.author

apollographql

metadata.version

1.0.1

query GetUser($id: ID!) {
  user(id: $id) {
    id
    name
    email
  }
}

mutation CreatePost($input: CreatePostInput!) {
  createPost(input: $input) {
    id
    title
    createdAt
  }
}

subscription OnMessageReceived($channelId: ID!) {
  messageReceived(channelId: $channelId) {
    id
    content
    sender {
      id
      name
    }
  }
}

# Required variable
query GetUser($id: ID!) { ... }

# Optional variable with default
query ListPosts($first: Int = 20) { ... }

# Multiple variables
query SearchPosts($query: String!, $status: PostStatus, $first: Int = 10) { ... }

# Define fragment
fragment UserBasicInfo on User {
  id
  name
  avatarUrl
}

# Use fragment
query GetUser($id: ID!) {
  user(id: $id) {
    ...UserBasicInfo
    email
  }
}

query GetUser($id: ID!, $includeEmail: Boolean!) {
  user(id: $id) {
    id
    name
    email @include(if: $includeEmail)
  }
}

query GetPosts($skipDrafts: Boolean!) {
  posts {
    id
    title
    draft @skip(if: $skipDrafts)
  }
}

# Good: Specific fields
query GetUserName($id: ID!) {
  user(id: $id) {
    id
    name
  }
}

# Avoid: Over-fetching
query GetUser($id: ID!) {
  user(id: $id) {
    id
    name
    email
    bio
    posts {
      id
      title
      content
      comments {
        id
      }
    }
    followers {
      id
      name
    }
    # ... many unused fields
  }
}

# Good: Named operation
query GetUserPosts($userId: ID!) {
  user(id: $userId) {
    posts {
      id
      title
    }
  }
}

# Avoid: Anonymous operation
query {
  user(id: "123") {
    posts {
      id
      title
    }
  }
}

# Good: Variables
query GetUser($id: ID!) {
  user(id: $id) {
    id
    name
  }
}

# Avoid: Hardcoded values
query {
  user(id: "123") {
    id
    name
  }
}

// UserAvatar.tsx
export const USER_AVATAR_FRAGMENT = gql`
  fragment UserAvatar on User {
    id
    name
    avatarUrl
  }
`;

function UserAvatar({ user }) {
  return <img src={user.avatarUrl} alt={user.name} />;
}

© apollographql, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 5 other files (references) in skills/graphql-operations of apollographql/skills.

• SKILL.md
• references/fragments.md
• references/mutations.md
• references/queries.md
• references/tooling.md
• references/variables.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 5f02fcf