GraphiQL vs GraphQL Kotlin
GraphiQL
graphiql.devGraphQL Kotlin
opensource.expediagroup.comSide by side
| Figure | GraphiQL | GraphQL Kotlin |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · GraphQL Tools | 8.4 (#3) | 8.0 (#8) |
| Integrations | The project provides examples for CDN ESM, Webpack, Create React App, and Parcel, and its repository describes GraphQL language tooling for CodeMirror, Monaco, and Visual Studio Code. | Reference client implementations use Ktor HTTP Client and Spring WebClient, and custom implementations can use other engines. |
| License | The GraphiQL repository describes the code as open source under the MIT license. | The library is licensed under Apache License 2.0. |
| Purpose | GraphiQL is an interactive, in-browser IDE for GraphQL. | GraphQL Kotlin is a collection of libraries built on graphql-java to run GraphQL clients and servers in Kotlin. |
| Security | The project warns that GraphiQL versions below 1.4.7 are vulnerable to an XSS attack when connected to an untrusted GraphQL server. | The repository README directs users to SECURITY.md for security issue contact information and supported versions receiving security updates. |
| Support | The project directs users to GitHub for issues and discussions and to the GraphQL Discord server for community discussion. | The maintainers invite questions through GitHub Discussions and the public #graphql-kotlin channel on Kotlin Slack. |
Plans
In their own words
GraphiQL
GraphiQL is a free, interactive, in-browser IDE for GraphQL. Its editor supports the latest GraphQL specification, with syntax highlighting, type-aware suggestions, query and variable completion, and real-time error highlighting. A searchable documentation explorer can display Markdown, and the built-in query history and documentation explorer are available as plugins. GraphiQL can preserve state in browser localStorage and provides a plugin API for extending its interface. It is also a React package for embedding the IDE in an application; a component needs a fetcher function that sends requests to a GraphQL API. The toolkit fetcher supports HTTP, multipart incremental delivery, and subscriptions through graphql-ws or the legacy WebSocket protocol. Developers can customize the interface with React props and children, while CSS variables are the supported way to change its appearance. GraphiQL is open source under the MIT license. Its project offers a progressive web app demo and examples for CDN, Webpack, Create React App, and Parcel.
GraphQL Kotlin
GraphQL Kotlin is a free Apache License 2.0 collection of libraries, built on graphql-java, for running GraphQL clients and servers in Kotlin. Its schema generator creates schemas from Kotlin code, and a federation module can produce Apollo Federation-compliant schemas. Gradle and Maven plugins generate type-safe Kotlin clients from existing schemas. Generated clients support queries, mutations, batching, coroutines, custom scalars, configurable enum defaults, and Jackson or kotlinx.serialization models. Reference HTTP integrations use Ktor HTTP Client and Spring WebClient, while custom engines are possible. Server implementations target Spring Boot and Ktor; the Spring server uses Spring WebFlux. Ktor supports Kotlin Flow subscriptions over WebSockets with the graphql-transport-ws subprotocol. Its plugin leaves route configuration to the application, allowing selective routes and added authentication logic. The schema generator supports Kotlin Lists, but Sets, arbitrary Maps, and arrays are not supported out of the box. The project is self-hosted, with security guidance in its repository and community support through GitHub Discussions and Kotlin Slack.