Robin Wieruch - A Developer's Newsletter - Issue #12
What's coming next for the GraphQL book?
I am so excited to share my recent progress of my GraphQL book with you. If you are a React developer, it might be interesting to you, because the book GraphQL is coupled to a larger part to React applications by using Apollo Client as GraphQL client library. So far, I have already released a couple of the chapters of the book on my blog. Now there are two more articles that I want to share with you:
Whereas the former article helps you to mock your GraphQL server when not having access to it, the latter article gives you an introduction to Apollo Link State when having Apollo Client in place. It answers the questions: how can it be used to replace React's local state (or Redux) and how can it be applied by using GraphQL operations.
Currently I am working on an additional server-side chapter for the book where you will implement a GraphQL server. It uses Apollo Server and Express, so it will be the first time that you will dive with me into the world of server-side development with Node.js. That's an exciting step for me and hopefully for you as well.
PostgreSQL with Sequelize in Express Tutorial
Recently I had to get my own GraphQL server up and running. Since I am mainly developing in JavaScript, I wanted to do it in Node.js with Express where I had to use a database as well. Therefore, I had to setup the whole server-side application with a proper database which turned out to be PostgreSQL. In addition, I used Sequelize as ORM to use PostgreSQL without performing actual SQL statements. So I thought it could be beneficial for everyone to share my setup guide for this technology stack in Node.js.
Visual Regression Testing in React
Visual regression testing was super important for my last client to ensure a visually robust React application. It is all about getting automated feedback when your UI components have changed their layout or style. That's when I rediscovered React Storybook, where you are not only able to implement a UI component guide, but also to integrate automated snapshot and visual regression tests for these components. Basically you bring your stories on a next level by converting them automatically to snapshot tests and visual regression tests. There is not much to implement with React Storybook to get those features out of the box if you already have those stories for documenting your UI components in place.
Taming the State in React
GraphQL is yet another emerging technology for web developers to get to know about in 2018. When having a GraphQL server in place, you can use certain libraries to simplify state management for remote data for you. But what about local data? When the state for your local data becomes complex, Redux is still the status quo of state management libraries out there. So there is the chance to have Redux in place even though there is a major shift to GraphQL applications. So if you have the time, give Taming the State in React a shot before the GraphQL book gets released. The GraphQL book will also cover how to treat GraphQL client libraries such as Apollo Client and Redux side by side.
React Europe 2018 - Playlist
I haven't been able to be physically at React Europe, but from a recent year I know that it is a great event and that it covers topics about React and its ecosystem with high quality talks. So I was one of the people watching their livestream on YouTube. If you want to keep up with the recent developments in React, give yourself some time (perhaps during your work) to watch one or the other video from the playlist. That's how you can stay up to date with the recent developments in your professional field.
That’s it from my side. I hope you got a couple of great learning resources and inspirations from my content. I am pretty excited for the GraphQL with React book, so I hope getting your support for it. At this time, I am working full time on it to release it in the following weeks as quality learning resource to learn about GraphQL. So stay tuned for it :)
Thank you so much for reading, Robin