Formal abstract semantics for GraphQL

[mstn]

List of GraphQL features

• Queries Core language: syntax and semantics #4 Define small-step semantics for query execution #12
• Type system Core language: syntax and semantics #4 Define small-step semantics for query execution #12
• Execution semantics Core language: syntax and semantics #4 Define small-step semantics for query execution #12
• Inline Fragments Define small-step semantics for query execution #12
• Unions Define small-step semantics for query execution #12
• Fragments
• Alias
• Enums
• Directives
• Introspection
• Interfaces
• Error Handling
• Non Null types

Our assumptions/simplifications

• root type can be any type Define small-step semantics for query execution #12
• Named queries with parameters -> arguments are free vars in query Define small-step semantics for query execution #12
• mutation -> mutation = query with side effects, for now, we do not have any special syntax to distinguish them Define small-step semantics for query execution #12
• no special type for input objects Define small-step semantics for query execution #12

Desirable properties (or what can we say about the abstract lang?)

• safety
  • progress
  • preservation
• uniqueness of typing