Last year, we at StepZen joined the GraphQL foundation as a Service Provider and a member. But why did we join? What does it mean to be a member of the GraphQL Foundation? And what does it mean for you as a developer using GraphQL?

What is the GraphQL Foundation?

But first, what is the GraphQL Foundation exactly? In short, the GraphQL Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2018 to support developing and adopting GraphQL open-source technology. It provides resources and support for the GraphQL community, including events, educational materials, and a governance model for the technology.

The GraphQL Foundation is governed by a board of directors, has a technical steering committee, and is supported by several member organizations committed to advancing the use and development of GraphQL.

GraphQL Foundation Member landscape

The GraphQL Foundation is part of the Linux Foundation and works closely with the GraphQL community to ensure that the technology remains open, transparent, and accessible to all. Its goal is to promote the growth and success of GraphQL as a technology and to foster a vibrant and supportive community of developers and users worldwide. Part of this work includes supporting the development of the GraphQL specification, which is the foundation of all GraphQL technology.

Why did StepZen join the GraphQL Foundation?

At StepZen, we strive to build a data platform for every developer. GraphQL is a powerful tool for developers to consume data from various data sources, including REST APIs, SQL databases, NoSQL databases, and other GraphQL APIs and as such, our data platform relies heavily on GraphQL. We believe that it is the future of data access and will be the foundation for the next generation of applications.

GraphQL as a specification benefits from the support of the Foundation, its members, and the community. Becoming a member of the GraphQL Foundation is a natural step for StepZen. We are committed to supporting the GraphQL community and helping developers build better applications. We are looking forward to ongoing work to make sure the GraphQL specification is continuously developed and steered in the right direction.

What does it mean to be a member of the GraphQL Foundation?

As a member of the GraphQL Foundation, StepZen is committed to supporting the GraphQL community and helping developers build better applications. Being a member of the GraphQL Foundation means that we support the ecosystems financially by contributing to the GraphQL specification and ecosystem in working groups. Specifically, we are committed to the following:

  • Contribute to the GraphQL community: By joining the GraphQL Foundation, you contribute to the development and growth of GraphQL and the broader ecosystem of tools and technologies that support it.
  • Development of the GraphQL specification (and the GraphQL ecosystem): Besides direct contributions, this includes developing educational materials, training programs, and events.
  • Support open source projects: The GraphQL Foundation supports various open source projects related to GraphQL, including the GraphQL specification and the GraphQL.js implementation. Becoming a member can help support these projects and contribute to their development.

The GraphQL Foundation is a non-profit organization, meaning all revenue will be reinvested into the GraphQL ecosystem. As a member of the GraphQL Foundation, you can help support the development of the GraphQL specification and the GraphQL ecosystem.

What does it mean for you as a developer?

The GraphQL Foundation offers a variety of resources for developers, including educational materials, training programs, and events. Any developer can access and benefit from these resources, whether or not they are a foundation member.

Some of the resources available to developers include:

What's next?

The future of GraphQL is bright. We at StepZen, The GraphQL Foundation, and its members are committed to supporting the GraphQL community and helping developers build better applications. We are excited to see what the future holds for GraphQL and the GraphQL Foundation.

If you've got questions, want to brainstorm a project, or see what people are building with StepZen, we'd love to see you on our Community Discord. Or grab some time via our Calendly link for a short demo.