We have been implementing Pimcore for Product Information Management (PIM) and Master Data Management (MDM) for nearly a decade. This powerful solution is a total gamechanger. If you’re diving into data management and integration with Pimcore, you’ll love the power and flexibility that the GraphQL API offers out-of-the-box. In this blog, we break down how to leverage GraphQL in Pimcore, exploring how it can be used to query, mutate, and manage data seamlessly within Pimcore’s Community Edition. We will walk through the highlights of this tool and how you can use GraphQL to push and pull data efficiently.
What is GraphQL and Why Use It?
GraphQL is a powerful query language that lets developers retrieve or manipulate only the specific data they need, minimizing data transfers and increasing performance. Unlike REST APIs, GraphQL allows flexible queries by specifying fields dynamically, ensuring no more over-fetching or under-fetching data. Pimcore Community Edition integrates GraphQL natively via the Data Hub tool, making it straightforward to manage product data or integrate workflows with other systems.
Setting up GraphQL in Pimcore: A Quick Start Guide
We produced a demo video to provide a visual guided tutorial on how to install GraphQL using the Pimcore Data Hub tool and configure it to interact with a sports store product catalog. Below is a breakdown of the steps involved:
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Installing GraphQL through the Data Hub:
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After installation, you’ll find GraphQL listed as one of the configurations available in the Data Hub.
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This ensures you can create different schemas tailored to your products or business logic.
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Creating a GraphQL Configuration:
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A demo store configuration was set up using demo products.
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You’ll define two key elements:
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Query Schema: Specifies which fields to return from a query.
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Mutation Schema: Specifies which fields are eligible for changes via mutations.
Building Your Query and Mutation Schemas
The demo shows how to use GraphQL schemas to control the data flow. Here’s how it works:
Query Schema
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In Pimcore, the class definition tool lets you select available fields for GraphQL queries.
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By double-clicking fields on the left, they become part of the eligible fields for GraphQL.
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Example: If we want to query the sports store products, we can select fields like product name, price, or category to retrieve through the GraphQL endpoint.
Mutation Schema
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Mutations allow creating, updating, or deleting data through GraphQL.
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In the demo, only the product name field is made eligible for updates, ensuring tight control over data changes.
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Example: A product with ID 1508 originally named 3.0 Hockey Skates was updated to Vapor Vault 6.0 Hockey Skates using a mutation.
Security and API Keys: Control Access with Workspaces
Pimcore provides robust security settings through GraphQL:
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You can auto-generate API keys and control workspace access for GraphQL endpoints.
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The security definitions allow you to specify Create, Read, Update, and Delete (CRUD) permissions.
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This ensures that data access is carefully managed, whether you’re building an internal dashboard or integrating with external systems.
Running Test Queries: Try It Out in Real-Time
Once the schema is defined, you can run test queries directly within Pimcore’s GraphQL interface. The built-in documentation tab makes it easy to explore and test every endpoint without writing a single line of code. These real-time interactions demonstrate how effortless it is to manage data with GraphQL.
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A get product listing query was executed, pulling back five specific fields with sort and filter options.
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A mutation was run to update the product name, which returned a success message with a modification timestamp.
Real-World Applications of Pimcore and GraphQL
With GraphQL configured in Pimcore, businesses can:
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Integrate with ETL tools to streamline workflows and automate data flows.
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Synchronize product data across multiple systems or applications.
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Build custom frontends that only fetch relevant data, improving performance and user experience.
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Enable secure, role-based access to different parts of the product catalog.
Conclusion: Unlocking the Power of Data with Pimcore and GraphQL
Whether you're updating product names, retrieving filtered product listings, or integrating with external systems, GraphQL makes it simple to orchestrate complex data flows. Thanks to Pimcore’s no-code setup tools, even non-developers can define schemas and run queries effortlessly.
Mastering GraphQL within Pimcore is a breeze. By leveraging this setup, utilizing the demo tutorial video with TORQ’s expertise, businesses can optimize their workflows, ensure data consistency, and build dynamic applications with ease.
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