GraphQL with Hot Chocolate and ASP.NET Core 10

GraphQL feels powerful-but schemas, resolvers, DataLoaders, subscriptions, federation, and performance concerns can quickly make it feel overwhelming. This book gives you a practical path from your first GraphQL query to a production-ready API with modern .NET.

GraphQL with Hot Chocolate and ASP.NET Core 10 is a hands-on, step-by-step guide for C# and .NET developers who want to understand GraphQL without being buried in theory. No previous GraphQL, Hot Chocolate, DataLoader, subscription, or federation experience is required. If you have basic familiarity with C#, ASP.NET Core, and relational databases, you have everything you need to begin.

Instead of learning disconnected examples, you will build MarketFlow, a realistic marketplace and order-fulfillment application that grows with your skills. You will start with schemas, queries, and resolvers, then progressively add EF Core, PostgreSQL, filtering, sorting, cursor pagination, DataLoaders, mutations, real-time subscriptions, security, testing, observability, federation, and production deployment.

Mistakes are treated as part of the process. When a resolver returns the wrong value, a query performs too much database work, or a security rule behaves unexpectedly, the book shows you how to investigate the problem, understand why it happened, and verify the fix. Each working milestone becomes another small win toward confidently engineering real GraphQL systems.

• Practical, project-based learning with ASP.NET Core 10 and Hot Chocolate
• Clear progression from GraphQL fundamentals to production engineering
• Real-world C#, EF Core, PostgreSQL, DataLoader, and API examples
• Verification checklists, review questions, and practical exercises
• Coverage of performance, security, testing, observability, and deployment
• Distributed GraphQL with Hot Chocolate Fusion and subgraphs
• Quick-reference appendices for commands, security, DataLoaders, and production readiness

• Design maintainable GraphQL schemas, types, relationships, and resolvers
• Integrate GraphQL with EF Core and PostgreSQL efficiently
• Implement filtering, sorting, projections, and cursor pagination
• Diagnose and eliminate N+1 queries with DataLoaders
• Build business-focused mutations with validation, transactions, concurrency, and idempotency
• Add real-time updates with WebSockets and Server-Sent Events
• Secure APIs with authentication, authorization, ownership rules, cost analysis, and trusted operations
• Test, observe, optimize, and safely evolve GraphQL schemas
• Build federated GraphQL systems with Hot Chocolate Fusion
• Containerize, deploy, scale, monitor, and troubleshoot production applications

This book is ideal for C# and ASP.NET Core developers who are new to GraphQL, backend developers moving beyond REST APIs, self-learners who prefer hands-on projects, and working developers who want production-focused guidance rather than isolated tutorials.

1. Building Your First GraphQL API with ASP.NET Core 10
2. Designing Schemas and Resolvers for Real Applications
3. Integrating EF Core 10 and Building Efficient Queries
4. Eliminating N+1 Queries with DataLoaders
5. Building Mutations, Validation, and Error Handling
6. Building Real-Time GraphQL with Subscriptions
7. Securing GraphQL APIs for Production
8. Testing, Observability, Performance, and Schema Evolution
9. Building Distributed GraphQL with Hot Chocolate Fusion
10. Deploying, Operating, and Troubleshooting GraphQL

Stop treating GraphQL as a collection of intimidating concepts. Start with one query, build one capability at a time, and develop the skills to create fast, secure, maintainable GraphQL APIs with confidence. Start building today.