apollographql / skills

Apollo GraphQL Agent Skills

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A collection of skills for AI coding agents working with Apollo GraphQL tools and technologies.

Apollo Skills follow the Agent Skills (opens in a new tab) format and are available on skills.sh (opens in a new tab).

Installation

Install skills using the Skills CLI (opens in a new tab):

npx skills add apollographql/skills

The CLI guides you through an interactive installation:

1. Select skills - Choose which skills to install
2. Select agents - Pick target agents (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Goose, OpenCode)
3. Installation scope - Project (committed with your code) or Global
4. Installation method - Symlink (recommended) or Copy

◇  Found 11 skills
│
◆  Select skills to install
│  ◼ apollo-client
│  ◼ apollo-connectors
│  ◼ apollo-server
│  ○ ...
└

Claude Code Plugin

You can also install skills as a Claude Code plugin (opens in a new tab):

First, add the marketplace:

/plugin marketplace add apollographql/skills

Then, install the plugin:

/plugin install apollo-skills@apollo-marketplace

Once installed, skills are available as namespaced slash commands:

GitHub CLI

You can also install skills with the GitHub CLI (opens in a new tab) using gh skill (preview):

# Install skills into the current project for Claude Code
gh skill install apollographql/skills --agent claude-code

# Install at user scope (available everywhere)
gh skill install apollographql/skills --agent claude-code --scope user

# Pin to a specific release (skipped during updates so it won't auto-upgrade)
gh skill install apollographql/skills --pin v1.0.0 --agent claude-code

# Preview skills before installing
gh skill preview apollographql/skills

--agent supports many hosts beyond Claude Code (Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, and more); run gh skill install --help for the full list.

Releases

Releases are tagged with semver and published automatically whenever a content change is merged to main. The full list lives at github.com/apollographql/skills/releases (opens in a new tab).

If you need stability, pin via gh skill install … --pin vX.Y.Z. Pinned skills are skipped during gh skill upgrade, so you upgrade deliberately. For the freshest content, the other paths track main HEAD directly.

Available Skills

apollo-connectors

Write Apollo Connectors schemas to integrate REST APIs into GraphQL.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@apollo-connectors

Use when:

• Connecting REST APIs to a GraphQL supergraph
• Writing @source and @connect directives
• Implementing entity resolvers with batching
• Validating connector schemas with rover

Categories covered:

• Selection mapping grammar
• HTTP methods and headers
• Variable interpolation ($args, $this, $config)
• Entity patterns and @key directives
• Batch requests with @listSize

Examples:

• “Connect my REST API to my GraphQL schema”
• “Write a connector for this OpenAPI spec”
• “Add entity resolvers with batching for my users endpoint”

References: SKILL.md · Grammar (opens in a new tab) · Methods (opens in a new tab) · Variables (opens in a new tab) · Entities (opens in a new tab) · Validation (opens in a new tab) · Troubleshooting (opens in a new tab)

apollo-federation

Author Apollo Federation subgraph schemas with entities, sharing, and cross-subgraph field resolution.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills --skill apollo-federation

Use when:

• Creating new subgraph schemas for a federated supergraph
• Defining or modifying entities with @key
• Sharing types/fields across subgraphs with @shareable
• Working with federation directives (@external, @requires, @provides, @override)
• Troubleshooting composition errors

Categories covered:

• Entity definition and @key patterns (compound, multiple, differing)
• Reference resolvers and computed fields
• Value types with @shareable
• Field migration with @override (including progressive rollout)
• Entity interfaces with @interfaceObject
• Common composition errors and fixes

Examples:

• “Create a federated subgraph for my products service”
• “Add a computed field that requires data from another subgraph”
• “Migrate this field from one subgraph to another”

References: SKILL.md · Directives (opens in a new tab) · Schema Patterns (opens in a new tab) · Composition (opens in a new tab)

apollo-mcp-server

Configure and use Apollo MCP Server to connect AI agents with GraphQL APIs.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@apollo-mcp-server

Use when:

• Setting up Apollo MCP Server for Claude or other AI agents
• Defining MCP tools from GraphQL operations
• Using introspection tools (introspect, search, validate, execute)
• Troubleshooting MCP server connectivity issues

Categories covered:

• Server configuration (endpoints, schemas, headers)
• Built-in tools and compact notation
• Operation sources (files, collections, persisted queries)
• Authentication and security
• Health checks and debugging

Examples:

• “Set up Apollo MCP Server for my GraphQL endpoint”
• “Configure MCP tools from my GraphQL operations”
• “Debug MCP server connection issues”

References: SKILL.md · Tools (opens in a new tab) · Configuration (opens in a new tab) · Troubleshooting (opens in a new tab)

apollo-router

Configure and run Apollo Router for federated GraphQL supergraphs.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@apollo-router

Use when:

• Setting up Apollo Router to run a supergraph
• Configuring routing, headers, or CORS
• Implementing custom plugins (Rhai scripts or coprocessors)
• Configuring telemetry and observability
• Troubleshooting Router performance or connectivity issues

Categories covered:

• Installation and quick start
• Router configuration (YAML)
• Header propagation and manipulation
• CORS and authentication
• Rhai scripts and coprocessors
• Telemetry (tracing, metrics, logging)

Examples:

• “Set up Apollo Router for my supergraph”
• “Configure CORS for my Router”
• “Add header propagation for authentication”

References: SKILL.md · Configuration (opens in a new tab) · Headers (opens in a new tab) · Plugins (opens in a new tab) · Telemetry (opens in a new tab) · Troubleshooting (opens in a new tab)

apollo-server

Build GraphQL servers with Apollo Server 4.x, including schemas, resolvers, authentication, and plugins.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@apollo-server

Use when:

• Setting up a new Apollo Server project
• Writing resolvers or defining GraphQL schemas
• Implementing authentication or authorization
• Creating plugins or custom data sources
• Troubleshooting Apollo Server errors or performance issues

Categories covered:

• Quick start setup (standalone and Express)
• Schema definition and type system
• Resolver patterns and best practices
• Context and authentication
• Plugins and lifecycle hooks
• Data sources and DataLoader
• Error handling and formatting

Examples:

• “Create an Apollo Server with user authentication”
• “Write resolvers for my GraphQL schema”
• “Add a custom plugin to log all queries”

References: SKILL.md · Resolvers (opens in a new tab) · Context & Auth (opens in a new tab) · Plugins (opens in a new tab) · Data Sources (opens in a new tab) · Error Handling (opens in a new tab) · Troubleshooting (opens in a new tab)

apollo-client

Build React applications with Apollo Client 4.x for GraphQL data management, caching, and local state.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@apollo-client

Use when:

• Setting up Apollo Client in a React project
• Writing GraphQL queries or mutations with hooks
• Configuring caching or cache policies
• Managing local state with reactive variables
• Troubleshooting Apollo Client errors or performance issues

Categories covered:

• Quick start setup (install, client, provider, query)
• useQuery and useLazyQuery hooks
• useMutation with optimistic UI
• InMemoryCache and type policies
• Reactive variables and local state
• Error handling and error links
• Performance optimization

Examples:

• “Set up Apollo Client in my React app”
• “Implement optimistic UI for my mutation”
• “Configure cache policies for my queries”

References: SKILL.md · Queries (opens in a new tab) · Mutations (opens in a new tab) · Caching (opens in a new tab) · State Management (opens in a new tab) · Error Handling (opens in a new tab) · Troubleshooting (opens in a new tab)

apollo-ios

Build Apple-platform applications with Apollo iOS, the strongly-typed GraphQL client for Swift (iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, visionOS).

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@apollo-ios

Use when:

• Adding Apollo iOS to a Swift Package Manager or Xcode project
• Configuring apollo-codegen-config.json and running code generation
• Configuring an ApolloClient with auth, interceptors, and caching
• Writing queries, mutations, or subscriptions from SwiftUI views
• Writing tests against generated operation mocks

Categories covered:

• SPM installation, product linking (Apollo vs ApolloAPI), and apollo-ios-cli setup
• Code generation config (apollo-codegen-config.json) with the canonical swiftPackage + relative defaults
• Custom scalars (default String typealias, when and how to replace it)
• Queries, mutations, watchers, and cache policies with async/await
• Normalized cache, @typePolicy cache keys, manual reads/writes
• Interceptor architecture split across HTTP and GraphQL layers (auth token attachment + token refresh + retry)
• Subscriptions over HTTP multipart and WebSocket, with scene-phase pause/resume
• Testing with ApolloTestSupport and generated Mock<Type> fixtures (enabled lazily when tests need them)

Examples:

• “Set up Apollo iOS in a new SwiftUI app”
• “Add an auth token to every GraphQL request”
• “Subscribe to a GraphQL subscription from a SwiftUI view”

References: SKILL.md · Setup (opens in a new tab) · Codegen (opens in a new tab) · Custom Scalars (opens in a new tab) · Operations (opens in a new tab) · Caching (opens in a new tab) · Interceptors (opens in a new tab) · Subscriptions (opens in a new tab) · Testing (opens in a new tab)

apollo-kotlin

Build applications with Apollo Kotlin, the GraphQL client library for Android and Kotlin.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@apollo-kotlin

Use when:

• Setting up Apollo Kotlin in a Gradle project for Android, Kotlin/JVM, or KMP
• Configuring schema download and codegen for GraphQL services
• Configuring an ApolloClient with auth, interceptors, and caching
• Writing queries, mutations, or subscriptions

Categories covered:

• Gradle plugin setup and service configuration
• Schema management and code generation
• ApolloClient configuration
• Coroutines and Flow usage patterns
• Normalized cache and cache policies

Examples:

• “Set up Apollo Kotlin in my Android app”
• “Configure code generation for multiple GraphQL services”
• “Add normalized caching for offline support”

References: SKILL.md · Setup (opens in a new tab) · Operations (opens in a new tab) · Caching (opens in a new tab) ·

rover

Manage GraphQL schemas and run local supergraph development with Apollo Rover CLI.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@rover

Use when:

• Publishing or fetching subgraph schemas to/from GraphOS
• Composing supergraph schemas locally
• Running local supergraph development with rover dev
• Validating schemas with check and lint commands

Categories covered:

• Subgraph commands (fetch, publish, check, lint)
• Graph commands (monograph management)
• Supergraph composition
• Local development with rover dev
• Authentication and configuration

Examples:

• “Publish my subgraph schema to GraphOS”
• “Run rover dev to test my supergraph locally”
• “Check my schema changes before deploying”

References: SKILL.md · Subgraphs (opens in a new tab) · Graphs (opens in a new tab) · Supergraphs (opens in a new tab) · Dev (opens in a new tab) · Configuration (opens in a new tab)

graphql-schema

Design GraphQL schemas following industry best practices for type design, naming, pagination, errors, and security.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@graphql-schema

Use when:

• Designing a new GraphQL schema or API
• Reviewing existing schema for improvements
• Deciding on type structures or nullability
• Implementing pagination or error patterns
• Ensuring security in schema design

Categories covered:

• Type design patterns (interfaces, unions, custom scalars)
• Naming conventions for types, fields, and arguments
• Cursor-based pagination (Connection pattern)
• Error modeling and result types
• Security best practices (depth limiting, complexity, authorization)

Examples:

• “Design a GraphQL schema for my e-commerce API”
• “Review my schema for best practices”
• “Add cursor-based pagination to my queries”

References: SKILL.md · Types (opens in a new tab) · Naming (opens in a new tab) · Pagination (opens in a new tab) · Errors (opens in a new tab) · Security (opens in a new tab)

graphql-operations

Write GraphQL operations (queries, mutations, fragments) following best practices for client-side development.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@graphql-operations

Use when:

• Writing GraphQL queries or mutations
• Organizing operations with fragments
• Optimizing data fetching patterns
• Setting up type generation or linting
• Reviewing operations for efficiency

Categories covered:

• Query patterns and optimization
• Mutation patterns and error handling
• Fragment organization and colocation
• Variable usage and types
• Tooling (GraphQL Code Generator, ESLint, IDE extensions)

Examples:

• “Write a query with pagination”
• “Organize my operations with fragments”
• “Set up GraphQL Code Generator for type safety”

References: SKILL.md · Queries (opens in a new tab) · Mutations (opens in a new tab) · Fragments (opens in a new tab) · Variables (opens in a new tab) · Tooling (opens in a new tab)

rust-best-practices

Write idiomatic Rust code following Apollo GraphQL’s best practices handbook.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@rust-best-practices

Use when:

• Writing new Rust code or functions
• Reviewing or refactoring existing Rust code
• Deciding between borrowing vs cloning or ownership patterns
• Implementing error handling with Result types
• Optimizing Rust code for performance
• Writing tests or documentation for Rust projects

Categories covered:

• Coding style and idioms (borrowing, Option/Result, iterators)
• Clippy and linting discipline
• Performance optimization and profiling
• Error handling with thiserror and anyhow
• Testing strategies and snapshot testing
• Generics, static and dynamic dispatch
• Type state pattern for compile-time safety
• Documentation best practices
• Pointer types and thread safety

Examples:

• “Review this Rust code for best practices”
• “Help me decide between cloning and borrowing here”
• “Add proper error handling to this function”

References: SKILL.md · Style (opens in a new tab) · Errors (opens in a new tab) · Performance (opens in a new tab) · Testing (opens in a new tab) · Advanced (opens in a new tab)

skill-creator

Guide for creating effective skills for Apollo GraphQL and GraphQL development.

Install:

npx skills add apollographql/skills@skill-creator

Use when:

• Creating a new skill for this repository
• Updating an existing skill’s structure or content
• Learning skill best practices and patterns
• Writing SKILL.md files or reference documentation

Categories covered:

• SKILL.md format and frontmatter fields
• Directory structure and reference files
• Description writing for agent activation triggers
• Progressive disclosure and context optimization
• Apollo Voice writing style guidelines
• Validation checklist for new skills

Examples:

• “Create a new skill for Apollo Federation”
• “Help me write a SKILL.md for my custom skill”
• “Review my skill structure for best practices”

References: SKILL.md · Apollo Skills (opens in a new tab)

Usage

Skills activate automatically once installed. The agent uses them when relevant tasks are detected.

You can also explicitly invoke a skill depending on your tool:

Skill Structure

Each skill contains:

• SKILL.md - Instructions for the agent (required)
• references/ - Supporting documentation (optional)

Resources

• Apollo Client Documentation (opens in a new tab)
• Apollo Server Documentation (opens in a new tab)
• Apollo Connectors Documentation (opens in a new tab)
• Apollo Federation Documentation (opens in a new tab)
• Apollo MCP Server (opens in a new tab)
• Apollo iOS Documentation (opens in a new tab)
• Rover CLI Documentation (opens in a new tab)
• Rust Best Practices Handbook (opens in a new tab)

Disclaimer

The code in this repository is experimental and for reference purposes only. Community feedback is welcome but this project is not officially supported in the same way that repositories in the official Apollo GraphQL GitHub organization (opens in a new tab) are. If you need help you can file an issue on this repository, contact Apollo (opens in a new tab) to talk to an expert, or create a ticket directly in Apollo Studio.