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# Overview
GraphQL is data-storage agnostic. You can use any underlying data storage engine, including SQL or NoSQL database, 
plain files or in-memory data structures.

In order to convert the GraphQL query to PHP array, **graphql-php** traverses query fields (using depth-first algorithm) and 
runs special **resolve** function on each field. This **resolve** function is provided by you as a part of 
[field definition](type-system/object-types.md#field-configuration-options) or [query execution call](executing-queries.md#overview).

Result returned by **resolve** function is directly included in the response (for scalars and enums)
or passed down to nested fields (for objects).

Let's walk through an example. Consider following GraphQL query:

```graphql
{
  lastStory {
    title
    author {
      name
    }
  }
}
```

We need a Schema that can fulfill it. On the very top level the Schema contains Query type:

```php
<?php
use GraphQL\Type\Definition\ObjectType;

$queryType = new ObjectType([
  'name' => 'Query',
  'fields' => [
  
    'lastStory' => [
      'type' => $blogStoryType,
      'resolve' => function() {
        return [
          'id' => 1,
          'title' => 'Example blog post',
          'authorId' => 1
        ];
      }
    ]
    
  ]
]);
```

As we see field **lastStory** has **resolve** function that is responsible for fetching data.

In our example, we simply return array value, but in the real-world application you would query
your database/cache/search index and return the result.

Since **lastStory** is of composite type **BlogStory** this result is passed down to fields of this type:

```php
<?php
use GraphQL\Type\Definition\Type;
use GraphQL\Type\Definition\ObjectType;

$blogStoryType = new ObjectType([
  'name' => 'BlogStory',
  'fields' => [

    'author' => [
      'type' => $userType,
      'resolve' => function($blogStory) {
        $users = [
          1 => [
            'id' => 1,
            'name' => 'Smith'
          ],
          2 => [
            'id' => 2,
            'name' => 'Anderson'
          ]
        ];
        return $users[$blogStory['authorId']];
      }
    ],
    
    'title' => [
      'type' => Type::string()
    ]

  ]
]);
```

Here **$blogStory** is the array returned by **lastStory** field above. 

Again: in the real-world applications you would fetch user data from data store by **authorId** and return it.
Also, note that you don't have to return arrays. You can return any value, **graphql-php** will pass it untouched
to nested resolvers.

But then the question appears - field **title** has no **resolve** option. How is it resolved?

There is a default resolver for all fields. When you define your own **resolve** function
for a field you simply override this default resolver.

# Default Field Resolver
**graphql-php** provides following default field resolver:
```php
<?php
function defaultFieldResolver($objectValue, $args, $context, \GraphQL\Type\Definition\ResolveInfo $info)
    {
        $fieldName = $info->fieldName;
        $property  = null;

        if (is_array($objectValue) || $objectValue instanceof \ArrayAccess) {
            if (isset($objectValue[$fieldName])) {
                $property = $objectValue[$fieldName];
            }
        } elseif (is_object($objectValue)) {
            if (isset($objectValue->{$fieldName})) {
                $property = $objectValue->{$fieldName};
            }
        }

        return $property instanceof Closure
            ? $property($objectValue, $args, $context, $info)
            : $property;
    }
```

As you see it returns value by key (for arrays) or property (for objects). 
If the value is not set - it returns **null**.

To override the default resolver, pass it as an argument of [executeQuery](executing-queries.md) call.

# Default Field Resolver per Type
Sometimes it might be convenient to set default field resolver per type. You can do so by providing
[resolveField option in type config](type-system/object-types.md#configuration-options). For example:

```php
<?php
use GraphQL\Type\Definition\Type;
use GraphQL\Type\Definition\ObjectType;
use GraphQL\Type\Definition\ResolveInfo;

$userType = new ObjectType([
  'name' => 'User',
  'fields' => [

    'name' => Type::string(),
    'email' => Type::string()

  ],
  'resolveField' => function(User $user, $args, $context, ResolveInfo $info) {
    switch ($info->fieldName) {
        case 'name':
          return $user->getName();
        case 'email':
          return $user->getEmail();
        default:
          return null;
    }
  }
]);
```

Keep in mind that **field resolver** has precedence over **default field resolver per type** which in turn
 has precedence over **default field resolver**.

# Solving N+1 Problem
Since: 0.9.0

One of the most annoying problems with data fetching is a so-called 
[N+1 problem](https://secure.phabricator.com/book/phabcontrib/article/n_plus_one/). <br>
Consider following GraphQL query:
```
{
  topStories(limit: 10) {
    title
    author {
      name
      email
    }
  }
}
```

Naive field resolution process would require up to 10 calls to the underlying data store to fetch authors for all 10 stories.

**graphql-php** provides tools to mitigate this problem: it allows you to defer actual field resolution to a later stage 
when one batched query could be executed instead of 10 distinct queries.

Here is an example of **BlogStory** resolver for field **author** that uses deferring:
```php
<?php
'resolve' => function($blogStory) {
    MyUserBuffer::add($blogStory['authorId']);

    return new GraphQL\Deferred(function () use ($blogStory) {
        MyUserBuffer::loadBuffered();
        return MyUserBuffer::get($blogStory['authorId']);
    });
}
```

In this example, we fill up the buffer with 10 author ids first. Then **graphql-php** continues 
resolving other non-deferred fields until there are none of them left.

After that, it calls closures wrapped by `GraphQL\Deferred` which in turn load all buffered 
ids once (using SQL IN(?), Redis MGET or other similar tools) and returns final field value.

Originally this approach was advocated by Facebook in their [Dataloader](https://github.com/facebook/dataloader)
project. This solution enables very interesting optimizations at no cost. Consider the following query:

```graphql
{
  topStories(limit: 10) {
    author {
      email
    }
  }
  category {
    stories(limit: 10) {
      author {
        email
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Even though **author** field is located on different levels of the query - it can be buffered in the same buffer.
In this example, only one query will be executed for all story authors comparing to 20 queries
in a naive implementation.

# Async PHP
Since: 0.10.0 (version 0.9.0 had slightly different API which still works, but is deprecated)

If your project runs in an environment that supports async operations 
(like HHVM, ReactPHP, Icicle.io, appserver.io, PHP threads, etc) 
you can leverage the power of your platform to resolve some fields asynchronously.

The only requirement: your platform must support the concept of Promises compatible with
[Promises A+](https://promisesaplus.com/) specification.

To start using this feature, switch facade method for query execution from 
**executeQuery** to **promiseToExecute**:

```php
<?php
use GraphQL\GraphQL;
use GraphQL\Executor\ExecutionResult;

$promise = GraphQL::promiseToExecute(
    $promiseAdapter,
    $schema, 
    $queryString, 
    $rootValue = null, 
    $contextValue = null, 
    $variableValues = null, 
    $operationName = null,
    $fieldResolver = null,
    $validationRules = null
);
$promise->then(function(ExecutionResult $result) {
    return $result->toArray();
});
```

Where **$promiseAdapter** is an instance of:

* For [ReactPHP](https://github.com/reactphp/react) (requires **react/promise** as composer dependency): <br> 
  `GraphQL\Executor\Promise\Adapter\ReactPromiseAdapter`

* Other platforms: write your own class implementing interface: <br> 
  [`GraphQL\Executor\Promise\PromiseAdapter`](reference.md#graphqlexecutorpromisepromiseadapter). 

Then your **resolve** functions should return promises of your platform instead of `GraphQL\Deferred`s.