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Java Spring Boot GraphQL Domain Gateway Archetype

Enterprise GraphQL federation gateway for coordinating domain services with advanced routing and composition

Generate a sophisticated GraphQL federation gateway built on Spring Boot that orchestrates multiple domain services, provides unified API composition, and handles complex routing scenarios for enterprise microservice architectures.

Overview​

The java-spring-boot-graphql-domain-gateway archetype creates a production-ready GraphQL federation gateway that serves as the entry point for complex domain service ecosystems.

Key Characteristics​

  • Framework: Spring Boot 3.x with Spring GraphQL
  • Federation: GraphQL federation with schema composition
  • Routing: Advanced query routing and service coordination
  • Performance: Optimized query execution and caching strategies
  • Security: Authentication, authorization, and rate limiting
  • Observability: Comprehensive metrics and distributed tracing

Architecture & Composition​

GraphQL Federation Architecture​

Click to enlarge

Domain Service Coordination​

Federation Features​

  • Schema composition from multiple services
  • Distributed query planning and execution
  • Cross-service relationship resolution
  • Type merging and extension capabilities

Performance Optimization​

  • Query batching and caching
  • N+1 query problem mitigation
  • Connection pooling and load balancing
  • Intelligent query execution planning

Technology Stack​

Core Technologies​

GraphQL Stack

  • Spring GraphQL for Java integration
  • GraphQL Federation specification
  • DataLoader for efficient data fetching
  • GraphQL subscriptions for real-time updates

Spring Boot Integration

  • Spring Boot 3.x with reactive support
  • Spring Security for authentication
  • Spring Cloud Gateway for routing
  • Spring Boot Actuator for monitoring

Enterprise Features

  • JWT authentication and RBAC authorization
  • Rate limiting and throttling
  • CORS configuration for web clients
  • Request/response validation

Query Routing & Federation​

Intelligent Query Planning​

Click to enlarge

Schema Composition Strategy​

Federation Patterns​

  • Entity Extension: Extend types across service boundaries
  • Service Composition: Merge schemas from multiple services
  • Type Federation: Share types between services with @key directives
  • Relationship Resolution: Cross-service entity relationships

Security & Authentication​

Multi-layered Security​

Authentication​

  • JWT token validation
  • OAuth 2.0 / OpenID Connect integration
  • Service-to-service authentication
  • API key management for external clients

Authorization​

  • Field-level authorization
  • Role-based access control (RBAC)
  • Dynamic permission evaluation
  • Schema introspection control

Rate Limiting & Throttling​

# Example rate limiting configuration
rate-limiting:
  global:
    requests-per-minute: 1000
  per-user:
    requests-per-minute: 100
  query-complexity:
    max-depth: 15
    max-nodes: 1000

Performance Optimization​

Query Optimization Strategies​

DataLoader Pattern

Automatic batching and caching of database queries to eliminate N+1 problems across service boundaries.

Query Complexity Analysis

Static analysis of query complexity with configurable limits to prevent expensive operations.

Intelligent Caching

Multi-level caching strategy with TTL-based invalidation and cache warming capabilities.

Development Workflow​

Local Development Setup​

# Generate the gateway
archetect render git@github.com:p6m-archetypes/java-spring-boot-graphql-domain-gateway.archetype.git my-gateway

cd my-gateway

# Build the project
mvn clean install

# Start the gateway with development profile
mvn spring-boot:run -Dspring-boot.run.profiles=development

# Access GraphQL Playground
open http://localhost:8080/graphiql

Configuration Example​

# application.yml
spring:
  graphql:
    schema-locations: classpath:graphql/
    federation:
      enabled: true
      services:
        - name: user-service
          url: http://user-service:8080/graphql
        - name: order-service
          url: http://order-service:8080/graphql
        - name: product-service
          url: http://product-service:8080/graphql

gateway:
  cors:
    allowed-origins: ["http://localhost:3000", "https://myapp.com"]
  rate-limiting:
    enabled: true
    requests-per-minute: 1000
  caching:
    enabled: true
    ttl: 300

Schema Management​

Federation Schema Example​

# Domain gateway schema
type Query {
  user(id: ID!): User
  users: [User!]!
  orders: [Order!]!
  products: [Product!]!
}

type User @key(fields: "id") {
  id: ID!
  name: String!
  email: String!
  orders: [Order!]!
}

type Order @key(fields: "id") {
  id: ID!
  userId: ID!
  user: User!
  items: [OrderItem!]!
  total: Money!
}

type Product @key(fields: "id") {
  id: ID!
  name: String!
  price: Money!
  inventory: Int!
}

Service Integration Patterns​

Service Discovery​

  • Automatic service registration
  • Health check integration
  • Load balancing strategies
  • Circuit breaker patterns

Error Handling​

  • Graceful service degradation
  • Partial response handling
  • Error propagation strategies
  • Fallback mechanisms

Monitoring & Observability​

Comprehensive Monitoring Stack​

GraphQL Metrics

  • Query execution time and complexity
  • Field resolution performance
  • Error rates by operation
  • Cache hit/miss ratios

Distributed Tracing

  • Cross-service request tracing
  • Query execution timeline
  • Service dependency mapping
  • Performance bottleneck identification

Production Deployment​

Kubernetes Configuration​

# kubernetes deployment
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: graphql-gateway
spec:
  replicas: 3
  template:
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: gateway
        image: my-registry/graphql-gateway:latest
        ports:
        - containerPort: 8080
        env:
        - name: SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE
          value: "production"
        resources:
          requests:
            memory: "512Mi"
            cpu: "500m"
          limits:
            memory: "1Gi"
            cpu: "1000m"
        livenessProbe:
          httpGet:
            path: /actuator/health
            port: 8080
          initialDelaySeconds: 30
        readinessProbe:
          httpGet:
            path: /actuator/health/readiness
            port: 8080
          initialDelaySeconds: 5

Scaling & Performance​

Horizontal Scaling​

  • Stateless gateway design
  • Load balancer integration
  • Auto-scaling based on metrics
  • Connection pooling optimization

Performance Tuning​

  • JVM optimization for GraphQL workloads
  • Memory management for large queries
  • Connection pool sizing
  • Cache configuration tuning

Use Cases & Integration​

Enterprise Integration Scenarios​

  • Domain Service Orchestration: Unite multiple business domains under a single GraphQL API
  • Legacy System Integration: Provide modern GraphQL interface for legacy REST/SOAP services
  • Mobile API Gateway: Optimized data fetching for mobile applications
  • Partner API Composition: Combine internal and external services for partner integrations
  • Real-time Data Aggregation: WebSocket subscriptions for live data updates

Best Practices​

Federation Guidelines
  • Design schemas with federation in mind
  • Use @key directives appropriately for entity resolution
  • Implement proper error handling across service boundaries
  • Monitor query complexity and performance
  • Implement proper caching strategies

This archetype provides a robust foundation for building enterprise GraphQL federation gateways that can scale to handle complex domain service ecosystems with high performance and reliability.