AskQL: The next step after GraphQL?
Piotr Karwatka
Co-Founder @ Doctor Dok + Catch the Tornado / OSS founder & contributor
I'm quite excited because after a long break with Github I've just created a first Pull Request for the AskQL repo. You know what? It was pure joy. By this chance, I wanted to share some thoughts on the projects and maybe get your feedback!
I'm inspired by the power AskQL can bring to web development and the last time I felt something like this has when we're about to start the Vue Storefront project.
AskQL could be the next step after GraphQL and Serverless.
With AskQL developers can attach scripts to queries that are executed serverside. The AskQL parser accepts the GraphQL query format so there's no learning curve. Because the scripts are executed serverside and the results can be cached it's great for Web Vitals and app performance.
Think of it as a programmable GraphQL.
Having that said, the project can easily evolve into a Frontend-driven, low-code BaaS - something like a Firebase but where the frontend and native app devs send the middleware/endpoint code along with the query with no need for engaging the backend developers anymore.
When I think about its potential I think: integrations
AskQL runs in an isolated VM for safety. With AskQL Platform developers can be potentially provided with the ready-to-use data adapters to popular DBs (MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB) and platforms (commercetools, SFCC …) so your frontend developers can query them all sending simple AskQL scripts with the queries. Available as a hosted BaaS or on-prem. No deployments, neither backend developers required anymore.
A programming language for the MACH toolset.
From the programming language to Business Model.
The last time we discussed the business models for Open Source it was said that the most natural way to commercialize it is Cloud. I think AskQL can be super easily commercialized as a BaaS platform
Low code tools are hot. If you mixed Builder.io or Airtable with AskQL you become with a dev-environment like Retool where the backed scripts are deployed right along the queries sent from the UI.
Next steps?
AskQL is Open Source - MIT Licensed on Github. You're invited to contribute! Our roadmap for making AskQL the GraphQL successor is pretty specific:
- Namespacing support - #579
- Add Secrets management feature - #581
- Access control and session management - #583
- Add stored procedures/persisted/hash queries - #584
- Add HTTP GET variables access to AskScript - #585
- TypeScript SDK - #586
- Add React Context and/or hooks for querying AskQL endpoints - #587
...
More info
I've even prepared a slide deck with way more details about the project and the plans on how could we potentially make it a viable product.
However, to make it a real Startup/business we need to get way more Feedback too!
Please share your thoughts over Linkedin or via catchthetornado.com
Harnessing Generative AI revolution with passion
3 年yet another thought - frontend folks should love it anyways. by moving some of the evils of modern webapp development from backend to frontend, they (frontend folks) will feel they at least 'own it':)
Harnessing Generative AI revolution with passion
3 年Piotr, you made me curious about this technology. Introducing it will definitely add agility where it is most needed - the experience layer of the commerce system. I think the key to the success of this project is to define very clearly what are the tangible problems it aims to solve and what are not good practices in using it. While it reduces coupling between backend and frontend, it immediately can introduce an issue with a redundancy of business logic code. So anywhere where you need to normalize data fetched from server to 'display' it better on a frontend app - go for AskQL; However if you plan to manipulate data from a server - go for FaaS/new micro-service; So after spending 2h or so reading about this stuff my opinion would be - it certainly can be a powerful toolset to include into BaaS offering, but it won't fly as a replacement for a more comprehensive API-first solution.
Co-founder & Chief Architect @ Zymego | We're hiring
3 年I would be interested in hearing an elaboration about askql potentially being a successor to serverless and in what way.
Principal Frontend Architect at Spryker
3 年Nice to see that you touched some code again ??
Staff Software Engineer at Box
3 年Thanks for creating a PR :)