GraphQL Learner Dashboard Page Spike

Apr 25, 2018

@Ari Rizzitano (Deactivated), @Douglas Hall (Deactivated)

Goals

Primary

Understand the performance and code complexity tradeoffs involved in using GraphQL as a data proxy
Understand the additional UX and functional considerations involved in frontends making complex GraphQL queries
Judge whether GraphQL is a viable tool for implementing and scaling a decoupled frontend architecture

Additional

Prove out a decoupled frontend deployment pipeline
Answer questions about Apollo (@George Babey (Deactivated)):
- Determine whether Apollo local state should replace Redux
- Recommend whether or not to use Apollo Boost
- Determine whether to stick with Apollo Server

Functional Requirements

Sandbox environment running an instance of Apollo Server
Experimental implementation of learner dashboard page
- React on top of Apollo Client
- Hits multiple IDAs:
  - LMS
  - Discovery
  - ecommerce
  - credentials
- Independently deployable (e.g. not part of LMS)

First Pass

Sandbox environment
Display a page showing a list of enrollments
- Serve from LMS
- React owns entire page, embedded within a Mako template
Doug will handle setting up Apollo Server
Ari will set up the frontend + Apollo Client

Questions, once we've accomplished the first pass

Data modeling/schema?
How to handle skeleton states for UI?
How to independently deploy a React app?
Separate header/footer?
Performance and caching?