Schema Explorer

What is Schema Introspection?

GraphQL APIs are self-describing. Every GraphQL server can be asked about its schema - what types exist, what fields they have, what arguments are available. This is called introspection.

How Tigrister Uses This

When you enter a GraphQL URL, Tigrister automatically fetches the schema and displays it in an interactive tree view. You can browse all available queries, mutations, and types without reading documentation.

Fetching the Schema

The schema is loaded automatically when you enter or change the URL:

1

Enter GraphQL Endpoint URL

Type or paste the URL in the request bar. After 500ms of no typing, schema fetch begins automatically.

2

Introspection Query Sent

Tigrister sends a standard GraphQL introspection query to discover all types and fields.

✓

Schema Tree Displayed

Query, Mutation, and Subscription roots appear in the explorer. Expand them to see available fields.

FetchClick to manually refresh the schema

Authentication May Be Required

Some GraphQL APIs require authentication for introspection. If schema fetch fails, configure auth in the Auth tab first, then click "Fetch" again.

Schema Tree Structure

The schema is displayed as an expandable tree:

▼Query
▶users(limit: Int): [User!]!
▶user(id: ID!): User
currentUser: User
▶Mutation
▶Subscription
Root Types
  • • Query - Read operations
  • • Mutation - Write operations
  • • Subscription - Real-time subscriptions
Field Info
  • • Field name - The field to query
  • • (args) - Required/optional arguments
  • • : Type - Return type

Understanding Type Notation

GraphQL types use special notation to indicate nullability and lists:

TypeMeaningExample
StringNullable stringCan be null or "hello"
String!Non-null stringAlways a string, never null
[String]Nullable list of nullable stringsnull, [], ["a", null, "b"]
[String!]Nullable list of non-null stringsnull, [], ["a", "b"]
[String!]!Non-null list of non-null strings[], ["a", "b"] (never null)

Selecting Fields

Click checkboxes to select fields. The query is generated automatically:

Selected in Explorer
▼Query
▼users
id
name
email
Generated Query
query {
users {
id
name
}
}

Auto-Selection

When you select a field that returns an object type (like users), Tigrister automatically selects all its scalar fields (id, name, etc.) and expands the node.

Field Arguments

When you select a field with arguments, input fields appear:

users(...)
limit:Int
offset:Int

Enter argument values directly in the explorer. These become query variables:

# Query
query users_limit($users_limit: Int) {
users(limit: $users_limit) {
id name
}
}
# Variables
{
"users_limit": 10
}

Schema Search

Use the search field to quickly find fields in large schemas:

Fetch

Type to search. Matching fields are highlighted and their parent nodes auto-expand. Search is debounced (150ms) for performance.

Performance: Lazy Loading

Large GraphQL schemas can have hundreds of types. Tigrister uses lazy loading:

  • Root types loaded immediately - Query, Mutation, Subscription appear right away
  • Nested fields loaded on expand - Child fields load when you click to expand a node
  • Schema cached per URL - Re-fetching the same URL uses cache
The InterfaceWriting Queries