ZeroQL
A high-performance C# GraphQL client with Linq-like syntax that avoids Reflection.Emit for near-raw HTTP call performance.
What is ZeroQL?
ZeroQL is a GraphQL client for C# that allows developers to write GraphQL queries using a Linq-like syntax. It generates strongly-typed clients from GraphQL schemas, providing type safety and IntelliSense while avoiding performance penalties from reflection or expression trees. It solves the problem of integrating GraphQL APIs into C# applications in a way that feels natural and efficient.
C# developers building applications that consume GraphQL APIs, especially those who value type safety, IntelliSense, and high performance without the overhead of traditional GraphQL clients.
Developers choose ZeroQL for its Linq-like query syntax that reduces GraphQL learning curve, its high performance close to raw HTTP calls, and its strong typing that catches errors at compile time rather than runtime.
Overview
C# GraphQL client with Linq-like syntax
Use Cases
Best For
- C# applications consuming GraphQL APIs with type safety
- Projects requiring high-performance GraphQL client with minimal overhead
- Teams familiar with LINQ who want a similar syntax for GraphQL queries
- AOT-compiled .NET applications where reflection-based clients fail
- Generating strongly-typed GraphQL clients from existing schemas
- Applications needing GraphQL features like fragments, unions, and file uploads
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring real-time GraphQL subscriptions for live data updates
- Applications needing advanced GraphQL features like @defer or @stream for incremental data fetching
- Teams that prefer writing raw GraphQL queries without a C# abstraction layer
- Dynamic environments where GraphQL schemas change frequently, making client regeneration cumbersome
Pros & Cons
Pros
Uses lambda expressions similar to LINQ, making GraphQL queries intuitive for C# developers, as shown in the README examples where queries resemble familiar C# code.
Avoids Reflection.Emit and expression trees, with benchmarks demonstrating performance close to raw HTTP calls and better than StrawberryShake in some cases.
Generates strongly-typed clients from GraphQL schemas, providing compile-time type checking and IDE support, reducing runtime errors.
Designed to work with Ahead-of-Time compilation environments, ensuring compatibility where reflection-based clients fail, unlike the deprecated request syntax.
Cons
Lacks support for subscriptions, @defer, and @stream, which are critical for real-time or complex data fetching scenarios, as admitted in the README's feature checklist.
Requires multiple steps: installing CLI tools, pulling schemas, configuring JSON files, and building the project to generate clients, which can be time-consuming compared to drop-in solutions.
Variables in queries must be local variables or parameters; using properties directly causes compilation errors, as highlighted in the README, adding constraints on query design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
GraphQL.NETGraphQL for .NET
HotChocolateWelcome to the home of the Hot Chocolate GraphQL server for .NET, the Strawberry Shake GraphQL client for .NET and Nitro the awesome Monaco based GraphQL IDE.
graphql-netConvert GraphQL to IQueryable
EntityGraphQLA GraphQL library for .NET
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