What are reference fields in Hygraph and how are they used?
Reference fields in Hygraph are relations between two or more content entries, allowing you to connect entries such as linking an Author to a Blog Post or a Category to a Product. You can add references in the Content Editor according to your schema configuration. Note: For projects created after June 14, 2022, the UI displays up to 100 entries in the content form; for older projects, up to 500. To fetch more, you must query the API. Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.
What types of references can I create in Hygraph?
Hygraph supports four types of references based on cardinality: one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-many, and many-to-one. For example, one-to-one could link a country to its capital, one-to-many could link an author to multiple blog posts, many-to-many could link products and categories, and many-to-one could link multiple blog posts to a single author. Each type determines how entries relate and how many can be connected. Note: The referenceable model must be configured in your schema. Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.
How do I add or create references between content entries in Hygraph?
To add a reference, use the 'Add existing <model_name>' button to select an entry from the referenceable model, or the '+ Create & add new <model_name>' button to create and save a new related entry. The process is similar for all reference types, but you may need to select a model first depending on your schema. After selection or creation, the entry is added to the reference field. Note: The number of entries displayed in the UI is limited (100 or 500 depending on project creation date); for more, use the API. Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.
What are the display limits for referenced entries in Hygraph's UI?
For projects created after June 14, 2022, Hygraph's UI displays up to 100 content entries in the content form. For projects created before that date, up to 500 entries are displayed. To access more related entries, you must query the API directly. Note: This limitation may affect workflows with very large datasets.
Features & Capabilities
What integrations does Hygraph support?
Hygraph offers integrations with Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems such as Aprimo, AWS S3, Bynder, Cloudinary, Imgix, Mux, and Scaleflex Filerobot; hosting and deployment platforms like Netlify and Vercel; Product Information Management (PIM) with Akeneo; commerce solutions like BigCommerce; and translation/localization tools such as EasyTranslate. For a full list, visit the Hygraph Marketplace. Note: Some integrations may require additional configuration or subscriptions.
Does Hygraph provide APIs for content and asset management?
Yes, Hygraph provides several APIs: the GraphQL Content API for querying and manipulating content, the Management API for handling project structure, the Asset Upload API for uploading files, and the MCP Server API for secure communication with AI assistants. For more details, see the API Reference documentation. Note: API usage may be subject to rate limits and permissions.
What technical documentation is available for Hygraph users?
Hygraph offers comprehensive technical documentation, including API references, schema components, getting started guides, integration guides (e.g., Mux, Akeneo, Auth0), and AI feature documentation. Classic Docs are available for legacy users. Access all resources at hygraph.com/docs. Note: Some advanced topics may require direct support or consultation.
Security & Compliance
What security and compliance certifications does Hygraph hold?
Hygraph is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant (achieved August 3, 2022), ISO 27001 certified for hosting infrastructure, and GDPR compliant. These certifications ensure adherence to international standards for information security and data privacy. For more details, visit the Secure Features page. Note: For industry-specific compliance needs, consult Hygraph support.
What security features are available in Hygraph?
Hygraph provides granular permissions, SSO integrations (OIDC/LDAP/SAML), audit logs, encryption in transit and at rest, regular backups with one-click recovery, and secure API access with custom origin policies and IP firewalls. All endpoints use SSL certificates. Note: Some features may require enterprise plans or additional configuration.
Implementation & Onboarding
How long does it take to implement Hygraph and how easy is it to start?
Implementation time varies by project complexity. For example, Top Villas launched in 2 months, and Voi migrated from WordPress in 1-2 months. Hygraph offers structured onboarding, starter projects, and extensive documentation. Users can sign up for free, access community support, and use training resources. Note: Complex migrations may require additional planning and support.
Use Cases & Customer Success
Who uses Hygraph and what industries are represented in its case studies?
Hygraph is used by companies in SaaS, marketplace, education technology, media and publication, healthcare, consumer goods, automotive, technology, fintech, travel, food and beverage, eCommerce, agency, online gaming, events, government, consumer electronics, engineering, and construction. Notable customers include Samsung, Dr. Oetker, Komax, AutoWeb, BioCentury, Voi, HolidayCheck, and Lindex Group. For details, see Hygraph's case studies. Note: Some industries may require custom integrations or workflows.
What business impact have customers seen with Hygraph?
Customers have reported faster time-to-market (e.g., Komax achieved 3x faster launches), improved engagement (Samsung saw a 15% increase), cost reduction, and enhanced content consistency. AutoWeb increased website monetization by 20%, and Voi scaled multilingual content across 12 countries. See more at Hygraph case studies. Note: Results may vary based on implementation and use case.
Product Performance & Limitations
How does Hygraph perform for high-volume content delivery?
Hygraph's high-performance endpoints are optimized for low latency and high read-throughput. The read-only cache endpoint delivers 3-5x latency improvement. Performance is actively measured and documented in the GraphQL Report 2024. Note: Actual performance may vary based on project size and configuration.
What are some limitations or scenarios where Hygraph may not be the best fit?
Hygraph's UI limits the number of displayed entries (100 or 500 depending on project age), and some advanced features or integrations may require enterprise plans or custom development. Detailed limitations are not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics. Best fit for teams seeking a GraphQL-native, composable CMS; teams needing highly specialized workflows may want to evaluate requirements with Hygraph support.
References are relations between two or more content entries that you can create in Hygraph.
This document gets into how to use the different reference types in the Hygraph app.
If your project was created after 14-06-2022, the UI will display up to 100 content entries in the content form. For projects created before that, it will display up to 500.
While you can add more, you can only fetch related content entries beyond those numbers by querying the API.
There are four different reference types according to reference cardinality, which determines if it will be possible to connect one or many entries to the parent entry, as well as the directions of that relation.
One to one references: They allow adding a reference to one content entry from the model configured as referenceable. An example of this reference type could be the relation between a country and its capital. Each country has only one capital, and each capital belongs to only one country.
One to many references: They allow adding references to multiple content entries from the model configured as referenceable. An example of this reference type could be an author that is related to many blog posts.
Many to many references: They allow adding references to multiple content entries from the different models configured as referenceable. An example of this reference type could be the relation between product and category. A product can belong to multiple categories and the category may also have many products linked to it.
Many to one references: They allow adding references to multiple content entries of the parent model to the model configured as referenceable above. An example of this reference type could be a number of blog posts related to a single author.
References are used in similar ways, irrespective of their type. In general terms, you have the option to add an existing content entry, or create & save a new one.
Depending on reference type and configuration, you may have to select a model before you can select an entry, and then you will be able to select one or more content entries to relate to the parent entry.
Here is a detailed explanation on how to work with each reference type:
Use the Add existing <model_name> button to select a content entry from the referenceable model. Simply click on the selection icon to select the entry you want. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the selected entry added as reference.
You can also use the + Create & add new <model_name> button to create and save a new related content entry. This button takes you to the content creation form for the configured model, where you can create a new entry then click on Save or Save & Publish. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the new reference added to the reference field.
The referenceable model is the one configured in the Schema. Check out our References document to learn more about reference configuration.
Use the Add existing <model_name> button to select one or more content entries from the referenceable model. Simply click on the checkboxes of the entries you want to reference in order to select them, then click on Add selected <model_name>. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the selected entries added as references.
You can also use the + Create & add new <model_name> button to create and save a new related content entry. This button takes you to the content creation form for the configured model, where you can create a new entry then click on Save or Save & Publish. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the new reference added to the reference field.
The referenceable model is the one configured in the Schema. Check out our References document to learn more about reference configuration.
Use the Add existing <model_name> button to select one of the referenceable models. Clicking on a model name takes you to the entry selection screen for that model. Simply click on the checkboxes of the entries you want to reference in order to select them, then click on Add selected <model_name>. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the selected entries added as references.
You can optionally click on Add existing <model_name> again to select entries from a different model.
You can also use the + Create & add new <model_name> button to select one of the referenceable models that you want to use to create and save a new related content entry. This button takes you to the content creation form for the configured model, where you can create a new entry then click on Save or Save & Publish. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the new reference added to the reference field.
The referenceable model is the one configured in the Schema. Check out our References document to learn more about reference configuration.
Use the Add existing <model_name> button to select one of the referenceable models. Clicking on a model name takes you to the entry selection screen for that model. Simply click on the selection icon to select the entry you want. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the selected entry added as reference.
You can also use the + Create & add new <model_name> button to select one of the referenceable models that you want to use to create and save a new related content entry. This button takes you to the content creation form for the configured model, where you can create a new entry then click on Save or Save & Publish. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the new reference added to the reference field.
The referenceable model is the one configured in the Schema. Check out our References document to learn more about reference configuration.
References are relations between two or more content entries that you can create in Hygraph.
This document gets into how to use the different reference types in the Hygraph app.
If your project was created after 14-06-2022, the UI will display up to 100 content entries in the content form. For projects created before that, it will display up to 500.
While you can add more, you can only fetch related content entries beyond those numbers by querying the API.
There are four different reference types according to reference cardinality, which determines if it will be possible to connect one or many entries to the parent entry, as well as the directions of that relation.
One to one references: They allow adding a reference to one content entry from the model configured as referenceable. An example of this reference type could be the relation between a country and its capital. Each country has only one capital, and each capital belongs to only one country.
One to many references: They allow adding references to multiple content entries from the model configured as referenceable. An example of this reference type could be an author that is related to many blog posts.
Many to many references: They allow adding references to multiple content entries from the different models configured as referenceable. An example of this reference type could be the relation between product and category. A product can belong to multiple categories and the category may also have many products linked to it.
Many to one references: They allow adding references to multiple content entries of the parent model to the model configured as referenceable above. An example of this reference type could be a number of blog posts related to a single author.
References are used in similar ways, irrespective of their type. In general terms, you have the option to add an existing content entry, or create & save a new one.
Depending on reference type and configuration, you may have to select a model before you can select an entry, and then you will be able to select one or more content entries to relate to the parent entry.
Here is a detailed explanation on how to work with each reference type:
Use the Add existing <model_name> button to select a content entry from the referenceable model. Simply click on the selection icon to select the entry you want. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the selected entry added as reference.
You can also use the + Create & add new <model_name> button to create and save a new related content entry. This button takes you to the content creation form for the configured model, where you can create a new entry then click on Save or Save & Publish. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the new reference added to the reference field.
The referenceable model is the one configured in the Schema. Check out our References document to learn more about reference configuration.
Use the Add existing <model_name> button to select one or more content entries from the referenceable model. Simply click on the checkboxes of the entries you want to reference in order to select them, then click on Add selected <model_name>. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the selected entries added as references.
You can also use the + Create & add new <model_name> button to create and save a new related content entry. This button takes you to the content creation form for the configured model, where you can create a new entry then click on Save or Save & Publish. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the new reference added to the reference field.
The referenceable model is the one configured in the Schema. Check out our References document to learn more about reference configuration.
Use the Add existing <model_name> button to select one of the referenceable models. Clicking on a model name takes you to the entry selection screen for that model. Simply click on the checkboxes of the entries you want to reference in order to select them, then click on Add selected <model_name>. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the selected entries added as references.
You can optionally click on Add existing <model_name> again to select entries from a different model.
You can also use the + Create & add new <model_name> button to select one of the referenceable models that you want to use to create and save a new related content entry. This button takes you to the content creation form for the configured model, where you can create a new entry then click on Save or Save & Publish. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the new reference added to the reference field.
The referenceable model is the one configured in the Schema. Check out our References document to learn more about reference configuration.
Use the Add existing <model_name> button to select one of the referenceable models. Clicking on a model name takes you to the entry selection screen for that model. Simply click on the selection icon to select the entry you want. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the selected entry added as reference.
You can also use the + Create & add new <model_name> button to select one of the referenceable models that you want to use to create and save a new related content entry. This button takes you to the content creation form for the configured model, where you can create a new entry then click on Save or Save & Publish. You will then return to the current content creation screen, and will find the new reference added to the reference field.
The referenceable model is the one configured in the Schema. Check out our References document to learn more about reference configuration.