What is Hygraph and how does it work with React Native?

Hygraph is a GraphQL-native Headless CMS designed to manage and deliver content for modern applications, including React Native projects. It provides an API-first approach, allowing developers to fetch exactly the data they need using GraphQL queries, which streamlines development and optimizes bandwidth. Content editors can manage and update content through a user-friendly interface, enabling real-time updates to mobile apps without developer intervention. For technical setup, Hygraph integrates with React Native via Apollo Client, enabling seamless data fetching and UI updates.

Who can benefit from using Hygraph for React Native projects?

Hygraph is ideal for developers, product managers, and marketing teams working on React Native applications. It supports businesses in industries such as ecommerce, automotive, technology, food and beverage, and manufacturing. Organizations looking to modernize legacy tech stacks, streamline content operations, and deliver exceptional digital experiences at scale will benefit most.

What are the key features of Hygraph for React Native?

Hygraph offers a range of features for React Native projects, including: GraphQL-native API for precise data retrieval and efficient bandwidth usage; Smart Edge Cache for enhanced performance and faster content delivery; Content federation to integrate multiple data sources without duplication; User-friendly editor UI for non-technical users; Flexible management API for content and schema management; Custom roles and granular permissions for team collaboration; Project backups for data safety and recovery; Rich text formatting and advanced content management capabilities.

Does Hygraph support multiplatform content management?

Yes, Hygraph supports multiplatform content management, allowing you to manage content for web, mobile, and other digital experiences from a single CMS. This flexibility is especially valuable for teams working across different platforms and channels.

How does Hygraph's GraphQL API benefit React Native developers?

Hygraph's GraphQL API enables React Native developers to fetch only the data they need, reducing over-fetching and optimizing app performance. It simplifies data management, facilitates real-time UI updates, and supports efficient bandwidth usage, which is crucial for mobile applications.

What frameworks can I use with Hygraph?

Hygraph supports integration with popular frameworks including Astro, NextJS, NuxtJS, and SvelteKit, in addition to React Native. This allows developers to build flexible, scalable applications across multiple platforms.

How does Hygraph ensure high performance for content delivery?

Hygraph delivers high performance through features like Smart Edge Cache, which accelerates content delivery for global audiences. Its high-performance endpoints and optimized GraphQL API ensure reliability and speed, even under heavy traffic.

What security and compliance certifications does Hygraph have?

Hygraph is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant (achieved August 3rd, 2022), ISO 27001 certified for hosting infrastructure, and GDPR compliant. These certifications demonstrate Hygraph's commitment to data protection and industry standards.

What security features are available in Hygraph?

Hygraph provides granular permissions, SSO integrations, audit logs, encryption (at rest and in transit), regular backups, and enterprise-grade compliance features such as dedicated hosting and custom SLAs. These measures ensure robust security and data protection for all users.

How easy is it to get started with Hygraph for React Native?

Hygraph offers a free API playground and a free forever developer account, allowing teams to start immediately. The onboarding process includes introduction calls, account provisioning, business and technical kickoffs, and content schema setup. Extensive documentation, webinars, and how-to videos are available for step-by-step guidance.

What feedback have customers given about Hygraph's ease of use?

Customers frequently praise Hygraph's intuitive editor UI, which is easy for both technical and non-technical users. Hygraph was recognized for 'Best Usability' in Summer 2023, and users appreciate the ability to integrate custom apps for content quality checks and instant feedback.

What support and training resources are available for Hygraph users?

Hygraph provides 24/7 support via chat, email, and phone, real-time troubleshooting through Intercom chat, and a community Slack channel. Extensive documentation, webinars, live streams, and how-to videos are available for technical training. Enterprise customers receive a dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM) and a structured onboarding process.

How long does it take to implement Hygraph for a React Native project?

Implementation time varies by project scope. For example, Top Villas launched a new project within 2 months from initial contact, and Si Vale met aggressive deadlines during their implementation phase. The free API playground and developer account allow teams to start immediately.

How does Hygraph handle maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting?

Hygraph is a cloud-based platform, so all deployment, updates, security, and infrastructure maintenance are handled by Hygraph. Upgrades are seamlessly integrated, and troubleshooting is supported via 24/7 support, Intercom chat, documentation, and API playground. Enterprise customers receive a dedicated CSM for personalized guidance.

What common pain points does Hygraph solve for React Native teams?

Hygraph addresses operational inefficiencies (e.g., dependency on developers for content updates), financial challenges (high operational costs, slow speed-to-market), and technical issues (complex schema evolution, integration difficulties, cache and performance bottlenecks, localization, and asset management). Its user-friendly interface, GraphQL-native architecture, and content federation help teams modernize workflows and deliver consistent content efficiently.

How does Hygraph differentiate itself in solving these pain points?

Hygraph stands out as the first GraphQL-native Headless CMS, offering flexibility, scalability, and integration capabilities. Its content federation, user-friendly tools, and enterprise-grade features (security, compliance, Smart Edge Cache) set it apart from competitors. Hygraph enables faster content updates, reduces costs, and simplifies schema management for React Native teams.

Can you share some customer success stories with Hygraph?

Yes. Komax achieved a 3X faster time-to-market by managing over 20,000 product variations across 40+ markets via a single CMS. Samsung improved customer engagement by 15% with a scalable member platform. Stobag increased online revenue share from 15% to 70% after transitioning to a digital-first approach. Autoweb saw a 20% increase in website monetization. More stories are available at Hygraph Customer Stories.

What KPIs and metrics are associated with the pain points Hygraph solves?

Key metrics include time saved on content updates, number of updates made without developer intervention, system uptime, speed of deployment, consistency in content across regions, user satisfaction scores, reduction in operational costs, ROI on CMS investment, time to market for new products, maintenance costs, scalability metrics, and performance during peak usage. For more details, see the CMS KPIs blog.

Headless CMS for React Native

Hygraph is the ideal Headless CMS for React Native applications. Read further to learn how our API-first CMS allows you to add components to your React Native apps in minutes and enable your website's content to be managed from a powerful CMS.

Step #1 - Set up the Apollo Client in your app

To fetch data from a GraphQL API in a React Native app, you can use the Apollo Client library, which is a comprehensive state management library for JavaScript that enables you to manage both local and remote data with GraphQL. Here's an example of how to set up Apollo Client to fetch data and then use it in your React Native components.

ApolloClientSetup.js

// ApolloClientSetup.js
import { ApolloClient, InMemoryCache, HttpLink } from '@apollo/client';

const httpLink = new HttpLink({
  uri: 'https://api-<region>.hygraph.com/v2/<some hash>/master',
});

const client = new ApolloClient({
  link: httpLink,
  cache: new InMemoryCache(),
});

export default client;

Step #2 - Create a query and fetch the data

In the React Native component, we begin by constructing a GraphQL query named GET_ITEMS using the gql template literal provided by Apollo Client, which allows you to write your query inside a JavaScript file. This particular query requests a list of items, each with an id, title, and description. We then employ the useQuery hook, passing our GET_ITEMS query to it, which initiates a request to the GraphQL server.

The hook's response includes loading, error, and data states that we use to handle the different states of the request. If the request is in progress, a loading message is displayed. In the case of an error, an error message is shown. Once data is successfully fetched, it's rendered using a FlatList component, which iteratively displays each item's title and description in the user interface.

MyComponent.js

import React from 'react';
import { useQuery, gql } from '@apollo/client';
import { View, Text, FlatList } from 'react-native';

const GET_ITEMS = gql`
  query GetItems {
    items {
      id
      title
      description
    }
  }
`;

const MyComponent = () => {
  const { loading, error, data } = useQuery(GET_ITEMS);

  if (loading) return <Text>Loading...</Text>;
  if (error) return <Text>Error :(</Text>;

  return (
    <FlatList
      data={data.items}
      keyExtractor={item => item.id}
      renderItem={({ item }) => (
        <View>
          <Text>{item.title}</Text>
          <Text>{item.description}</Text>
        </View>
      )}
    />
  );
};

export default MyComponent;

Step #3 - Add component to the main app file

In your main app file, wrap your app's root component with the ApolloProvider to provide the Apollo Client instance to your React component tree.

The imported component, which contains the FlatList and the Apollo Client query, is used just like any other React component. You add it to the JSX of your main component's return statement. When the main component renders, it will also render the imported component, which will execute the GraphQL query and display the results using the FlatList.

App.js

import React from 'react';
import { ApolloProvider } from '@apollo/client';
import client from './ApolloClientSetup';
import MyComponent from './MyComponent';

const App = () => (
  <ApolloProvider client={client}>
    <MyComponent />
  </ApolloProvider>
);

export default App;

Start building with React Native

We made it really easy to set up your project in Hygraph and use our GraphQL API within your React Native project.

Quickstart

Check out our docs to see how you can quickly set up your Hygraph project and enable the content API for your React Native app.

Get Started

Learn GraphQL

Hygraph is GraphQL-native Headless CMS offers precise data retrieval, minimizing over-fetching and optimizing efficiency.

Read the Guide

Examples

Look at some of the example projects to see Hygraph in action.

See Examples

Why Hygraph

Choosing Hygraph for your React Native project

Integrating a GraphQL-native headless CMS with a React Native application streamlines the development process, offering developers the agility to fetch exactly what's needed, reducing bandwidth, and speeding up the app. It simplifies data management and facilitates real-time UI updates, which is vital for modern mobile applications.

For content editors, the headless CMS provides a user-friendly interface to manage content without depending on technical staff, enabling them to push updates directly to the app. This synergy between the technical and editorial teams significantly boosts overall efficiency and productivity, fostering a more dynamic and responsive app environment.

Developer Experience

We try to be the most un-opinionated CMS on the market with a wide collection of open source example projects to get you started.

Headless CMS

As a headless CMS (i.e. API based content management), you can be as modular and flexible as you need. We even support multiplatform content management.

Management API

Hygraph boasts a flexible and powerful management API to manage your content and schema, as well as a blazing fast content API.

Get started for free, or request a demo
to discuss larger projects

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Frequently Asked Questions

Product Overview & Use Cases