# Introduction to Apollo Federation

DevFeed: [Introduction to Apollo Federation](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/introduction-to-apollo-federation-23429.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.apollographql.com/blog/introduction-to-apollo-federation>)

Author: Michael Watson

Published: 2022-04-15T09:06:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Apollo Blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/apollo-blog.md>)

Topics: [GraphQL](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/graphql.md>), [Architecture & Design](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/architecture-design.md>), [Microservice](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/microservice.md>)

Tags: [apollo-federation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/apollo-federation.md>), [architecture](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/architecture.md>), [backend](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/backend.md>), [graphql](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/graphql.md>), [microservices](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/microservices.md>), [resolvers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/resolvers.md>), [schema](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/schema.md>)

## AI overview

This introductory tutorial explains federated architecture in GraphQL. It contrasts a GraphQL monolith with a federation of subgraphs, where each GraphQL server provides part of the overall schema and schema metadata defines relationships between entities and fields.

## Source excerpt

Whether you are a large company or a single developer, we all want to know the best way to design an effective architecture - the schemas, services, folders, and so on. We find ourselves asking "Should we start with a modular monolith? Should we use microservices?" These early architectural questions are important because they affect so many aspects of the way we work, making it easier or harder to divide work, understand the code, and scale-up in the future.