"
GraphQL is a query language designed to build client applications by providing an intuitive and flexible syntax and system for describing their data requirements and interactions.
GraphQL is not a programming language capable of arbitrary computation, but is instead a language used to query application servers that have capabilities defined in this specification. GraphQL does not mandate a particular programming language or storage system for application servers that implement it. Instead, application servers take their capabilities and map them to a uniform language, type system, and philosophy that GraphQL encodes. This provides a unified interface friendly to product development and a powerful platform for tool‐building."
This is very different goal that most graph query languages.
The spec has a better description: https://facebook.github.io/graphql/#sec-Overview
" GraphQL is a query language designed to build client applications by providing an intuitive and flexible syntax and system for describing their data requirements and interactions.
GraphQL is not a programming language capable of arbitrary computation, but is instead a language used to query application servers that have capabilities defined in this specification. GraphQL does not mandate a particular programming language or storage system for application servers that implement it. Instead, application servers take their capabilities and map them to a uniform language, type system, and philosophy that GraphQL encodes. This provides a unified interface friendly to product development and a powerful platform for tool‐building."
This is very different goal that most graph query languages.