Mark fields as deprecated in GraphQL
When removing fields from a GraphQL schema, follow a progressive deprecation process:
1. First, mark the field to be removed as deprecated using the @deprecated directive
2. Introduce the new alternative field in the same operation
3. Only remove deprecated fields after they have been deprecated for a sufficient time period
Bad:
`graphql
// Before
type User {
id: ID!
oldEmail: String!
}
// After (directly removing the field)
type User {
id: ID!
}
`
Good:
`graphql
// Step 1: Mark as deprecated and introduce alternative
type User {
id: ID!
oldEmail: String! @deprecated(reason: "Use 'email' field instead")
email: String!
}
// Step 2: Only later, remove the deprecated field
type User {
id: ID!
email: String!
}
`
