How to Tell if a Website Uses Apollo GraphQL
Identifying whether a website was built with Apollo GraphQL used to require technical expertise — inspecting source code, tracing network requests in DevTools, and knowing which patterns to look for. Our free scanner automates all of that: it fetches the page, analyzes 4 Apollo GraphQL-specific signals, and returns a verdict with a confidence score.
You might want to detect Apollo GraphQL for competitive research, due diligence before acquiring a site, or simple curiosity. Whatever the reason, this page covers every method — automated and manual.
What is Apollo GraphQL?
Apollo Client is the most widely used GraphQL client library in the JavaScript ecosystem, providing caching, state management, and data-fetching for React and other frontend frameworks. AIWebsiteDetector identifies Apollo deployments through `__APOLLO_STATE__` — a global object Apollo's server-side rendering support injects into the page to hydrate its client-side cache — an unusually distinctive marker with essentially no false-positive source, since nothing else on the web produces that exact variable name.
It is primarily used for powering websites built by developers using AI coding assistants or modern JavaScript frameworks.
Visit Apollo GraphQL official websiteSigns a Website Is Built With Apollo GraphQL
Our detection engine checks 4 unique Apollo GraphQL fingerprints. Here are the most reliable signals:
JavaScript / Script Files
Apollo GraphQL loads specific JavaScript runtime files or loads scripts from identifiable URLs. Checking script src attributes reveals the platform.
@apollo/clientapollo-boostHTML Attributes & Class Names
Apollo GraphQL injects proprietary class names, data attributes, or markup patterns into the page HTML that are unique to the platform.
__APOLLO_STATE__ApolloProviderHow to Manually Detect Apollo GraphQL Websites
Method 1 — View Page Source
- Open the website in your browser
- Press
Ctrl+U(Windows) orCmd+Option+U(Mac) - Search (
Ctrl+F) forapollo-graphqlorapollographql - If found in script src, class names, or meta tags — it's likely Apollo GraphQL
Method 2 — Browser DevTools Network Tab
- Press
F12to open DevTools - Click the Network tab and reload the page
- Filter by
apolloin the search box - If you see requests to Apollo GraphQL-specific domains, it's confirmed
How Our Apollo GraphQL Detector Works
When you submit a URL, our engine fetches the page from its server — just like a browser would — then analyzes the response across 4 Apollo GraphQL-specific fingerprints:
Script analysis
We scan all loaded JavaScript files for known CDN paths and runtime names
CDN domain matching
We cross-reference every asset request against known platform CDNs
HTML pattern scanning
We search the DOM for platform-specific class names and data attributes
Header inspection
We read HTTP response headers that identify the server or platform
Meta tag extraction
We check generator and other meta tags in the document head
Confidence scoring
We weight each matched signal and normalize to a 0–99% score
How to Build a Similar Website With Apollo GraphQL
Apollo GraphQL is a developer tool. To build a site with it, install it via npm/yarn, initialize a project, and follow the official documentation at https://www.apollographql.com.
Other popular frameworks and coding tools include Next.js, Astro, SvelteKit, Remix, and Gatsby.
Get started with Apollo GraphQLFrequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a website was built with Apollo GraphQL?
The most reliable ways to detect Apollo GraphQL are: (1) open DevTools → Network tab and look for requests to Apollo GraphQL-specific CDN domains, (2) view page source and search for Apollo GraphQL-specific class names or data attributes, (3) use our free scanner — we check 4 detection signals automatically and return a confidence score.
Is your Apollo GraphQL detector free?
Yes, completely free. Paste any URL into our scanner and we'll analyze it for Apollo GraphQL fingerprints immediately. No account required, no limits on scans.
How accurate is the Apollo GraphQL detection?
We check 4 unique Apollo GraphQL fingerprint signals across HTML, JavaScript, CDN domains, meta tags, and HTTP headers. Our confidence score reflects how many signals matched — a score above 70% is a strong indicator. We cap accuracy at 99% to reflect that all fingerprint-based detection is probabilistic.
Can Apollo GraphQL sites be detected if they use a custom domain?
Yes. Custom domains don't hide the underlying platform. The JavaScript files, CDN requests, HTML attributes, and server headers all remain identifiable regardless of the domain name used. Our scanner fetches the page directly and analyzes its technical composition.
What should I do after detecting a Apollo GraphQL website?
If you want to build something similar, visit https://www.apollographql.com to learn more or sign up. If you're doing competitive research, our scan result also shows the full technology stack — including hosting platform, domain age, and other detected technologies. You can share the result link with your team.