seniorGraphQL
How to handle File Uploads in GraphQL?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
File uploads in GraphQL are typically handled via the graphql-multipart-request-spec.
Deep explanation
Standard JSON cannot handle binary data. The multipart spec allows sending a multipart/form-data HTTP request containing the GraphQL query, variables, and the binary files. The server maps the binary files to a special Upload scalar in the variables.
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