Hot Chocolate
What Hot Chocolate is
Hot Chocolate is a free, open-source GraphQL server for .NET that runs on ASP.NET Core and builds a typed schema from C# types and resolvers. Developers can define schemas using implementation-first or code-first approaches. The server supports GraphQL over HTTP and WebSocket, as well as Server-Sent Events for streamed responses. Its documentation describes schema downloads, a Nitro GraphQL IDE endpoint and a command-line interface for exporting schemas.
Listed data integrations include Entity Framework, MongoDB and Marten. DataLoaders and batch resolvers group and cache related requests to reduce repeated fetching. OpenTelemetry instrumentation covers the server, execution engine and DataLoader layers. Security guidance recommends cost analysis, pagination limits, execution-depth limits and timeouts for public APIs; private APIs can restrict requests to registered operations using trusted documents. A server can act as a Fusion subgraph. Hot Chocolate is MIT licensed for commercial or private projects, and its documentation says it implements the GraphQL 2025 specification and GraphQL over HTTP. It is self-hosted and uses C#.
Who it suits
Hot Chocolate suits .NET developers building GraphQL APIs on ASP.NET Core. Trusted documents are described for private APIs serving known clients, such as an organisation’s own web or mobile apps.
What it does well
- Supports implementation-first and code-first schema authoring.
- Includes DataLoader and batch resolver options.
- Provides OpenTelemetry instrumentation.
- MIT licensed for commercial and private projects.
What to know first
- Gateway uploads to stitched services are not supported.
- Getting-started tutorial requires .NET 8 SDK or later.
- Paid support plans start at $450 per month.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Chocolate | MIT licensed · free to use in commercial or private projects | Free |
As chillicream.com lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Hot Chocolate documentation website.
- Install or use the .NET 8 SDK or later.
- Follow the maker’s tutorial to create a running GraphQL server.
- Choose implementation-first or code-first schema authoring in C#.
Verdict
Hot Chocolate offers schema authoring, data-loading and observability tools for .NET GraphQL servers. Its security guidance distinguishes safeguards for public APIs from trusted-document controls for private ones.
Questions
Is Hot Chocolate free?
Yes. The Hot Chocolate plan is free, and the product is MIT licensed for commercial and private projects.
Where can Hot Chocolate run?
It runs on ASP.NET Core and is self-hosted. Its listed platforms are API, self-hosted, and web.
Which languages does it use?
The server language is C#. It turns C# types and resolvers into a GraphQL schema.
Which GraphQL clients are compatible?
It is compatible with spec-compliant clients including Strawberry Shake, Relay, and Apollo Client.
What support is available?
Community support is free. Paid support plans start at $450 per month for Startup, with two critical incidents included.
Does it support file uploads?
The Upload scalar supports file uploads. Uploads through a gateway to stitched services are not supported.
Facts from Hot Chocolate's own pages
- Authentication and authorization
- The security guide includes authentication and authorization, and says trusted documents can limit private APIs to operations registered with the server. · chillicream.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Company location
- ChilliCream lists its address as 1207 Delaware Ave #3567, Wilmington, DE 19806, United States. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Data access
- Its data middleware supports IQueryable or IExecutable sources, with guidance for Entity Framework Core, MongoDB, and Marten. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Data loading
- Hot Chocolate provides DataLoader and batch resolver options for fetching data efficiently. · chillicream.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Efficient fetching
- DataLoaders batch and cache related data requests to address the GraphQL N+1 problem. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Federation
- A Hot Chocolate server can act as a Fusion subgraph, allowing services to be composed behind a gateway as teams need independent ownership and deployment. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- File upload limit
- The Upload scalar supports file uploads, but the documentation says uploads through a gateway to stitched services are not yet supported. · chillicream.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Getting started
- The maker's tutorial requires the .NET 8 SDK or later and says it guides users to a running GraphQL server. · chillicream.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Wilmington, Delaware, United States · chillicream.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Intended users
- The documentation describes trusted documents as suited to private APIs serving known clients, including an organization's own web or mobile applications. · chillicream.com, 3 Oct 2026
- License
- The product page says Hot Chocolate is MIT licensed and may be used, modified, and distributed in commercial or private projects. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Observability
- The built-in OpenTelemetry integration emits GraphQL request, resolver, and DataLoader spans. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Observability integration
- Hot Chocolate provides OpenTelemetry instrumentation across the server, execution engine, and DataLoader layers. · chillicream.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Hot Chocolate is an open-source GraphQL server for .NET that runs on ASP.NET Core. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Query safeguards
- The security guidance recommends cost analysis for public APIs and trusted documents for private APIs, alongside limits such as pagination, execution depth, and timeouts. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Schema authoring
- It supports implementation-first and code-first schema authoring in C#, and both approaches can be mixed in one project. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Schema operations
- Its server documentation describes schema download, a Nitro GraphQL IDE endpoint, and a command-line interface for exporting schemas. · chillicream.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Security
- Hot Chocolate integrates with ASP.NET Core authentication and supports JWT, cookies, and other authentication schemes. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Standards and clients
- It implements the GraphQL 2025 specification and GraphQL over HTTP, and is compatible with spec-compliant clients including Strawberry Shake, Relay, and Apollo Client. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- ChilliCream lists community support as free and paid support plans starting at $450 per month for Startup, with two critical incidents included. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Transport
- It returns results over HTTP, WebSocket, or Server-Sent Events. · chillicream.com, 4 Oct 2026
- What it is
- Hot Chocolate is an open-source GraphQL server for .NET that runs on ASP.NET Core and turns C# types and resolvers into a GraphQL schema. · chillicream.com, 3 Oct 2026
Where Hot Chocolate stands on Freedom251
- GraphQL Tools#13 of 32