info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#designated-technical-writers
This contains the data needed to implement pagination. GitLab uses cursor-based
[pagination](getting_started.md#pagination). For more information, see
[Pagination](https://graphql.org/learn/pagination/) in the GraphQL documentation.
## nodes
In a GraphQL query, `nodes` is used to represent a collection of [`nodes` on a graph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertex_(graph_theory)).
In this case, the collection of nodes is a collection of `User` objects. For each one,
we output:
- Their user's `id`.
- The `membership` fragment, which represents a Project or Group membership belonging
to that user. Outputting a fragment is denoted with the `...memberships` notation.
The GitLab GraphQL API is extensive and a large amount of data for a wide variety of entities can be output.
See the official [reference documentation](reference/index.md) for the most up-to-date information.
## Set up the GraphiQL explorer
This procedure presents a substantive example that you can copy and paste into GraphiQL
explorer. GraphiQL explorer is available for:
- GitLab.com users at [https://gitlab.com/-/graphql-explorer](https://gitlab.com/-/graphql-explorer).
- Self-managed users at `https://gitlab.example.com/-/graphql-explorer`.
1. Copy the following code excerpt:
```graphql
{
users(usernames: ["user1", "user2", "user3"]) {
pageInfo {
endCursor
startCursor
hasNextPage
}
nodes {
id
...memberships
}
}
}
fragment membership on MemberInterface {
createdAt
updatedAt
accessLevel {
integerValue
stringValue
}
createdBy {
id
}
}
fragment memberships on User {
groupMemberships {
nodes {
...membership
group {
id
name
}
}
}
projectMemberships {
nodes {
...membership
project {
id
name
}
}
}
}
```
1. Open the [GraphiQL explorer tool](https://gitlab.com/-/graphql-explorer).
1. Paste the `query` listed above into the left window of your GraphiQL explorer tool.
1. Click Play to get the result shown here:
![GraphiQL explorer search for boards](img/user_query_example_v13_2.png)
NOTE: **Note:**
[The GraphQL API returns a GlobalID, rather than a standard ID.](getting_started.md#queries-and-mutations) It also expects a GlobalID as an input rather than
a single integer.
This GraphQL query returns the groups and projects that the user has been *explicitly* made a member of.
Since the GraphiQL explorer uses the session token to authorize access to resources,
the output is limited to the projects and groups accessible to the currently signed-in user.
If you've signed in as an instance administrator, you would have access to all records, regardless of ownership.
For more information on:
- GraphQL specific entities, such as Fragments and Interfaces, see the official