GraphQL Syntax Error API Origin: Application & API Last updated 14 Oct 2026

GraphQL: Syntax Error: Expected Name, found <EOF> / Unexpected }

The GraphQL document is malformed — unbalanced braces, a stray comma/character, or an empty query.

Exact message you may see Syntax Error: Expected Name, found <EOF>Syntax Error: UnexpectedExpected Name, found
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Seen on: REST API

Meaning

Usually a typo when hand-writing queries, a template literal that didn’t interpolate, or sending JSON where a query string is expected.

Common causes

  • Unbalanced braces/parentheses
  • Empty query or query not sent as a string
  • Invalid characters or string interpolation mistakes
  • Fragments referenced but not included

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Validate the query in GraphiQL/Apollo Sandbox
  2. Use gql tagged templates / codegen
  3. Log the exact query string sent

Detailed fix by platform

JavaScript

  1. javascript
    import { gql } from "@apollo/client";
const GET_USER = gql`query GetUser($id: ID!) { user(id: $id) { id name } }`;

How to diagnose

  1. Query — Exact string sent
  2. Tooling — Linting/codegen errors

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Application & API. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

Adjacent JSX elements — Adjacent JSX elements must be wrapped in an enclosing tag. Did you want a JSX fragment <>...</>? (React)Adjacent JSX elementsalready declared — SyntaxError: Identifier 'x' has already been declared (JavaScript)already declaredawait outside async — SyntaxError: await is only valid in async functions and the top level bodies of modules (JavaScript)await outside asyncCannot return null for non-nullable field — GraphQL: Cannot return null for non-nullable field Query.user (API)Cannot return null fo…entity.parse.failed — API Error: Malformed JSON in request body (entity.parse.failed / JSON parse error) (API)entity.parse.failedGRAPHQL_VALIDATION_FAILED — GraphQL: Cannot query field "x" on type "Y" (API)GRAPHQL_VALIDATION_FA…IndentationError — IndentationError: unexpected indent / expected an indented block (Python)IndentationErrorinvalid regex — SyntaxError: Invalid regular expression: /x/: Unterminated group (JavaScript)invalid regexGraphQL S…

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