Schema-first development starts by explicitly defining the GraphQL schema and then implementing resolvers against it. This makes the API contract highly visible and can work well when the schema itself is a key artifact shared between teams.

Code-first development generates or constructs the GraphQL schema from application code and type definitions. This can reduce duplication and integrate naturally with strongly typed languages.

Neither approach is universally superior. The choice depends on team workflow, tooling, and how the schema is governed.