Differences Between GraphQL and REST API
GraphQL |
REST API |
---|---|
GraphQL uses single endpoint for every operation. |
REST API uses multiple endpoints for different operations |
In GraphQL client defines what data is required. |
REST API fetches data using pre-defined rules. |
GraphQL reduces over-fetching and under-fetching. |
Over-fetching and under-fetching are the common issues with Rest API. |
GraphQL supports real-time updates with subscriptions |
REST API relies on polling for real-time data |
GraphQL is a growing technology with various tools and libraries. |
REST APIs are well established ecosystem with multiple libraries and tools. |
GraphQL vs REST: Which is Better for APIs?
In the world of web development, communication between a client (like a web or mobile app) and a server is crucial. Traditional REST APIs have been the go-to solution for many years, but GraphQL is emerging as a powerful alternative that offers more flexibility and efficiency. GraphQL is a query language for API and a server-side runtime engine used for data query and manipulation. It was developed by Facebook, and later made open source, and is now managed by GraphQL foundation hosted by Linux foundation. Many popular public APIs like Facebook, GitHub, Yelp, Shopify, and Google Directions API adopted GraphQL as the default way to access their services.