REST API and GraphQL Comparison by Brij kishore Pandey
by
Jayavel Chakravarthy Srinivasan
- 3:54 PM
Source - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/brijpandeyji_rest-api-and-graphrest-representational-activity-7139246556804730880-8q2O
REST API and GraphREST (Representational State Transfer) and GraphQL are two popular approaches to designing APIs.
Both have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the best choice for a particular project will depend on a variety of factors.
🔹 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧 (𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿) 𝗔𝗣𝗜:
- 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: REST is an architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE.
- 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀: Each resource (like a user or a post) typically has a dedicated endpoint.
- 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: One of the challenges is that you might get more data than you need (over-fetching) or less than required (under-fetching).
- 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Changes often require versioning, leading to endpoints like /𝚟𝟷/𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚜 or /𝚟𝟸/𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚜.
🔹 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗤𝗟:
- 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: GraphQL is a query language for your API, not an architectural style.
- 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁: Typically, there's one endpoint that you send all your queries to.
- 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Clients can request exactly the data they need, no more, no less.
- 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗱: It's self-documenting and type-safe, ensuring data consistency.
- 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Instead of versioning, fields can be deprecated, making evolution smoother.
🤔 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲?
Both REST and GraphQL have their strengths and weaknesses. Your choice should be based on your project's requirements:
- Use REST if you want a straightforward, standardized approach.
- Opt for GraphQL if you need more flexibility and efficiency in data retrieval.
Remember, the best tool is the one that fits your needs.
Always evaluate based on your project's context and requirements.
Both have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the best choice for a particular project will depend on a variety of factors.
🔹 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧 (𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿) 𝗔𝗣𝗜:
- 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: REST is an architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE.
- 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀: Each resource (like a user or a post) typically has a dedicated endpoint.
- 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: One of the challenges is that you might get more data than you need (over-fetching) or less than required (under-fetching).
- 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Changes often require versioning, leading to endpoints like /𝚟𝟷/𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚜 or /𝚟𝟸/𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚜.
🔹 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗤𝗟:
- 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: GraphQL is a query language for your API, not an architectural style.
- 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁: Typically, there's one endpoint that you send all your queries to.
- 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Clients can request exactly the data they need, no more, no less.
- 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗱: It's self-documenting and type-safe, ensuring data consistency.
- 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Instead of versioning, fields can be deprecated, making evolution smoother.
🤔 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲?
Both REST and GraphQL have their strengths and weaknesses. Your choice should be based on your project's requirements:
- Use REST if you want a straightforward, standardized approach.
- Opt for GraphQL if you need more flexibility and efficiency in data retrieval.
Remember, the best tool is the one that fits your needs.
Always evaluate based on your project's context and requirements.
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