Are you itching to develop a web application but can’t decide between GraphQL or REST API? It's like choosing between your favorite pizza toppings. You can never go wrong with both. In this blog, we'll present you with a clear comparison of GraphQL and REST API’s key features, their differences, and likenesses.
What is REST API?
REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style for building web services that relies on HTTP protocol to transfer data between the client and the server. RESTful APIs typically use HTTP request methods such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE to access and manipulate data resources over the web. REST API is the most popular API style, and it is suitable for web applications with large data sets that need high-level performance.
What is GraphQL?
GraphQL, a query language for APIs, was developed by Facebook in 2012 but currently, it's open-source. It allows the client to define precisely what data it needs to retrieve from the server. GraphQL APIs are flexible, complex, and provide better performance by fetching only the necessary data for the clients. In a nutshell, GraphQL enables developers to create a single endpoint for data retrieval or mutation, allowing you to get many results in just one query.
GraphQL vs. REST: The Main Differences
One of the significant differences between GraphQL and REST API's is their fetch principle. REST API's rely on multiple endpoints per resource while GraphQL utilizes a single endpoint per resource. While REST is resource-focused, GraphQL is a query-focused and can send and receive data from the client in a more efficient manner.
| Features | GraphQL | REST API |
|---|---|---|
| Fetch Principle | Single Endpoint per Resource | Multiple Endpoints per Resource |
| Performance | Better | Slower |
| Data transfer size | Smaller | Larger |
| Error handling | Predictable | Limited |
| Caching | Server-side caching | Client and server-side caching |
| Schema for queries | Yes | No |
| Versioning | No Versioning Required | Versioning Required |
Advantages of REST API
- Simple protocol and well-defined standard
- Large community support
- Flexibility in designing endpoints
- Better caching mechanisms for faster data retrieval
- Provides multiple media types for data transfer
Disadvantages of REST API
- Requires multiple endpoints for complex queries
- Over-fetching or under-fetching of data is a common problem
- Requires the API to be versioned with changes
- No schema for queries
- Limited error handling
Advantages of GraphQL
- Single endpoint per resource
- Better performance due to receiving only necessary data
- Efficient error handling
- Automatic documentation generation using the schema
- Introspective nature allows clients to discover what is and isn't possible
- Strongly typed data and schema
Disadvantages of GraphQL
- GraphQL has a steep learning curve for beginners.
- More complexity due to the use of new terminology.
- Requires more advanced tooling to debug errors.
- Slow to retrieve a large dataset.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both GraphQL and REST API's are excellent tools for web development, each with their pros and cons. The choice of which to use depends on the nature of your project and requirements. REST API is ideal for simple operations requiring CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete). GraphQL is more suited for handling larger data sets that require more complex and deeply nested queries.