GraphQL vs. REST: Which should you choose?
In the world of web development, data processing is one of the key components that determine the performance, user experience and scalability of an application. In this blog post, we’ll look at GraphQL vs REST, break down their pros and cons and help you figure out which method is best suited to your needs. Two of the most popular methods for data communication between servers and clients are GraphQL and REST. While REST has been around for decades and is widely used, GraphQL is the newer method that is gaining momentum due to its flexibility and efficiency.
Whether you’re an experienced developer looking to switch from REST to GraphQL or a newbie wondering which API style to use for your next project, this guide will give you the clarity you need.
Table of Contents
What is REST?
What is GraphQL?
GraphQL vs REST
Retrieving data
Flexibility
Versioning
Performance
Error handling
Advantages of GraphQL
Advantages of REST
When should you use GraphQL?
When should you use REST?
Use cases in the real world
Conclusion
What is REST?
Before we get into the comparison, it’s important to understand what REST is and why it became so popular. REST, or Representational State Transfer, is an architectural style for developing networked applications. It has been around since the early 2000s and is the backbone of many modern web services.
The basic idea of REST is that the server makes resources available to the client via a stateless communication model. Each resource is represented by a URL, and clients can perform actions such as GET, POST, PUT and DELETE to interact with these resources.
Here’s a quick example: If you want to retrieve a list of users, you could make a GET request to /users. If you want to add a new user, you would make a POST request to “/users”.
REST relies heavily on HTTP methods and is easy to understand, which is why it has been the preferred solution for APIs for so long. However, there are also some limitations, especially when processing complex data or large applications.
What is GraphQL?
GraphQL is an alternative to REST that was developed by Facebook in 2012 and released in 2015. Unlike REST, which uses multiple endpoints for different resources, GraphQL uses a single endpoint and allows the client to specify exactly what data they need.
With GraphQL, the client sends a request to the server, and the server responds with the requested data. Imagine ordering at a restaurant: with REST you only have predefined menu items (endpoints), but with GraphQL you can customize your order (query) to get exactly what you want.
Here is an example query in GraphQL:
{
user(id: 1) {
name
email
posts {
title
body
}
}
}In this case, you’re asking for the user’s name, email, and posts (with the title and text of each post) – all in one query. This flexibility is one of the main reasons why developers love GraphQL.
GraphQL vs REST
Now that you have a basic understanding of REST and GraphQL, let’s break down the key differences between the two. These differences will help you understand when you should use one and when you should use the other and how both can impact your application’s performance and development flow.
Data retrieval
With REST, data is usually retrieved via multiple endpoints, each of which provides a specific resource. For example, if you want to retrieve the data of a user and their contributions, you may need to access two endpoints:
- /users/{id} (for user details)
- /users/{id}/posts (for the user’s posts)
This approach often leads to overfetching (more data than necessary) or underfetching (not enough data, so additional requests are needed). Imagine you only need the user’s name and the titles of their posts. With REST, you often get the complete user object and post details, which can lead to unnecessary data being transferred.
In contrast, GraphQL solves this problem by allowing clients to request exactly what they need with a single query. This means they no longer have to retrieve too much or too little. You get exactly the fields you need and avoid multiple round trips to the server.
Flexibility
One of the biggest advantages of GraphQL is its flexibility. With REST, your API responses are often rigid and predefined by the server. If you need different data, you may have to wait for a new endpoint to be created, or worse, you may have to combine multiple API calls.
GraphQL allows the client to specify the structure of the response, which is particularly useful for complex or deeply nested data. You can specify which fields to query and even request related resources in the same query.
For example, if you want to retrieve a user and their comments in a REST API, you need to send multiple requests. In GraphQL, you can combine these into a single query, reducing network overhead and increasing efficiency.
Versioning
Versioning is a common challenge when working with REST APIs. APIs evolve over time and new versions are often introduced to accommodate changes without impacting existing clients. This usually results in versioned endpoints such as /v1/users or /v2/users.
GraphQL handles versioning differently. Instead of creating new versions of an API, GraphQL allows you to add new fields to your schema and keep the old ones. This means that clients using older versions of the API can continue to function without any changes. Therefore, versioning with GraphQL is often unnecessary, which facilitates the maintenance and further development of your API.
Performance
In terms of performance, both GraphQL and REST have their strengths and weaknesses. REST is usually faster for simple, straightforward requests, especially if caching is implemented correctly. Many REST APIs take advantage of HTTP caching mechanisms (such as ETag headers and cache control) to improve performance by storing responses on the client or in intermediate caches.
However, in scenarios where multiple resources need to be retrieved with a single request, GraphQL can outperform REST. Because GraphQL avoids multiple round trips to the server, it reduces the number of network calls, which can significantly improve performance, especially on mobile or slow networks. But keep in mind that GraphQL can sometimes lead to more server-side processing, as the server needs to resolve and retrieve the exact data requested.
Error handling
Both REST and GraphQL provide ways to handle errors, but they do so in slightly different ways. With REST, errors are usually communicated through HTTP status codes (e.g. 404 for “Not Found” or 500 for “Server Error”). These codes are well understood and give a clear indication of what has gone wrong.
In GraphQL, the server returns errors in a standardized JSON response in an “error” field, while the successful parts of the query are displayed in a “data” field. This means that even if part of your GraphQL query fails, you can still get the successful parts of the response. This fine-grained error handling is one of the reasons why many developers prefer GraphQL for complex queries.
Advantages of GraphQL
Let’s take a closer look at some of the key benefits of GraphQL that make it so attractive for modern applications:
- Efficient data retrieval: With GraphQL, you can retrieve exactly the data you need, no more and no less. This reduces data transfer over the network and helps optimize performance, especially for mobile applications with limited bandwidth.
- Single endpoint: GraphQL APIs use a single endpoint for all queries, eliminating the need to manage multiple endpoints for different resources. This simplifies both client and server architecture.
- Real-time updates: With GraphQL subscriptions, you can easily create real-time functions that push updates from the server to the client as data changes.
- Developer productivity: The flexibility and customizability that GraphQL offers can speed up development, especially for applications with complex data requirements. You no longer have to wait for backend changes or new endpoints to retrieve the data you need.
- Self-documenting: GraphQL APIs have built-in documentation. With tools like GraphiQL, you can explore the schema and see exactly what queries and types are available, making it easier to work with the API.
Advantages of REST
REST has been around for a long time, and despite the rise of GraphQL, it still offers some important advantages:
- Simplicity: REST is easy to understand and use, especially for simple CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete). The use of standard HTTP methods and status codes makes it accessible to developers of all levels.
- Caching: REST APIs can take full advantage of HTTP caching mechanisms, which can significantly improve performance by reducing the number of requests sent to the server.
- Mature and stable: REST has become widely used and is supported by almost all programming languages and frameworks. This makes it a stable and reliable choice for many applications.
- Security: The use of HTTP methods, status codes and standard protocols means that REST can be easily secured using established techniques such as OAuth, API keys and TLS.
When should GraphQL be used?
So when should you use GraphQL over REST? Here are some situations where GraphQL might be better suited:
- Complex data relationships: If your application contains complex relationships between data models (e.g. deeply nested or related entities), GraphQL can streamline data retrieval by allowing you to query related data in a single request.
- Multiple clients with different data needs: If you have a variety of clients (e.g. mobile, web, IoT) that require different amounts or types of data from the same API, GraphQL’s flexibility allows each client to retrieve exactly what they need without querying too much data.
- Real-time functionality: If you need real-time functionality (like live updates or notifications), GraphQL subscriptions provide an easy way to push data from the server to the client as soon as it changes.
- Iterative development: GraphQL shines in agile development environments where the API is constantly evolving. Because GraphQL APIs do not require versioning and can easily adapt to changes, they are ideal for projects that grow and change quickly.
When should you use REST?
Despite the advantages of GraphQL, there are still many situations where REST might be the better choice:
- Simple, CRUD-style APIs: If your application mainly involves simple CRUD operations (such as creating, reading, updating or deleting records), REST’s straightforward approach may be more efficient and easier to implement.
- Caching requirements: If caching is a high priority for your application, REST’s ability to utilize HTTP caching mechanisms can lead to significant performance improvements, especially for static data that doesn’t change often.
- Widespread support: REST is still the most widely used API standard. If you need to work with third-party services or systems that expect a RESTful API, it may be best to stick with REST.
- Learning curve: If your team is already familiar with REST and has no pressing need for the features that GraphQL offers, there may not be a strong reason to switch. REST is simpler and often sufficient for many use cases.
GraphQL vs REST:Real-World Use Cases
To illustrate when GraphQL vs REST should be used, let’s look at some real-world examples:
Example 1: Facebook (GraphQL)
Facebook originally developed GraphQL to solve the problems it was having with its mobile applications. With multiple clients requesting different data, REST was resulting in too much or too little data being retrieved. By using GraphQL, Facebook was able to ensure that each client received exactly the data they needed, improving performance and reducing bandwidth usage.
Example 2: Twitter (REST)
Twitter uses a RESTful API to serve billions of requests every day. Since most of Twitter’s functionality revolves around simple CRUD operations (posting tweets, retrieving timelines, etc.), REST is perfect for this use case. Twitter also benefits from HTTP caching to make data available to users quickly.
Conclusion
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the GraphQL vs REST debate. Both technologies have their strengths and weaknesses, and the best choice depends on the requirements of your project.
If you’re developing a complex application with dynamic data requirements, multiple clients or real-time functionality, GraphQL is a strong contender due to its flexibility and efficiency. However, when it comes to simple CRUD operations, caching requirements or industry-wide integration, the simplicity and stability of REST may be the better choice.
Ultimately, the decision of GraphQL vs REST depends on your specific use case, your team’s experience and your long-term goals. And the good news is that you don’t have to choose just one — many applications successfully use both GraphQL and REST side by side, reaping the benefits of both worlds.
