REST vs GraphQL: API Design for Modern Applications
When designing APIs for web or mobile apps, developers today face a fundamental choice: REST or GraphQL. While REST has been the industry standard for over a decade, GraphQL is gaining traction due to its flexibility and efficiency.
But which one is right for your project?
Let’s explore the differences between REST and GraphQL, their use cases, and best practices.
What is REST?
REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style that uses HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to interact with resources.
A REST API exposes endpoints (URLs) that return data in JSON or XML format.
Pros:
- Simple and well-understood
- Supported everywhere (browsers, mobile, backends)
- Scales well for many use cases
- Easy to cache responses
Cons:
- Over-fetching or under-fetching data is common
- Requires multiple requests to gather related data
- Rigid structure — changes may break clients
What is GraphQL?
GraphQL, developed by Facebook, is a query language for APIs that allows clients to request exactly the data they need, nothing more, nothing less.
Rather than multiple endpoints, GraphQL has a single endpoint that responds to custom queries.
Pros:
- Precise data fetching
- Fewer requests (batch related data in one call)
- Strongly typed schema
- Evolves easily without breaking clients
Cons:
- Requires learning curve
- More complex server setup
- Caching and error handling are trickier
- Not ideal for simple CRUD apps
REST vs GraphQL: A Comparison
| Feature | REST | GraphQL |
|---|---|---|
| Endpoints | Multiple endpoints per resource | Single endpoint for all data |
| Data Fetching | Fixed structure, may overfetch | Client defines shape of response |
| Versioning | Uses URL versioning (v1, v2…) | No versioning, schema evolves naturally |
| Caching | Easy with HTTP caching | Requires custom caching |
| Learning Curve | Low | Moderate to High |
| Use Case Fit | Simple apps, CRUD operations | Complex apps, mobile, nested data |
Use Cases
Use REST if:
- Your API is simple and follows traditional CRUD
- You need robust HTTP caching
- Your team or clients are familiar with REST
Use GraphQL if:
- You have complex, nested data models
- Mobile clients with limited bandwidth need precise data
- You want faster iteration on the frontend
Conclusion
Both REST and GraphQL are powerful tools. The right choice depends on your application’s complexity, your team’s experience, and your long-term needs.
REST remains a safe, simple option for many projects. GraphQL shines when your frontend needs flexibility and efficiency.