Drupal REST API vs Contentful

Developers should learn the Drupal REST API when building decoupled Drupal applications, integrating Drupal with mobile apps, or creating custom front-ends that consume Drupal data meets developers should use contentful when building modern, scalable applications that require flexible content management without being tied to a specific frontend technology, such as in jamstack architectures, mobile apps, or omnichannel experiences. Here's our take.

Drupal REST API

Nice Pick

Developers should learn the Drupal REST API when building decoupled Drupal applications, integrating Drupal with mobile apps, or creating custom front-ends that consume Drupal data

Pros

• It is essential for scenarios where Drupal serves as a content repository while other technologies handle presentation, such as in single-page applications (SPAs) or IoT projects
• Related to: drupal, rest-api

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Contentful

Developers should use Contentful when building modern, scalable applications that require flexible content management without being tied to a specific frontend technology, such as in JAMstack architectures, mobile apps, or omnichannel experiences

Pros

• It is ideal for projects where content needs to be reused across multiple platforms, teams require collaborative editing, or rapid content updates are essential without redeploying code
• Related to: headless-cms, content-api

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Drupal REST API is a framework while Contentful is a platform. We picked Drupal REST API based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Drupal REST API wins

Based on overall popularity. Drupal REST API is more widely used, but Contentful excels in its own space.