GraphQL vs REST API

Developers should learn GraphQL when building APIs for complex applications with diverse data requirements, such as mobile apps, single-page applications, or microservices architectures, as it provides flexibility and reduces network overhead meets developers should learn rest api when building web services, mobile backends, or integrating systems, as it provides a standardized, language-agnostic way to expose data and functionality over the internet. Here's our take.

GraphQL

Nice Pick

Developers should learn GraphQL when building APIs for complex applications with diverse data requirements, such as mobile apps, single-page applications, or microservices architectures, as it provides flexibility and reduces network overhead

Pros

• It is particularly useful in scenarios where clients need to fetch nested or related data from multiple sources, enabling faster development and better user experiences through optimized data fetching
• Related to: apollo-client, relay

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

REST API

Developers should learn REST API when building web services, mobile backends, or integrating systems, as it provides a standardized, language-agnostic way to expose data and functionality over the internet

Pros

• It's essential for creating scalable and maintainable applications, especially in microservices architectures or when developing public APIs for third-party use, such as in e-commerce or social media platforms
• Related to: http-protocol, json

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. GraphQL is a tool while REST API is a concept. We picked GraphQL based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

GraphQL wins

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