GraphQL
GraphQL is a query language and runtime for APIs that enables clients to request exactly the data they need, reducing over-fetching and under-fetching issues common in REST APIs. It allows developers to define a schema that describes the data available, and clients can send queries to retrieve multiple resources in a single request, improving efficiency and performance. Originally developed by Facebook in 2012 and open-sourced in 2015, it is now widely used for building flexible and scalable APIs in web and mobile applications.
Developers should learn GraphQL when building APIs that require complex data fetching, such as in modern web apps with dynamic UIs, mobile apps with varying data needs, or microservices architectures where multiple data sources need to be aggregated. It is particularly useful for reducing network overhead by allowing clients to specify nested queries in a single request, making it ideal for performance-critical applications like e-commerce platforms or social media feeds. Additionally, its strong typing and introspection capabilities facilitate better tooling and developer experience.