Introduction
REST API and GraphQL are two popular ways to build APIs. REST API is a more traditional approach, while GraphQL is a newer, more flexible option.
In this blog post, we will compare and contrast REST API and GraphQL, and discuss the benefits of using GraphQL.
What is REST API?
REST API stands for Representational State Transfer API. It is a set of architectural principles for designing web APIs.
REST APIs are based on the idea of resources. A resource is a uniquely identifiable object that can be manipulated through the API.
REST APIs use a variety of HTTP verbs to manipulate resources. For example, the GET verb is used to retrieve a resource, the POST verb is used to create a resource, the PUT verb is used to update a resource, and the DELETE verb is used to delete a resource.
What is GraphQL?
GraphQL is a query language for APIs. It allows clients to request specific data from the server, rather than having to fetch all of the available data.
GraphQL is based on the idea of a schema. A schema is a description of the data that is available from the API.
Clients can use GraphQL to query the schema to get the data that they need. For example, a client could query the schema to get the title of a blog post, the author of the blog post, and the date the blog post was published.
Benefits of using GraphQL
There are several benefits to using GraphQL over REST API.
Flexibility: GraphQL allows clients to request specific data from the server, rather than having to fetch all of the available data. This can improve performance and reduce bandwidth usage.
Scalability: GraphQL can be scaled more easily than REST API. This is because GraphQL allows clients to request only the data that they need.
Ease of use: GraphQL is easier to use than REST API. This is because GraphQL uses a query language that is more intuitive than HTTP verbs.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we have compared and contrasted REST API and GraphQL. We have discussed the benefits of using GraphQL, and we have shown how GraphQL can be used to improve the performance, scalability, and ease of use of APIs.
If you are looking for a new way to build APIs, I encourage you to consider using GraphQL.