REST vs GraphQL
Compare REST and GraphQL APIs. Understand over-fetching, under-fetching, caching, versioning, and when each approach shines.
REST
An architectural style for APIs using HTTP methods on resource URLs. The most common API pattern.
Pros
- Simple and well-understood
- HTTP caching works out of the box
- Stateless and scalable
- Great for CRUD operations
- No special client libraries needed
- Easy to debug (curl, browser)
Cons
- Over-fetching (get more data than needed)
- Under-fetching (multiple requests needed)
- Versioning challenges (v1, v2)
- No standard query language
Best For
Simple CRUD APIs, public APIs, microservice-to-microservice communication, and teams wanting simplicity.
GraphQL
A query language for APIs that lets clients request exactly the data they need from a single endpoint.
Pros
- Request exactly the data you need
- Single endpoint for all queries
- Strongly typed schema
- Self-documenting (introspection)
- Eliminates over/under-fetching
- Great for complex, nested data
Cons
- Caching is more complex
- File uploads require workarounds
- N+1 query problem on the server
- Overhead for simple CRUD APIs
- Steeper learning curve
Best For
Complex UIs with varied data needs, mobile apps (bandwidth savings), and applications with deeply nested or related data.
Verdict
Use REST for simple CRUD APIs where HTTP caching matters and for public APIs. Use GraphQL when clients have diverse data needs, especially mobile apps where bandwidth is limited. Many teams use both — REST for simple services and GraphQL as a gateway aggregating multiple REST APIs.