REST has been the dominant API paradigm for over a decade, and for good reason. But as applications grow more complex and client requirements diversify, REST's limitations become apparent. GraphQL, developed by Facebook and open-sourced in 2015, addresses many of these limitations.
The Problem with REST
REST APIs expose fixed data structures at specific endpoints. This creates two common problems:
Over-fetching
A REST endpoint returns all fields for a resource, even if the client only needs a few. A mobile app displaying a user's name and avatar receives the entire user object, wasting bandwidth and processing time.
Under-fetching
To build a complete view, clients often need data from multiple endpoints. Displaying a blog post with author info and comments might require three separate API calls, creating a waterfall of requests.
How GraphQL Solves This
GraphQL lets clients specify exactly what data they need in a single request. The client sends a query describing the desired data shape, and the server returns precisely that — nothing more, nothing less.
Single Request
Instead of multiple REST calls, a single GraphQL query can fetch related data across multiple resources. The blog post, author, and comments arrive in one response.
Strong Typing
Every GraphQL API has a schema that defines all available types, fields, and operations. This schema serves as a contract between client and server and enables powerful tooling.
Introspection
GraphQL APIs are self-documenting. Tools like GraphQL Playground and Apollo Explorer let developers explore the API interactively, making integration faster and more reliable.
When to Choose GraphQL
GraphQL shines when:
- Multiple clients need different data shapes (web, mobile, IoT)
- Complex data relationships require fetching related entities
- Rapid frontend iteration — Frontend teams can adjust queries without backend changes
- Bandwidth is constrained — Mobile and IoT clients benefit from precise data fetching
When REST is Better
REST remains the better choice when:
- Simple CRUD operations with straightforward data access patterns
- File uploads and downloads — REST handles binary data more naturally
- Caching — HTTP caching works out of the box with REST; GraphQL caching requires additional tooling
- Team familiarity — REST is more widely understood
Our Recommendation
There is no universal answer. We evaluate each project individually and often use both approaches within the same system — GraphQL for complex client-facing APIs and REST for service-to-service communication and simpler integrations.
The key is choosing based on your actual requirements, not industry trends.
