How to Understand REST and Graphql APIs

🚀 REST API vs GraphQL: Deep Dive In the world of APIs, REST and GraphQL are the two dominant approaches to handling requests and responses. But how do they differ, and when should you use each? Let's break it down: 🔎 REST API: Standardization: REST is a standardized architectural style that uses HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to interact with resources. Endpoints: REST APIs rely on multiple endpoints for different resources (e.g., /users, /posts, /comments). Fixed Response: Each endpoint returns a predefined structure of data, which means you may receive more information than you need (over-fetching) or might need additional requests for related data (under-fetching). Stateless: Every request to a REST API is independent, meaning no data is stored between requests. Cacheable: REST APIs can be cached, improving performance for frequently accessed data. Pros of REST: -Simple and widely adopted. -Works well with stateless, CRUD operations. -Ideal for simple APIs with limited client-side interactions. Cons of REST: -Over-fetching or under-fetching of data. -Requires multiple round trips to fetch related resources. -Fixed endpoints can become complex when the number of resources increases. 📌 GraphQL: Flexible Queries: With GraphQL, you can ask for exactly what you need, allowing for more precise and efficient requests. Single Endpoint: All operations (queries, mutations, and subscriptions) are done through a single endpoint, which simplifies your API structure. No Over-fetching or Under-fetching: Since you specify the exact fields you need, you only retrieve the required data. Real-time Data: GraphQL supports subscriptions, allowing clients to receive real-time updates. Strongly Typed: GraphQL has a type system, making it self-documented and introspectable. Pros of GraphQL: -Flexibility to query exactly what’s needed. -Single endpoint simplifies API structure. -No over-fetching or under-fetching of data. -Real-time capabilities with subscriptions. Cons of GraphQL: -Steeper learning curve compared to REST. -Complexity increases as the system grows. -Can lead to over-fetching on client-side when queries aren’t optimized. 💡 When to Use Which? Use REST if: -Your API is relatively simple and doesn’t require complex querying. -You need to quickly build a CRUD-based application. -You're working with an existing RESTful API. Use GraphQL if: -You have complex data relationships and need flexible queries. -You want to minimize the number of requests made by the client. -You need real-time data or subscriptions. -You want to provide more efficient and specific data fetching. 🔍 Conclusion: Both REST and GraphQL have their strengths, and choosing between them depends on your project’s requirements. REST is great for simple, well-defined APIs, while GraphQL shines when flexibility and efficiency are key. 👉 What’s your experience with REST and GraphQL? #RESTAPI #GraphQL #APIDevelopment #WebDevelopment #BackendDevelopment

REST vs GraphQL Explained: You can't build great APIs if you choose the wrong architecture. 📌 REST: ◾ Each request must contain all the information needed to process the request ◾ REST APIs expose resources (e.g., /users, /orders) as endpoints. Each resource is represented by a unique URL ◾ Uses standard HTTP methods and status codes to indicate the result of operations (e.g., 200 OK, 404 Not Found) This comes with: ↳ A clear decoupling between the client and server ↳ Easier caching integration ↳ Simplicity in the system. But it can be prone to overfetching: For example, a /users endpoint might return all user details when the client only needs a username and email. 📌 GraphQL: ◾ All requests are sent to a single endpoint, and the client specifies the data it needs in the query ◾ GraphQL APIs are defined by a schema that specifies the types of data available and their relationships ◾ Clients can request only the data they need and use nested queries, avoiding overfetching and underfetching. This has the benefit of flexibility and efficiency if you know exactly the data you're requesting, and is generally resilient to schema changes. It comes with the cost of complexity for the system: ↳ Understanding of schemas, resolvers, and query optimization/caching patterns. Recap: ◾ REST: Like ordering from a fixed menu, you get predefined portions, even if you don’t need everything on the plate. ◾ GraphQL: Like a buffet, you pick exactly what you want, but you need to know what’s available. What’s your preferred API design approach, and why? ~~~ 👉🏻 Join 50,001+ software engineers getting curated system design deep dives, trends, and tools (it's free): ➔ https://lnkd.in/dkJiiBnf ~~~ If you found this valuable: 👨🏼💻 Follow Alexandre Zajac 🔖 Bookmark this post for later ♻️ Repost to help someone in your network #softwareengineering #systemdesign #programming

🍀 Rest vs GraphQL Recently, during an interview, I noticed that many people struggle to explain the difference between REST and GraphQL in practical terms. Video Session https://lnkd.in/geMGJBcq https://lnkd.in/g9r99y8k 🔺 REST API (Buffet): Buffet Style: When you go to a buffet, you get a variety of dishes served in bulk. You might end up with more food than you want or not exactly what you need. Fixed Endpoints: REST APIs have multiple endpoints, each serving a predefined set of data. You might need to make multiple requests to get all the data you need, potentially getting extra data you don’t want. 🔺 GraphQL (À la Carte) À la Carte Style: At an à la carte restaurant, you order exactly what you want from the menu. You get precisely the dishes you like, with no extra items. Single Endpoint: GraphQL uses a single endpoint where you can specify exactly what data you need in a single request. You get just the information you asked for, tailored to your needs. Example: 👉 REST API You want user details and their posts, so you go to the user endpoint and the posts endpoint, getting all the user data and all the posts data, even if you only need parts of each. Requests: /api/users/123 and /api/users/123/posts 👉 GraphQL: You request user details and their posts in one go, specifying only the fields you need. Request: { user(id: 123) { id name email posts { title content } } } In summary, GraphQL is like ordering à la carte, where you get exactly what you ask for, while REST API is like a buffet, where you might get more than you need. 🔺 Key Differences Between GraphQL and REST API Data Fetching: REST: Multiple endpoints for different data resources. You might need multiple requests to fetch related resources. GraphQL: A single endpoint to fetch the required data in a single request. Clients can specify exactly what data they need. Versioning: REST: Requires new endpoints or versions to be created when the API changes. GraphQL: Versioning is less of an issue because clients can request exactly the data they need and new fields can be added to types without impacting existing queries. Performance: REST: May require multiple requests to different endpoints to get all necessary data. GraphQL: Typically a single request to a single endpoint, potentially reducing the number of requests and improving performance. ***** 👉 Interview Q&A Package to crack interviews for Automation Testing and SDET with similar examples: https://lnkd.in/gJrBGExe 💚 Arrange 1:1 call on career guidance for SDET or Automation: https://lnkd.in/dF5ADMiU 💚 Learn API Testing with 1:1 mentorship : https://lnkd.in/g9r99y8k ****