GraphQL vs REST API: Which One is Best for Your Project?

When building a web app, SaaS (software as a service) platform, mobile app, or enterprise software, there's one thing that constantly arises: REST API vs GraphQL?

Both technologies address the same basic issue: how to allow applications to interact with one another. But they do it in very different ways in terms of API design. REST has been the standard for more than 20 years, but GraphQL is much more flexible in its approach to data requests and is becoming more popular in modern applications.

But the reality is that the answer to that question is no; there is no single way to do it. It depends on the architecture, performance, developer experience, scalability, and complexity of the data in your application.

Xcentric Services bases its API architectural solutions on the existing business goals of the clients, and not on the latest technological trends.So an MVP for a startup makes good use of the simplicity of REST, and SaaS businesses want something more flexible in the flexibility of GraphQL.

-What Is a REST API?

To compare REST API vs GraphQL, let's first understand what REST is. REST (Representational State Transfer) is a model or architectural style that was first developed by Roy Fielding during his doctorate dissertation in 2000. REST is not a protocol; it's an architecture of networked applications.

REST has five architectural constraints:

Most REST APIs use JSON as the communication format over HTTP, and adhere to the common HTTP methods.

This predictable resource-oriented design has proven to be the backbone of many public APIs and enterprise systems.

What Is GraphQL?

So when talking about REST API vs GraphQL, it is a completely different approach.

GraphQL is an API query language, developed by Meta (Facebook) and open-sourced in 2015. Today, it is operated by the GraphQL Foundation.

GraphQL differs from REST in that it shows only one endpoint and the client tells it what data they want. The client makes a single request, and the server only responds with the fields it is asked for.

Most GraphQL implementations have the following components:

• Strongly typed schema

• Queries

• Mutations

• Subscriptions

• Resolvers

Resolvers are responsible for resolving the data that is requested from various databases, microservices, or external APIs.

This allows for great flexibility, especially when your app's front-end needs change frequently.

REST API vs GraphQL Comparison at a Glance

The best way to understand REST API vs. GraphQL is to learn about their differences.

Core Architectural Differences Between GraphQL and REST API

1. Endpoints and Data Fetching

The most significant difference between REST API and GraphQL is the manner of data requests. With REST, resources are structured in individual URLs.

For example:

• /users

• /orders

• /products

• /invoices

Predefined data is returned for each endpoint.

GraphQL exposes a single endpoint, however, like:

• /graphql

The choice of which fields to return is up to the client.

This is particularly useful if you are developing apps that have several UI's like:

• Mobile apps

• Web applications

• Smart TVs

• Wearables

No changes to the backend are required to provide each frontend with exactly what it needs.

1. Over-Fetching and Under-Fetching with GraphQL

OverFetch/UnderFetch is one of the talking points when discussing REST API vs GraphQL.

Over-fetching

You can get dozens of fields from a REST endpoint even though the app only needs three.

Example:

A product endpoint returns:

• SKU

• Description

• Inventory

• Shipping weight

• Vendor details

• Reviews

• Ratings

Only a product listing page should contain:

• Product name

• Price

• Image

The additional data is used to make payloads larger.

Under-fetching

A few API calls are sometimes needed to get the data.

Example:

• GET /users

• GET /orders

• GET /addresses

• GET /payments

Each request adds latency.

Both of these problems are addressed by GraphQL, which enables a single query to return only the necessary fields.

However, GraphQL is not inherently "faster". The performance will depend on the query design, backend implementation, the efficiency of the resolver and the access patterns of the database.

REST API Versioning and Schema Evolution

Another significant difference in REST API vs GraphQL is how APIs evolve.

Generally, new versions are added to REST:

• /v1/users

• /v2/users

• /v3/users

This will keep current clients safe, but it will make operations more complex with the presence of multiple versions.

Typically, GraphQL does not use explicit versioning.

Instead, developers:

• Add new fields

• Deprecate older fields

• Gradually remove unused schema elements

This enables clients to transfer at their own speed.

GraphQL vs REST Performance and Caching

When comparing REST API vs GraphQL, it is often done in a simplistic manner.

Both technologies are not necessarily speedier.

Performance depends on:

• Network latency

• Query complexity

• Database optimization

• Server architecture

• Caching strategy

• REST Performance

HTTP caching is well-developed and well-understood, and is a feature of REST.

The use of dedicated URLs means that resources can be efficiently cached by a browser, CDN, reverse proxy or API gateway:

• ETags

• Cache-Control headers

• Conditional requests

This yields a very efficient way to build read-heavy applications with REST.

GraphQL Performance

GraphQL minimises unnecessary network requests and payloads.

But it adds on some overhead:

• Query parsing

• Validation

• Resolver execution

A more common one is the N+1 query problem, that is, excessive database queries are being fired when nested resolvers are used.

Fortunately, having a library that can be batched, like DataLoader, can remove this speed bump.

REST vs GraphQL Performance Comparison

Security Considerations

There's so little discussion in REST API vs. GraphQL that doesn't include “security”, but it can be a major factor in architectural choices.

REST API Security

The security practices of REST are well developed and proven.

Common protections include:

• OAuth 2.0

• JWT authentication

• API gateways

• Rate limiting

• HTTPS

• Input validation

Access control and monitoring are rather easy because endpoints are explicit.

Query Depth and Complexity Attacks

There are some interesting security issues that need to be considered with GraphQL.

Query Depth Attacks

An attacker may request deeply nested relationships:

Users

Orders

Products

Reviews

Authors

Orders

This can use up a considerable amount of server resources.

Query Complexity Attacks

While returning little data, attackers can create very expensive queries that require a lot of computations.

Newer GraphQL servers tend to provide the following:

• Query cost analysis

• Complexity scoring

• Maximum depth limits

• Introspection Abuse

GraphQL introspection enables clients to learn about the full schema. It can be helpful in development but might show too much information in production. A lot of organizations turn off introspection when deploying to production.

Batching Exploits

GraphQL allows for multiple operations to be batched together into one request. If the API is not rate limited, then attackers can circumvent the typical API rate limit.

REST API vs GraphQL Security Comparison

Our work at Xcentric Services is to assist small and big companies in developing robust, efficient, and reliable API environments, which now play a crucial role for any business. In the process, it is important to understand that whether the startup is launching its own SaaS or modernizing existing software, the security parameters must be taken into consideration.

Tooling and Developer Experience

When considering REST API vs GraphQL, it is important to look at the surrounding ecosystem. REST has been around for decades and has a long history of well-established tools such as Postman for testing APIs and OpenAPI/Swagger for documenting and generating clients. Increased ease for external developers to use public APIs.

There are a number of tools in the GraphQL ecosystem, including Apollo, GraphQL Playground, schema registries, and code generators, which have become a lucrative and active community of its own. Typing increases developer productivity, and documentation from the schema makes it easier to onboard.

If you have microservices behind your API gateway, REST and GraphQL can go together as part of a modern technology stack. GraphQL can be used as a central point of data collection for multiple REST services.

When to Choose REST

While GraphQL is a growing approach, REST is best in many scenarios.

Choose REST when:

• Your application's primary focus is the REST API CRUD operations

• You're developing an API that third parties can use

• One of the key performance needs is HTTP caching

• Your data model is fairly established.

• You are a member of a development team with existing REST experience.

• You will require a wide range of compatibility with existing tools and infrastructure.

For enterprise systems that have regular workflows and standard integrations, REST is an ideal choice.

When to Choose GraphQL

Knowing when to use GraphQL is as crucial as knowing its benefits.

GraphQL is a good option to use when:

• Many front ends use the same back-end

• Mobile applications need optimized payloads

• Your UI has regular updates

• Your UI is updated often

• Vendors that integrate multiple microservices together

• A vendor that bundles up multiple microservices together

• Clients need a flexible query.

• Real-time updates (via WebSockets) and subscriptions are must have

GraphQL vs REST for Mobile Apps

Minimising requests and reducing the size of the payload helps to support mobile networks.

For apps with limited data bandwidth and fluctuating network speeds, GraphQL can provide a superior developer experience by having all required information returned in a single request via a single endpoint.

Are GraphQL vs REST API both compatible?

Absolutely. Today, many modern companies are not choosing to go either REST API or GraphQL, but both. Rather, they have a hybrid architecture.

For example:

• Current REST services are not affected

• A GraphQL gateway is a collection of multiple backend services

• REST is still used with public APIs

• The internal frontend applications use GraphQL

GraphQL has proven to be usable with REST, as Shopify, Twitter and Expedia have done.

This way, companies can modernize at their own pace without having to rewrite successful backend services.

REST API vs GraphQL: Decision Matrix

Why to Choose Xcentric Services for Your API Development

Deciding whether to opt for REST API or GraphQL is only a component in the journey of developing your digital product. The bigger challenge appears in the form of creating an API architecture that would be secure, adaptable to the growing business needs, and easy to manage. A poorly carried implementation could lead to performance problems and expensive redevelopment in the future.

At Xcentric Services, we believe in developing solutions to meet your unique requirements and objectives. We study your needs and give you recommendations on the API architecture to use. REST, GraphQL, or a mix you can count on us to develop an API that will help you grow.

What Makes Us Different?

• Our Skills

• Business-First Approach

• Custom API Development Services

• Full-Stack Development Experience

• Scalable Architecture

• Security-Focused Development

• Modern Technology Stack

Whether you are creating a new SaaS product, customer IP, mobile application, or integrating several enterprise systems, we know how to design reliable and effective APIs.

Conclusion

It's not about which technology is new anymore; it's about which architecture makes the most sense for your business goals: REST API vs GraphQL.

The simplicity, predictable CRUD model, the maturity of the tooling, and the excellent support for HTTP caching make REST an indispensable cornerstone of many enterprise systems. In contrast, GraphQL is particularly well-suited for applications that demand the ability to fetch data in flexible ways, as their UI changes over time, and to communicate with multiple clients.

Many organizations are best suited for a hybrid approach: leveraging the stability of REST and the flexibility of GraphQL. When weighing different factors, including your team's proficiency, performance objectives, caching strategy, security needs, real-time requirements, and future scalability, you'll make a better decision than just going with the industry trend.

For custom API plans or contemporary web platforms, skilled architects can assist in resolving which choice is best suited for you: REST, GraphQL, or hybrid. Our team at Xcentric Services constructs scalable API ecosystems customized to the business goals with Web Development and Full-Stack Development solutions.