REST API Vs GraphQL

What?

Different paradigms of APIs. Remember their best practises! They’re technically Web Services. They’re both examples of Statelessness principals

REST

• Resource Based: Built on the idea of resources, with each resource pertaining a unique URL (i.e. multiple endpoints).
  • GET /users/123 to get user details, 
  • GET /users/123/orders to get that user’s orders.
• Built with HTTP Methods: It’s built on CRUD Operations (create, read, update and delete).
  • GET: Retrieve data (e.g., GET /users).
  • DELETE: Remove data (e.g., DELETE /users/123).
  • POST: It’s idempotent??? Tf.
• Tends to over/under fetch.

GraphQL

• A Query Based API, with a single endpoint (/graphql). Users request exactly what they want. Built by Facebook with Social Medias involved.
• No Versions: Devs just add types / fields.
• Error Handling: GraphQL will always return 200. Any error found will be found within the response (As discovered at JPMC).
• Can be heavy for server when fetching complex queries.
• Example Request:

{
  user(id: 123) {
    name
    email
    orders {
      id
      total
    }
  }
}