AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Graphql vs rest vs grpc8/17/2023 ![]() Here’s a simple example of what a GraphQL query can look like: It’s used to define which exact parts of data on the client side are to be sent by or changed on the server. GraphQL solves this problem by using its own query language called Schema Definition Language (SDL). Retrieving all necessary data often requires multiple requests meanwhile, the form of passed data is always defined by the server, which inevitably leads to excessive data transportation and processing. These aspects are what critics view as the main drawbacks to REST. The other side of communication faces the same problem: The client has to send data to the server in the predefined form. Using REST, there is no way to pick what data is returned from a specific endpoint. GraphQL doesn’t use response codes or HTTP methods, which makes it transport- and application-layer independent, but it also requires more effort to implement basic things such as caching. ![]() It’s a blessing and curse at the same time: Typically, it comes with a multitude of free features-caching and relatively simple file uploads-but it also tightly binds the application with a specific transport implementation. Originally, REST wasn’t tied to specific transport protocols however, it is associated with HTTP, its request methods, and response codes. On the other hand, it deprives us of some built-in features of HTTP. On the one hand, it simplifies backend development, which in turn reduces maintenance costs and helps mitigate security risks. While REST requires multiple endpoints for accessing and altering various kinds of data, GraphQL utilizes only one. EndpointsĮndpoints implementation is one of the most significant differences between the two architectural styles. Let’s take a look at the most important ones. There are fundamental differences between the two that determine the mindset and direction of development. ![]() GraphQL is the opposite approach to REST, and this is no accident. In this article, we’ll look at the main advantages and disadvantages of using GraphQL compared to REST. Clients have used it to query the server by utilizing a special syntax that allows defining what data exactly is sent.Īlthough the technology has been publicly available for years, it’s still considered new, and some are cautious about adopting it. Instead of multiple endpoints, the new approach had only one. In 2015, Facebook publicly presented GraphQL, a new query language for communication over the network that was supposed to solve the main problems of the REST style. ![]() The overall results are needlessly wasted time and resources, and ultimately a worse user experience. As client applications become more powerful and require more and more data, this is growing into a bigger problem: Client apps have to request multiple round trips to the server to gather all necessary pieces of data.Īnother facet of this problem is the excessiveness of responses: Clients often process more information than they need. RESTful systems are often criticized for their lack of customization: API endpoints and returned data sets are strictly defined by the server. Although there have always been alternatives, until recently REST (Representational State Transfer) was typically understood as the default means of interaction. The model implies interaction between physically separated parts of the system. When it comes to distributed systems, the client-server model is usually the first that comes to mind. ![]()
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |