Overview
REST structures an API as a fixed set of endpoints, each returning a predetermined shape of data tied to a resource. GraphQL exposes a single endpoint driven by a client-specified query, letting callers request exactly the fields they need across related resources in one round trip.
Comparison Diagram
Comparison Table
| Aspect | REST | GraphQL |
|---|---|---|
| Request entry point | Multiple resource-based URLs (e.g. /users, /posts) | Single endpoint (e.g. /graphql) for all operations |
| Query specification | Server defines response shape per endpoint | Client defines response shape via query document |
| Fetching related data | Requires multiple round trips or ad-hoc nested routes | Nested relations resolved in one request via resolvers |
| Over/under-fetching | Common — fixed payloads return unused or missing fields | Minimized — client requests exactly the fields it needs |
| Caching | Leverages HTTP caching (ETags, CDNs, cache-control) | Requires custom client-side or persisted-query caching |
| Versioning strategy | New versions (/v2/) or new endpoints for breaking changes | Schema evolves additively; fields deprecated in place |
| Error handling | HTTP status codes signal success/failure per request | 200 OK typical even on partial errors; errors array in body |
| Tooling and discovery | Relies on external docs (OpenAPI/Swagger) for contracts | Self-describing schema with built-in introspection |
Key Differences
- REST models an API around resources and HTTP verbs; GraphQL models it around a typed schema and queries.
- REST responses have a shape fixed by the server; GraphQL responses are shaped by the client query itself.
- REST benefits from standard HTTP caching infrastructure; GraphQL typically needs bespoke caching layers.
- Fetching nested or related data usually takes REST multiple round trips, while GraphQL resolves it in a single request.
- REST signals failures through HTTP status codes; GraphQL usually returns 200 with errors embedded in the payload.
When to Use Each
REST
- Simple CRUD services: REST’s resource/verb model maps directly onto straightforward create-read-update-delete operations without extra query machinery.
- Public APIs needing HTTP caching: REST responses cache naturally at the HTTP layer via CDNs, proxies, and browser caches.
- File uploads and streaming: REST handles binary payloads and streaming responses more directly than GraphQL’s JSON-centric transport.
GraphQL
- Complex, nested data needs: GraphQL lets a mobile or web client fetch deeply related objects in one request instead of chaining several REST calls.
- Multiple client types with differing needs: Each client can request only the fields it needs from a shared schema, avoiding endpoint proliferation.
- Rapidly evolving frontend requirements: Fields can be added to the schema without versioning, and clients adopt them without breaking existing queries.