REST vs GraphQL: Which API Should You Use?

REST and GraphQL are two popular ways to build APIs. Each has strengths and weaknesses. Here's when to use each.

REST Recap

REST uses multiple endpoints with fixed data structures:

GET /users/1
GET /users/1/posts
GET /users/1/followers

Each endpoint returns a fixed set of data. You might get too much or too little.

What is GraphQL?

GraphQL uses a single endpoint where clients specify exactly what data they need:

{
  user(id: 1) {
    name
    email
    posts {
      title
      comments {
        text
      }
    }
  }
}

You get exactly what you ask for — no more, no less.

Comparison

Feature	REST	GraphQL
Endpoints	Multiple	Single
Data fetching	Server decides	Client decides
Over-fetching	Common	Never
Under-fetching	Common (N+1 problem)	Never
Learning curve	Easier	Moderate

Choose REST If...

• Your API is simple
• HTTP caching is important
• You want wide tool support
• Team is new to APIs

Choose GraphQL If...

• Clients need different data shapes
• You want to reduce network requests
• You have complex, nested data
• You're building a mobile app (bandwidth matters)