How to choose between REST and GraphQL

Short answer

REST and GraphQL both build on HTTP but differ in how clients fetch data, with REST using fixed endpoints and GraphQL allowing flexible queries.

Key differences

• Data fetching: REST returns fixed resource representations while GraphQL clients request exactly the fields they need.
• Over-fetching: REST may return unused fields; GraphQL minimizes payload size but can enable expensive queries.
• Caching: REST leverages HTTP caching natively; GraphQL typically requires custom cache layers.
• Tooling: REST benefits from mature middleware; GraphQL offers strong typing and introspection.
• Learning curve: REST is simpler for basic CRUD; GraphQL requires understanding schemas and resolvers.

When to use each

• Choose REST when you need simple caching, file uploads, or broad ecosystem compatibility.
• Choose GraphQL when clients need to aggregate data from many resources in a single request.
• Use REST for public APIs with diverse consumers and GraphQL for internal product teams.
• Hybrid approaches can expose both paradigms for different use cases.

Example

query {
  user(id: 1) {
    name
    orders { total }
  }
}

This GraphQL query fetches exactly the user name and order totals in a single request, contrasting with multiple REST round trips.