console.log()
← Back to Blog
•console.log()

GraphQL vs REST - When to Use What

Compare GraphQL and REST APIs. Understand the trade-offs and learn when to use each approach.

graphqlapiarchitecture

GraphQL vs REST

Both have their place. Let's understand when to use each.

REST Overview

Resource-based endpoints:

GET /users # Get all users
GET /users/1 # Get user 1
GET /users/1/posts # Get user 1's posts
POST /users # Create user
PUT /users/1 # Update user 1
DELETE /users/1 # Delete user 1

GraphQL Overview

Single endpoint, flexible queries:

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

When to Use REST

Choose REST when:

  • Simple CRUD operations
  • Caching is critical (HTTP caching works great)
  • Team is familiar with REST
  • Public APIs (easier to understand)
  • File uploads are common

When to Use GraphQL

Choose GraphQL when:

  • Complex, nested data requirements
  • Multiple clients with different needs
  • Avoiding over-fetching/under-fetching
  • Rapid frontend iteration
  • Real-time subscriptions needed

The Over-fetching Problem

REST often returns too much data:

// REST - returns everything
GET /users/1
{
 "id": 1,
 "name": "John",
 "email": "john@example.com",
 "address": "...",
 "phone": "...",
 "preferences": "...",
 // 20 more fields you don't need
}

// GraphQL - returns exactly what you ask for
query {
 user(id: 1) {
 name
 email
 }
}

The N+1 Problem

GraphQL can have performance issues:

# This might cause N+1 queries
query {
 posts {
 title
 author {
 name # Query per post!
 }
 }
}

Solution: DataLoader for batching.

My Recommendation

Start with REST. Switch to GraphQL when:

  • You're building for multiple platforms
  • Data requirements are complex
  • Frontend team needs flexibility

Conclusion

There's no winner. Choose based on your specific needs, team expertise, and project requirements.