Side by side
REST APIvsGraphQL
What is the difference between REST and GraphQL?
Updated 2 min read7 differences
In short
REST exposes many URLs that each return a fixed shape of data, while GraphQL exposes a single endpoint where the client asks for exactly the fields it needs.
REST API
Representational State Transfer API
A REST API is a web API that exposes data as resources identified by URLs and lets clients read or change them using standard HTTP methods.
Read the page on REST APIGraphQL
GraphQL is a query language and runtime for APIs that lets clients request exactly the data they need, often from a single endpoint in a single request.
Read the page on GraphQLREST API and GraphQL compared
| Aspect | REST API | GraphQL |
|---|---|---|
| Endpoints | Many URLs, one per resource, such as /users/42 | Usually one URL, such as /graphql, for all operations |
| Response shape | Fixed by the server for each endpoint | Chosen by the client, field by field |
| Related data | Often needs several requests | One query can follow nested relationships |
| Caching | Easy with standard HTTP caching by URL | Needs client-side caches or persisted queries |
| Typing | Optional, often documented with OpenAPI | Built-in schema with strict types |
| Errors | Signaled with HTTP status codes like 404 | Often 200 OK with an errors array in the body |
| Best for | Simple, cacheable public or service-to-service APIs | Rich frontends that combine data from many sources |
The difference, explained
REST is an architectural style for web APIs in which each resource, such as a user or an order, has its own URL and is read or changed with standard HTTP methods like GET and POST. GraphQL is a query language and runtime for APIs: the server publishes a typed schema, and clients send queries that describe the exact data they want.
The key difference is who decides the shape of the response. In REST the server defines what each endpoint returns, so a screen may need several requests or receive fields it never uses, known as under-fetching and over-fetching. In GraphQL the client picks the fields and can follow relationships in one request, which is why it became popular for apps with many different screens and clients.
They are not mutually exclusive. Both usually run over HTTP and return JSON, and many teams keep REST for simple public or service-to-service APIs while putting a GraphQL layer in front of several backends for their frontends. GraphQL does shift work to the server: resolvers must avoid the N+1 query problem, and caching and rate limiting need more thought than with plain URLs.
A common misconception is that GraphQL replaces REST or is always faster. It reduces round trips for complex, nested data, but for simple CRUD APIs REST is often easier to build, cache and debug, and one expensive GraphQL query can be slower than several small REST calls.
Which one should you use?
Choose REST API when…
- Your API is simple CRUD over well-defined resources.
- You want HTTP caching, CDNs and status codes to work out of the box.
- The API is public and must be easy to call with plain HTTP tools.
- Services exchange stable, predictable payloads.
Choose GraphQL when…
- Many clients or screens need different slices of the same data.
- One view needs nested, related data that would take several REST calls.
- You want a strongly typed schema that frontends can explore and validate against.
- You are putting one API in front of several backend services.
Loading a user and their posts
// REST: one request per resource
const user = await fetch("/api/users/42").then((r) => r.json());
const posts = await fetch("/api/users/42/posts").then((r) => r.json());
// Each response contains every field the server chose to include// GraphQL: one request, only the fields you ask for
const res = await fetch("/graphql", {
method: "POST",
headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
body: JSON.stringify({
query: "{ user(id: 42) { name posts { title } } }",
}),
});
const { data } = await res.json();Readers ask
Is GraphQL faster than REST?
Not automatically. GraphQL can cut the number of round trips for nested data, but each query can cost the server more, and REST responses are easier to cache.
Can you use REST and GraphQL together?
Yes. A common setup keeps existing REST services and adds a GraphQL layer that calls them, so frontends get one flexible API while the backends stay unchanged.
Does GraphQL need a special database?
No. GraphQL is only an API layer; its resolvers can read from any database, REST API or other service.