GraphQL vs. REST: Top 4 Advantages & Disadvantages
API architecture decisions have a significant impact on application performance, developer experience, and long-term maintainability. Two dominant approaches have emerged: REST (Representational State Transfer) and GraphQL, each offering distinct advantages for different use cases.
We evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of GraphQL to determine in what instances it may be better to use GraphQL over REST, and vice versa.
GraphQL vs. REST
What are the key differences between GraphQL and REST?
GraphQL is a query language and integration protocol for APIs that allows clients to specify the exact data they need. In contrast, REST APIs rely on multiple endpoints to return fixed data structures. REST uses standard HTTP methods, such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE, whereas GraphQL operates through a single endpoint, enabling more flexible and efficient data fetching.
Feature | GraphQL ✅🚫🟡 | REST ✅🚫🟡 |
|---|---|---|
Data Fetching | ✅ Fetches only requested fields (efficient) | 🚫 Returns entire resource (over-fetching possible) |
Endpoint | ✅ Single endpoint (/graphql) | 🟡 Multiple endpoints (/users, /orders, etc.) |
Performance | ✅ Reduces network requests & payload size | 🟡 Can require multiple requests for related data |
Flexibility | ✅ Clients define response structure | 🚫 Server dictates response format |
Versioning | ✅ No need for versioning (schema evolves) | 🚫 Requires API versioning (v1, v2, etc.) |
Real-time Support | ✅ Built-in via subscriptions | 🚫 Requires WebSockets or polling |
Complexity | 🚫 Requires schema & resolver setup | ✅ Simpler, follows RESTful principles |
Caching | 🚫 More complex (no native HTTP caching) | ✅ Easier with HTTP methods (GET caching) |
Use Case | ✅ Best for dynamic frontends & complex queries | ✅ Best for simple, resource-based APIs |
Advantages of GraphQL over REST
1. Data Fetching Specificity
GraphQL eliminates the common over-fetching problem found in traditional REST APIs. While REST queries extract all data from a specific resource, GraphQL allows clients to request exactly the data they need in a single query.
A REST query will extract all the data from a specific resource, while GraphQL will only get what is dictated in a query (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Rest API query vs. GraphQL query
Source: Medium.1
2. Enhanced Performance Through Customization
GraphQL’s ability to process customized queries significantly contributes to enhanced performance. The single endpoint approach reduces the number of API calls required, making operations more predictable with lower chances of unnecessary requests. Research demonstrates that migrating from REST to GraphQL can increase application performance by 66% due to these optimizations2 .
3. System Integration Flexibility
GraphQL excels at integrating multiple systems and can fetch data from existing infrastructures without requiring complete system overhauls. This compatibility allows organizations to adopt GraphQL while maintaining existing API management tools and backend systems.
4. Less effort to implement
Due to the simplified use of GraphQL, implementing queries requires less effort than REST. Research shows that when executing remote service queries, GraphQL is less time-consuming than REST, with a difference of 9 vs. 6.3
Advantages of REST over GraphQL
1. Performance and Scalability
Research demonstrates that GraphQL performs below REST for workloads above 3,000 requests due to single endpoint bottleneck limitations. While GraphQL’s single endpoint is often considered a strength, it can become a performance bottleneck under high load conditions4 .
2. Superior Caching Efficiency
REST APIs work seamlessly with HTTP’s built-in caching mechanisms. Each endpoint has its own URL, enabling efficient caching at multiple levels – browser, CDN, and server. This produces faster results than GraphQL in almost every scenario. GraphQL’s single endpoint approach complicates caching strategies and typically requires additional libraries for effective cache implementation.
3. Simpler Security Implementation
REST’s widespread adoption has resulted in mature, well-tested authentication methods and security patterns. REST includes built-in HTTP authentication mechanisms, while GraphQL does not provide specific security processes. Users must develop custom authentication and authorization solutions, though this can be addressed with careful security planning.
4. Cost
One of the significant drawbacks to using GraphQL is that it is more difficult to specify the API rate limit than REST. This creates the risk of the cost of queries being unexpectedly large, leading to computation, resource, and infrastructure overload.5
To overcome such risks, the user must calculate a query’s cost before executing it. However, calculating GraphQL’s queries is challenging due to its nested structure. Thus, it is best to use a machine-learning approach to estimate.
5. Lower Implementation Complexity
REST’s resource-based URL structure makes implementation straightforward and intuitive. While GraphQL offers caching mechanisms, implementing them is significantly more complex and time-consuming than REST implementation due to GraphQL’s nested query structure.
When to Choose REST
REST is ideal for:
- Simple, well-defined API requirements
- Teams with limited GraphQL experience
- Applications requiring extensive caching
- Microservices architectures
- Public APIs with diverse consumers
- Projects prioritizing rapid development
REST Use Cases:
- E-commerce product catalogs
- Content management systems
- Simple mobile applications
- Integration with third-party services
- Legacy system integrations
When to Choose GraphQL
GraphQL excels in:
- Complex data relationship requirements
- Frontend-driven development
- Rapid prototyping and iteration
- Applications with diverse client needs
- Real-time features requirements
- Teams are comfortable with new technologies
GraphQL Use Cases:
- Social media platforms
- Complex dashboard applications
- Mobile apps with limited bandwidth
- Microservices data aggregation
- Developer-facing APIs
What is GrahpQL?
Figure 2: GraphQL
GraphQL is an open-source query and manipulation language for APIs developed by Facebook in 2012 and released publicly in 2015. Contrary to REST architecture, GraphQL is not an API specification; it’s a runtime for fulfilling queries with existing data. Backbend GraphQL provides a type system that describes a schema for data; in return, this gives front-end API consumers the ability to request the exact data they need.
GraphQL is schema-driven, meaning the server defines a strict schema outlining data types and relationships. Clients query or modify data (create, update, delete) based on this schema, receiving predictable JSON responses. It also supports real-time updates via subscriptions. Its flexibility and efficiency make it ideal for complex, interconnected data scenarios, such as mobile apps requiring minimal network requests.
Web developers utilize REST APIs where data entities live on several URLs on a server. Contrary to multiple URLs and entry points of REST APIs (see Figure 3), GraphQL has a single entry point (see Figure 2). Data is fetched by describing it with a syntax that mirrors its return shape in JSON.6
What is REST?
REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style and integration protocol for building web services that operate over HTTP. It centers around the concept of resources, which are identified by URLs (Uniform Resource Locators), and these resources can be manipulated using standard HTTP methods such as:
- GET (retrieve data),
- POST (create data),
- PUT (update data),
- DELETE (remove data)
RESTful services are stateless, meaning that each request from the client to the server must contain all the necessary information, and the server does not maintain any session state between requests. This simplicity and adherence to the widely understood principles of HTTP have made REST a popular choice for designing APIs.
One of the core benefits of REST is its use of standard HTTP features, including status codes and headers, which allow for simpler error handling and caching. REST services are flexible, enabling data to be exchanged in various formats like JSON, XML, or plain text, depending on the client’s needs. Its clear structure and well-established conventions make it easy to implement and understand, making REST a go-to approach for many web-based applications, particularly when simplicity, scalability, and cacheability are key concerns.
Figure 3: Representation of REST API
Frequently Asked Questions: GraphQL vs. REST
FAQ
Further Reading
Reference Links
Cem's work has been cited by leading global publications including Business Insider, Forbes, Washington Post, global firms like Deloitte, HPE and NGOs like World Economic Forum and supranational organizations like European Commission. You can see more reputable companies and resources that referenced AIMultiple.
Throughout his career, Cem served as a tech consultant, tech buyer and tech entrepreneur. He advised enterprises on their technology decisions at McKinsey & Company and Altman Solon for more than a decade. He also published a McKinsey report on digitalization.
He led technology strategy and procurement of a telco while reporting to the CEO. He has also led commercial growth of deep tech company Hypatos that reached a 7 digit annual recurring revenue and a 9 digit valuation from 0 within 2 years. Cem's work in Hypatos was covered by leading technology publications like TechCrunch and Business Insider.
Cem regularly speaks at international technology conferences. He graduated from Bogazici University as a computer engineer and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.
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