GraphQL is a query language for APIs, and a runtime that executes those queries against a typed schema. The client describes the data it wants, and gets exactly that shape back.
The main differences:
- REST exposes many URLs, one per resource. GraphQL usually exposes one endpoint.
- A REST endpoint returns a fixed shape, so clients over-fetch unused fields or under-fetch and make extra calls. A GraphQL query gets related data in one request.
- A GraphQL schema is typed, and tools can read it through introspection, a query that returns the schema. REST APIs describe themselves with separate documentation.
- REST APIs often add versions such as
/v2. GraphQL APIs usually add fields and deprecate old ones.
REST is easier to cache over HTTP, because each URL is a natural cache key.
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