GraphQL vs REST: Making the Right API Choice in 2025

The GraphQL vs REST debate has been ongoing for years, and in 2025, both technologies have matured significantly. Having built production systems with both, I've learned that the choice isn't about which is "better"—it's about which fits your specific needs. Let me share what I've learned.

Understanding REST

REST (Representational State Transfer) has been the dominant API style for over a decade.

REST Principles

• Stateless - Each request contains all information needed
• Resource-based - URLs represent resources
• HTTP methods - GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
• Standard status codes - 200, 404, 500, etc.

REST Example

GET /api/users/123
GET /api/users/123/orders
GET /api/users/123/orders/456/items

REST Advantages

1. Simple and familiar - Easy to understand
2. Caching - HTTP caching works well
3. Stateless - Scales horizontally
4. Tooling - Mature ecosystem
5. Browser support - Native HTTP support

REST Disadvantages

1. Over-fetching - Get more data than needed
2. Under-fetching - Multiple requests for related data
3. Versioning - Breaking changes require new endpoints
4. Rigid structure - Hard to evolve

Understanding GraphQL

GraphQL is a query language and runtime for APIs, developed by Facebook.

GraphQL Principles

• Single endpoint - One endpoint for all queries
• Client-specified queries - Clients request exactly what they need
• Strongly typed - Schema defines all types
• Introspection - Self-documenting

GraphQL Example

query {
  user(id: "123") {
    name
    email
    orders {
      id
      total
      items {
        name
        price
      }
    }
  }
}

GraphQL Advantages

1. No over-fetching - Get exactly what you need
2. No under-fetching - Single request for related data
3. Strong typing - Schema enforces types
4. Evolves easily - Add fields without breaking changes
5. Great tooling - GraphiQL, Apollo, etc.

GraphQL Disadvantages

1. Complexity - Steeper learning curve
2. Caching - More complex than HTTP caching
3. File uploads - Not as straightforward
4. Error handling - Different from HTTP status codes
5. Over-engineering - Can be overkill for simple APIs

When to Choose REST

Good for REST

1. Simple CRUD operations - Basic create, read, update, delete
2. Caching is critical - HTTP caching is powerful
3. File uploads/downloads - REST handles this well
4. Team familiarity - Team knows REST well
5. Public APIs - Easier for external consumers
6. Microservices - Simple service-to-service communication

REST Use Cases

• Content APIs - Blogs, news sites
• File services - Upload/download files
• Simple mobile apps - Basic data fetching
• Third-party integrations - Standard HTTP APIs

When to Choose GraphQL

Good for GraphQL

1. Complex data relationships - Many related entities
2. Mobile apps - Need to minimize data transfer
3. Rapidly changing requirements - Schema evolves easily
4. Multiple clients - Different clients need different data
5. Real-time updates - Subscriptions work well
6. Frontend-heavy apps - React, Vue apps benefit

GraphQL Use Cases

• Social media apps - Complex relationships
• E-commerce - Products, variants, reviews, etc.
• Dashboard applications - Multiple data sources
• Mobile-first apps - Bandwidth optimization

Hybrid Approach

You don't have to choose one. Many successful systems use both:

// REST for simple operations
GET /api/users
POST /api/users
PUT /api/users/123

// GraphQL for complex queries
POST /graphql
{
  query: `
    {
      user(id: "123") {
        orders {
          items {
            product {
              reviews {
                author
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  `
}

Performance Considerations

REST Performance

// Multiple requests
const user = await fetch('/api/users/123');
const orders = await fetch('/api/users/123/orders');
const profile = await fetch('/api/users/123/profile');

// Total: 3 requests, potentially over-fetching

GraphQL Performance

# Single request
query {
  user(id: "123") {
    name
    orders {
      id
    }
    profile {
      bio
    }
  }
}

# Total: 1 request, exactly what's needed

But: GraphQL can have N+1 query problems:

// Bad: N+1 queries
const users = await db.query('SELECT * FROM users');
for (const user of users) {
  user.orders = await db.query('SELECT * FROM orders WHERE user_id = $1', [user.id]);
}

// Good: Use DataLoader
const userLoader = new DataLoader(async (userIds) => {
  return db.query('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ANY($1)', [userIds]);
});

Caching Strategies

REST Caching

GET /api/users/123
Cache-Control: public, max-age=3600
ETag: "abc123"

# Browser and CDN cache automatically

GraphQL Caching

// More complex - need to implement yourself
const cache = new Map();

function getCacheKey(query, variables) {
  return JSON.stringify({ query, variables });
}

async function executeQuery(query, variables) {
  const key = getCacheKey(query, variables);
  if (cache.has(key)) {
    return cache.get(key);
  }
  
  const result = await graphql(schema, query, variables);
  cache.set(key, result);
  return result;
}

Real-World Example

Project: E-commerce platform with mobile and web apps

Initial Approach: REST API

Problems:

• Mobile app making 10+ requests per screen
• Over-fetching on web (getting all product data when only name needed)
• Slow mobile experience

Solution: Hybrid approach

• REST for:

  • File uploads (product images)
  • Simple operations (add to cart)
  • Webhook endpoints

• GraphQL for:

  • Product browsing (complex filters, relationships)
  • User dashboard (multiple data sources)
  • Mobile app (bandwidth optimization)

Result:

• Mobile app: 10 requests → 1-2 requests
• Data transfer: Reduced by 60%
• Development velocity: Faster (schema-driven)

Migration Strategy

From REST to GraphQL

1. Start with read operations - Queries first
2. Keep REST for writes - Mutations can come later
3. Run in parallel - Both APIs during transition
4. Migrate incrementally - Feature by feature

// Phase 1: GraphQL for reads
app.use('/graphql', graphqlHTTP({
  schema: schema,
  rootValue: resolvers
}));

// Phase 2: Keep REST for writes
app.post('/api/users', createUser);
app.put('/api/users/:id', updateUser);

// Phase 3: Add GraphQL mutations
// Gradually migrate writes

Best Practices for Each

REST Best Practices

1. Use proper HTTP methods - GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
2. Return appropriate status codes - 200, 201, 404, etc.
3. Version your API - /v1/, /v2/
4. Use pagination - Don't return everything
5. Implement caching - Leverage HTTP caching

GraphQL Best Practices

1. Design your schema carefully - Think about relationships
2. Use DataLoader - Prevent N+1 queries
3. Implement query complexity analysis - Prevent expensive queries
4. Add rate limiting - Protect your server
5. Use subscriptions wisely - Real-time when needed

Decision Framework

Ask these questions:

1. Data complexity? - Complex → GraphQL, Simple → REST
2. Multiple clients? - Yes → GraphQL, No → REST
3. Caching critical? - Yes → REST, No → GraphQL
4. Team expertise? - Consider learning curve
5. Mobile app? - Yes → GraphQL, No → Either
6. File operations? - Yes → REST, No → Either

Conclusion

Both REST and GraphQL are excellent choices in 2025. The decision should be based on:

• Your specific needs - Not what's trendy
• Team expertise - What can your team support?
• Project requirements - What does the project need?
• Long-term maintenance - Can you maintain it?

Remember: You can always start with REST and add GraphQL later, or use both. The best choice is the one that helps you ship and maintain your application effectively.

What API architecture challenges have you faced? Are you using REST, GraphQL, or both? I'd love to hear about your experiences.