REST and GraphQL are two ways to build an API. REST exposes fixed endpoints and is simple and cache-friendly; GraphQL lets clients ask for exactly the data they need in one request. Neither is 'better' — they fit different needs.
REST in brief
REST organizes data into endpoints (e.g. /users, /orders). It's mature, easy to cache, and understood everywhere. The trade-off: clients sometimes fetch more than they need, or make several calls to assemble one screen.
GraphQL in brief
GraphQL exposes one endpoint and a schema; clients request exactly the fields they want in a single query. Great for complex, nested data and mobile apps that want to minimize round-trips. The cost is more setup and care around caching and query limits.
Side by side
| REST | GraphQL | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape of data | Fixed per endpoint | Client chooses fields |
| Caching | Simple (HTTP) | Needs more work |
| Best for | Simple, stable APIs | Complex, nested data |
How to choose
Choose REST for straightforward services, public APIs and heavy caching. Choose GraphQL when many clients need different slices of nested data, or a mobile app wants to cut requests. You can also mix: REST for some services, GraphQL as a gateway.