Serving Data with RESTful and GraphQL APIs
Serving Data with RESTful and GraphQL APIs APIs are the bridge between data and apps. Two popular styles are RESTful APIs and GraphQL. They share a goal—send the right data to the right client—but they do this in different ways. This article compares the approaches and gives practical tips for real projects. RESTful APIs use resources and URLs, with standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE. They work well with caching, observability, and simple tooling. A client requests a resource, the server returns data, and HTTP status codes tell the client what happened. Good REST design uses clear noun-based paths, stable resources, and a light touch on versioning. ...