GraphQL vs REST: When to Use Which?

In This Article

The GraphQL Promise
The Hidden Costs of GraphQL
When REST Wins
When GraphQL Wins
The Decision Framework

In 2015, Facebook open-sourced GraphQL, and many predicted REST APIs were dead. Nearly a decade later, REST is still the default for most applications. Why didn't GraphQL take over?

The GraphQL Promise

Ask for exactly what you need, get exactly that—nothing more, nothing less.

With REST, you hit /users/1 and get the entire user object—50 fields when you only needed 3. With GraphQL, you specify exactly what you want:

query {
  user(id: 1) {
    name
    email
    avatar
  }
}

GraphQL's Core Advantages

No over-fetching: Request only the fields you need
No under-fetching: Get related data in one request (no N+1 client calls)
Strongly typed schema: Self-documenting API with introspection
Client autonomy: Frontend teams evolve without backend changes

The Hidden Costs of GraphQL

GraphQL shifts complexity from the client to the server. This trade-off isn't always worth it.

GraphQL Challenges

Challenge	Why It Matters
N+1 Problem (Server)	Naive resolvers make N database queries per item
Caching Complexity	POST requests don't cache like GET; need Apollo/Relay
Security Surface	Query depth, introspection exposure, rate limiting are harder
Tooling Requirements	Need DataLoader, schema stitching, persisted queries

The N+1 Trap

A simple GraphQL query for "users with their posts" can generate 100+ database queries if you don't use DataLoader or similar batching.

When REST Wins

Simple CRUD applications: REST's resource model is natural and predictable
Public APIs: REST is universally understood, cacheable, and rate-limitable
Microservices: Service-to-service communication doesn't need GraphQL's flexibility
Small teams: Less infrastructure overhead, faster to ship

REST Best Practices in 2025

Modern REST uses JSON:API or OpenAPI specs, field filtering (?fields=name,email), and HATEOAS links. It's more flexible than "textbook REST."

When GraphQL Wins

Multiple clients with different needs: Mobile needs less data than web; GraphQL handles both
Rapidly evolving frontends: Frontend teams can move without waiting for backend endpoints
Complex, interconnected data: Social graphs, e-commerce catalogs, content management
BFF (Backend for Frontend) patterns: GraphQL as an aggregation layer over REST services

The Decision Framework

REST vs GraphQL Decision Matrix

Scenario	Recommendation
Simple CRUD app, single client	REST
Public API for third parties	REST
Mobile + Web + TV clients, same backend	GraphQL
Microservices communication	REST or gRPC
Aggregating multiple REST services	GraphQL (BFF)
Real-time subscriptions needed	GraphQL

Key Takeaways

GraphQL solves over-fetching and under-fetching, but adds backend complexity
REST is simpler, more cacheable, and still the right choice for most apps
GraphQL shines when you have multiple clients with different data needs
Consider GraphQL as a BFF layer over existing REST services
Don't use GraphQL just because it's trendy—evaluate the trade-offs