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This article mainly introduces "what are the reasons for using GraphQL". In daily operation, I believe many people have doubts about what are the reasons for using GraphQL. Xiaobian consulted various materials and sorted out simple and easy operation methods. I hope to help you answer the doubts about "what are the reasons for using GraphQL"! Next, please follow the small series to learn together!

1. The Rise of GraphQL

What is the best way to build APIs today? You might think of REST, but if you're going to invest in building new software, it might be worth considering a few different options and choosing the best one. GraphQL stands out as an alternative to the REST API architecture primarily (but not exclusively) because it provides a discoverable API by design. It also comes with its own query language and runtime for executing queries through functions called "resolvers."

GraphQL was originally developed by Facebook in 2012 as a better data capture solution for underpowered mobile devices and open-sourced in 2015. In 2018, it was transferred to the Linux Foundation, which maintains other important projects such as Node.js, Kubernetes, and of course Linux itself.

Those wishing to adopt GraphQL are generally encouraged. Stack Overflow Trends, for example, shows that its popularity has risen rapidly in recent years. There have also been some successes at high-profile companies like PayPal, Netflix, and Coursera, where GraphQL has played an important role in building flexible, high-performance APIs in large, complex architectures.

However, given the dynamic technological environment we live in today, your skepticism is forgivable. Will GraphQL be another trend? If it works for these companies, does it necessarily work for you? Let's discuss the advantages and challenges of GraphQL so that you can make an informed decision.

2. Reasons to use GraphQL

As an API technology designed for flexibility, GraphQL is a powerful enabler for API developers and consumers, as well as the organizations behind it. In this section, we explore some key areas of GraphQL.

(1) One Data Graph for All

GraphQL is an excellent choice for organizations with multiple teams and systems that want to easily access their data through a unified API.

No matter how many databases, services, legacy systems, and third-party APIs you use, GraphQL hides this complexity by providing a single endpoint with which clients can communicate. GraphQL servers are responsible for fetching data from the right location, and clients never need to know the details of where different data comes from. As a result, GraphQL ecosystem provides maximum flexibility when it comes to easily delivering data to customers and internal users.

(2)No over-acquisition or under-acquisition

Another huge benefit for GraphQL API customers is that they can request exactly the data they need, even across related entities. This is especially important because different customers have different data requirements, either because of different business logic, or because they simply present different views of data (e.g. Web vs. Mobile), and may have different hardware constraints.

By comparison, it is much more difficult to retrieve important data effectively from the REST API. Requesting data from a single endpoint tends to return more data than is actually needed (overfetching), while requesting data from several related entities often requires multiple API calls (underfetching) or dedicated endpoints for specific client requests (duplication of effort). GraphQL solves this problem by accurately delivering the data requested by each client, and nothing more.

(3)Better developer experience

GraphQL ecosystem comes with many tools that make using GraphQL a breeze. Tools like GraphiQL and GraphQL Playground provide rich experiences that allow developers to examine and try out APIs with minimal effort, thanks to self-documenting features we'll discuss in the next section.

In addition, code generation tools like GraphQL Code Generator can be used to further speed up development, while other tools and best practices can also be used to solve specific problems, including:

Client-side caching is available out of the box in several client libraries.

Cursor-based pagination provides a way to provide pagination across data lists.

DataLoader improves performance by batching data fetch requests and also provides a basic level of server-side caching.

(4)Higher quality systems

GraphQL API is built around a type system that lists the name and type of each field, as well as the relationships between different entities. This type of system or architecture is used to validate queries sent by clients. Schemas can be queried through a feature called introspection, which is typically used to generate documents and code that will be used when clients integrate APIs.

Therefore, when using GraphQL, a fully documented API can be obtained with minimal effort. This provides great transparency for developers using the API for the first time, making development smoother and more efficient.

(5)Built for Change

It is common for REST APIs to provide multiple versions of the same API so that changes can be made without breaking existing functionality. GraphQL encourages another method of API modification: evolution.

When a radical change is needed (for example, when renaming a field or changing its type), you can introduce a new field and discard the old one, perhaps deleting it altogether later when you are sure it is no longer in use. This means you can still change your API while maintaining backward compatibility and a single API.

3. Considerations before adopting GraphQL

GraphQL is an excellent tool for building extensible and flexible APIs, but it's not universal and certainly not for everyone.

(1)learning curve

REST is a simple and familiar API building method, while GraphQL is quite different. Developers and infrastructure engineers alike need to learn how to effectively develop and deploy GraphQL APIs, which is an adaptive task.

As a result, teams with tight schedules may be better suited to using technologies they are already familiar with.

(2)infrastructure and tools

Deploying GraphQL, especially at scale, can require significant investments in infrastructure and tools. Using it doesn't save you from deploying virtual machines or containers, setting up network infrastructure, and deploying and maintaining GraphQL server software in large environments.

(3)performance and safety

You also have to be extra careful that the extra flexibility GraphQL offers doesn't lead to malicious or accidental lowering or shutting down of your system's queries. This can be addressed by limiting or restricting query complexity and depth.

Finally, it is always important to protect data that should not be made public. Authentication and authorization mechanisms popular in other web technologies can also use GraphQL. Also, watch out for introspection, as it may leak internal types if not properly protected.

summary

There's no doubt that REST can get the job done, but if you're at a stage where you need a better way to build APIs and serve different customers, then you should probably give GraphQL a try.

GraphQL allows you to build evolvable and queryable APIs, hide the complexity of the internal systems used to retrieve various data, and leverage the type system for automated and up-to-date API documentation. These features, along with its tools and ecosystem, make GraphQL an efficient and effective tool for API and client developers.

While GraphQL does require some investment, in situations where there is a lot of data and services, its advantages far outweigh the access of existing and future API clients.

At this point, the study of "What are the reasons for using GraphQL" is over, hoping to solve everyone's doubts. Theory and practice can better match to help everyone learn, go and try it! If you want to continue learning more relevant knowledge, please continue to pay attention to the website, Xiaobian will continue to strive to bring more practical articles for everyone!

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