GraphQL APIs
GraphQL is an open-source data query and manipulation language for APIs, and a runtime for fulfilling those queries with existing data. It provides a more efficient, powerful, and flexible alternative to REST, allowing clients to request exactly the data they need and nothing more.
Key facts
- First appeared
- 2012
- Category
- technology
- Problem solved
- GraphQL was created to address the inefficiencies and inflexibility of traditional RESTful APIs, specifically the problems of over-fetching (receiving more data than requested) and under-fetching (requiring multiple requests to gather all necessary data). It allows clients to precisely define their data requirements in a single request, optimizing data transfer and simplifying client-side data management.
- Platforms
- Server-side (Node.js, Python, Java, Ruby, Go, PHP, etc.), Mobile (iOS, Android client-side), Web browsers (client-side), Cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Related technologies
Notable users
- Facebook (Meta)
- GitHub
- Netflix
- Shopify
- Yelp
- Airbnb
- The New York Times