developer-roadmap/src/data/question-groups/full-stack/content/graphql-vs-rest.md

GraphQL is a query language for APIs that allows clients to request exactly the data they need, reducing over-fetching or under-fetching.

Main differences with REST:

Data Fetching:

• REST: Fixed endpoints return predefined data
• GraphQL: Single endpoint with flexible queries

Batching:

• GraphQL can fetch related data in one request (nested queries)
• REST often requires multiple endpoints for related data

Versioning:

• REST may need new versions for API changes
• GraphQL avoids versioning by evolving schemas

Example GraphQL Query:

query {
  user(id: 1) {
    name
    posts {
      title
    }
  }
}