GraphQL is a query language for APIs, designed to be flexible, efficient, and type-safe. It was developed by Facebook in 2012 and open-sourced in 2015. GraphQL provides a more efficient, powerful, and flexible alternative to the traditional REST API.
The GraphQL Ecosystem is vast, with a wide range of tools and libraries available to help you build, deploy, and manage GraphQL applications. Some popular tools include Apollo Client, Apollo Server, graphql-tools, DataLoader, and GraphiQL.
Advantages of GraphQL over REST
1. Flexible data fetching: Clients can request only the data they need, reducing over- or under-fetching.
2. Single endpoint: Instead of multiple endpoints, GraphQL has a single endpoint that handles all requests.
3. Strongly typed: GraphQL enforces a schema, making it easier to catch errors at compile time.
4. Real-time updates: Subscriptions allow real-time updates when data changes.