GraphQL, gRPC or REST? Resolving the API Developer's Dilemma
summary
Compares REST, GraphQL, gRPC and WebHooks with concrete tradeoffs: REST fits simple web forms and state-machine workflows and benefits from HTTP/2 multiplexing and intermediary caching; GraphQL shines as an aggregation/BFF layer over many microservices but loses proxy caching unless using persisted queries or GETs and must manage Hyrum’s Law via schema deprecations; gRPC requires protocol buffers and HTTP/2, gives unary and bi‑directional streaming (excellent for low‑latency service-to-service comms) and in browsers needs Envoy proxy or recent experimental .NET gRPC‑web support; pick by needed properties, use contract‑first and graceful evolution.
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chapters (19)
- 0:00Start
- 8:07API TIMELINE
- 11:12API PARADIGM SHIFTS
- 15:12BUSINESS
- 16:07SOCIOTECHNICAL
- 22:21HYPERMEDIA CONTROLS
- 26:34SO API STYLES...
- 28:01HTTP CACHING
- 28:13GRAPHQL / GRPC CACHING
- 33:00SO CACHING..
- 38:57HTTP/2 SERVER PUSH
- 40:27SO PERFORMANCE...
- 43:14GRACEFUL EVOLUTION
- 45:00NTEGRATION PATTERN FROM MARTIN FOWLER
- 47:49CONTRACT FIRST
- 50:33SO API DESIGN...
- 52:20COMPOSITE API
- 58:08TAKEAWAYS
- 59:17QUESTIONS
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