NEWS

October 01, 2025

by Tega Akuruli

• #graphql
• #grpc
• #rest

How to Choose Between REST, GraphQL, and gRPC 

APIs are essential for modern software. They allow communication between systems, devices, and services. Selecting the right API architecture is crucial for scalability, performance, and developer productivity. 

Three main approaches stand out in 2025: REST, GraphQL, and gRPC. Each approach has its strengths, weaknesses, and best use cases. Knowing these differences helps developers, architects, and product managers create efficient, maintainable, and future-ready APIs. 

This article offers a guide to choosing between REST, GraphQL, and gRPC, focusing on key concepts, benefits, challenges, and practical uses. 

Understanding REST 

REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style introduced in 2000. It focuses on stateless communication, resource-based URLs, and standard HTTP methods. 

Key Features of REST 

1. Resource-Oriented: Data is represented as resources, like /users or /orders.
2. Stateless: Each request includes all the information needed; the server does not keep client state.
3. Standard Methods: Uses HTTP verbs such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and PATCH.
4. Format Flexibility: Supports JSON, XML, and other formats. 

Advantages of REST 

1. Simplicity: Easy to design and use.
2. Wide Adoption: A mature ecosystem with strong tools.
3. Caching Support: HTTP caching improves performance.
4. Interoperability: Works across various languages and platforms.  

Challenges of REST 

1. Overfetching/Underfetching: Clients may receive too much or too little data.
2. Versioning Complexity: Changing the API structure can require versioning.
3. Latency: Multiple endpoints can lead to multiple network requests. 

Understanding GraphQL 

GraphQL, developed by Facebook in 2012, is a query language for APIs. It lets clients request exactly the data they need. 

Key Features of GraphQL 

1. Single Endpoint: All queries go through one endpoint.
2. Declarative Queries: Clients define the shape of the response.
3. Strong Typing: Schema defines types and relationships.
4. Real-Time Support: Supports subscriptions for live updates.  

Advantages of GraphQL 

1. Reduces overfetching and underfetching of data.
2. Enables rapid front-end development with client-driven queries.
3. Strongly typed schemas enhance reliability and maintainability.
4. Allows flexible aggregation of multiple data sources in a single query. 

Challenges of GraphQL 

1. Complexity: Needs schema design and resolver implementation.
2. Caching: Difficult because of dynamic queries.
3. Learning Curve: Requires familiarity with the query language and tools. 

Understanding gRPC 

gRPC is a high-performance, open-source RPC (Remote Procedure Call) framework created by Google. It uses Protocol Buffers (protobufs) for efficient serialization. 

Key Features of gRPC 

1. Binary Protocol: Uses HTTP/2 for efficient and low-latency communication.
2. Strong Typing: Service contracts are defined in protobuf files.
3. Streaming Support: Supports client, server, or bidirectional streaming.
4. Code Generation: Generates client and server code for many languages. 

Advantages of gRPC 

1. High performance for inter-service communication.
2. Ideal for microservices and low-latency applications.
3. Strong typing reduces runtime errors.
4. Seamlessly supports multiple programming languages. 

Challenges of gRPC 

1. Steeper learning curve than REST.
2. Limited browser support because it requires gRPC-Web.
3. Binary protocol might be less human-readable. 

Key Differences: REST vs GraphQL vs gRPC 

When to Use REST 

1. Use for simple CRUD APIs with predictable endpoints.
2. Suitable for public APIs or when broad interoperability is needed.
3. Good for projects that require caching and stateless communication. 

Example Use Case 

• An e-commerce platform exposing product catalog endpoints to multiple clients. 

When to Use GraphQL 

1. Use for applications with complex front-end needs.
2. Good for multiple clients needing different data subsets.
3. Ideal for fast development where front-end teams need flexibility. 

Example Use Case 

• A social media application that fetches posts, comments, likes, and user profiles dynamically. 

When to Use gRPC 

1. Use for microservices architecture that needs high performance and low latency.
2. Good for internal communication between services in cloud-native environments.
3. Ideal for applications that require streaming data or strong typing guarantees. 

Example Use Case 

• Real-time financial trading systems or telemetry pipelines. 

Best Practices for Choosing the Right API 

1. Analyze Client Needs 

• REST: Simple, stable client requirements.
• GraphQL: Flexible and changing front-end queries.
• gRPC: High-throughput needs for internal services. 

2. Consider Performance Requirements 

• REST: Suitable for moderate traffic.
• GraphQL: Efficient for complex queries but may increase server load.
• gRPC: Best for low-latency, high-throughput systems. 

3. Evaluate Team Expertise 

• REST: Easy for general teams to adopt.
• GraphQL: Needs knowledge of schema design and resolvers.
• gRPC: Requires understanding of protobufs, streaming, and service contracts. 

4. Plan for Future Scalability 

• REST: Might need versioning or endpoint expansion.
• GraphQL: Flexible for changing data needs.
• gRPC: Great for large-scale microservices with lots of inter-service communication. 

5. Assess Tooling and Ecosystem 

• REST: Broad library and framework support.
• GraphQL: Rich tools for introspection, queries, and front-end integration.
• gRPC: Strong integration with cloud-native platforms like Kubernetes. 

Migration Strategies 

1. REST to GraphQL 

• Use a GraphQL layer on top of existing REST APIs.
• Gradually migrate endpoints to GraphQL.

2. REST to gRPC 

• Introduce gRPC for internal services while keeping REST for external clients.
• Gradual adoption minimizes disruption. 

3. GraphQL to gRPC 

• Rarely done, usually for internal high-performance communication. 

Future Trends in API Architecture 

1. Hybrid APIs: Combining REST for public access and gRPC for internal microservices.
2. GraphQL Federation: Managing multiple GraphQL services with one gateway.
3. Serverless API Management: Using API gateways to route between REST, GraphQL, and gRPC seamlessly.
4. Increased Real-Time Capabilities: Streaming APIs for live applications using GraphQL subscriptions or gRPC. 

Choosing among REST, GraphQL, and gRPC depends on application complexity, performance needs, and client requirements. 

• REST is best for simple, stable, and widely interoperable APIs. 
• GraphQL excels when flexibility and efficient data fetching are essential.
• gRPC leads in high-performance, low-latency microservices and streaming applications. 

In 2025, hybrid API strategies are common. They leverage the strengths of each method to meet changing software demands. Understanding these architectures helps teams build scalable, maintainable, and future-ready systems.