From REST to GraphQL: Upgrading your Apollo experience

Preface

"Author's homepage" : Sprite Youbaipaopao
"Personal website" : Sprite's personal website
"Recommended column" :

★ One-stop service for java ★
★ React from beginner to proficient ★
★ Front-end cool code sharing ★
★ From 0 to hero, vue becomes a god ★
★ uniapp-from construction to improvement ★
★ From 0 to a hero, vue becomes a god The road ★
★ To solve the algorithm, one column is enough ★
★ Let’s talk about the architecture from scratch ★
★ The subtle way of data circulation ★
★ The road to back-end advancement ★

Introduction:

In modern web development, APIs are the core building blocks of applications. RESTful APIs have long been the mainstream choice, but over time, a new API query language and execution engine - GraphQL - began to gain popularity. It provides a more efficient, flexible and accurate data query and operation method, bringing a new experience to developers. This blog will introduce how to migrate from REST to GraphQL and use Apollo as a client tool for GraphQL to optimize and enhance your development process.

Part One: Understanding GraphQL and Apollo

GraphQL is a query language and execution engine for API development. Compared with traditional RESTful APIs, GraphQL provides a more efficient, flexible and accurate way to query and operate data. It has the following basic concepts

1. Basic concepts :

• Schema : GraphQL uses Schema to define the structure and type of data. Schema consists of object types, fields and relationships, describing the data provided by the API.
• Query language : GraphQL uses a query language agreed with the server. The client can write queries according to its own needs to obtain the required data, without being limited to the fixed interface provided by the server.
• Strong type system : GraphQL uses a type system to define data types and structures in the API, providing a more rigorous way of data interaction.
• Single endpoint : GraphQL API has a single entrance, and the client can obtain the required data by sending different queries, reducing the amount of network requests and data transmission.

Part 2: Migration considerations from REST to GraphQL

When comparing the design philosophies and features of REST and GraphQL, you can consider the following aspects:

1️⃣ Design concept:

• REST (Representational State Transfer) is a resource-oriented software architecture style that emphasizes the use of unified interfaces for resource access and state transfer.
• GraphQL is a query language and runtime system designed to provide powerful and flexible data query and manipulation capabilities.

2️⃣ Data interaction:

• REST uses different URLs to represent different resources, and uses HTTP verbs (such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to represent operations on resources.
• GraphQL uses a single URL (usually /graphql), and the client can specify exactly the data it needs by sending a query statement.

3️⃣ Data acquisition:

• REST data acquisition is static, the server defines a fixed set of endpoints, and the client cannot precisely control the returned data structure and fields.
• GraphQL's data acquisition is dynamic, and the client can write specific query statements to clearly specify the required fields and associated data.

4️⃣ Performance and network overhead:

• REST has problems of Over-fetching and Under-fetching. Clients may get too much or too little data, causing performance and network overhead.
• GraphQL can avoid unnecessary data transmission, reduce the amount of response data, and improve performance through a single request and precise query statements.

5️⃣ Version control:

• REST often implements interface versioning by introducing a version number in the URL, and the request and response structures of each version may be different.
• GraphQL has a powerful type system and versioning capabilities, allowing backward-compatible evolution without the need to create new interfaces for each version.

In general, REST and GraphQL each have their own advantages and applicable scenarios. REST is suitable for simple and intuitive data interaction, and is very suitable for known, fixed-structure data and resource operations. GraphQL is suitable for scenarios that require flexible data acquisition and complex queries, allowing clients to precisely control the data they need and reduce unnecessary network overhead.

Conclusion:

GraphQL and Apollo provide us with a more powerful and flexible way to build and manage APIs, and they can better meet the needs of modern applications than traditional RESTful APIs. By migrating from REST to GraphQL, you can improve development efficiency, reduce network requests and data transfer volume, and provide a better user experience. Using Apollo as your GraphQL client tool, you will be able to more easily implement GraphQL's query, mutation, caching, and local state management functions. I hope this blog can help you understand and master the migration process from REST to GraphQL, and maximize the advantages of GraphQL and Apollo.