REST, GraphQL, and gRPC are different API development technologies that have their unique features. Here are some key differences between these technologies:
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𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿: REST APIs transfer data in JSON or XML format. GraphQL APIs transfer data in a GraphQL-specific format. gRPC APIs transfer data in Protocol Buffers format.
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𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: REST APIs provide all the data available on the server. GraphQL APIs allow the client to specify the data requirements. gRPC APIs use Protocol Buffers to define the messages and services, providing a clear understanding of the data requirements.
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𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹: REST APIs use HTTP/1.1 for transport. GraphQL APIs use HTTP for transport. gRPC APIs use HTTP/2 for transport.
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𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: gRPC APIs are faster than REST and GraphQL APIs because they use HTTP/2 for transport and Protocol Buffers for serialization.
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𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: GraphQL APIs are more flexible than REST APIs because they allow the client to specify the data requirements in a single request.