Introduction
GraphQL vs REST API: which technology should you choose in 2025? This question comes up in 89% of modern web application development projects. While REST still dominates 76% of public APIs according to Stack Overflow's 2025 survey, GraphQL has seen a 47% increase in enterprise adoption since 2023. As a full-stack developer specialized in custom applications, I've implemented both approaches across more than 25 projects at Worldline and Adequasys. The answer isn't binary: each architecture addresses specific needs. This guide will help you choose the optimal approach based on your project context, team, and business objectives.
GraphQL: The Architecture Revolutionizing Data Exchange
What is GraphQL?
GraphQL is a query language and runtime for APIs developed by Facebook in 2012 and open-sourced in 2015. Unlike REST which exposes multiple endpoints, GraphQL offers a single entry point allowing you to retrieve exactly the requested data.
Core principle: The client precisely defines the structure of data it wants to receive. This "query-first" approach eliminates over-fetching (too much data) and under-fetching (not enough data) issues typical of REST.
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