Question 1

What's the difference between GraphQL and REST?

Accepted Answer

REST typically exposes multiple endpoints (for example, /users and /users/{id}/orders). GraphQL usually exposes a single endpoint and lets the client specify exactly which fields it wants. This can reduce over-fetching (getting extra fields you don’t need) and under-fetching (needing multiple requests to assemble one screen). REST is often simpler to cache with standard HTTP caching, while GraphQL often needs more deliberate caching strategies on the client or gateway.

Question 2

When should I use GraphQL?

Accepted Answer

Use GraphQL when you have multiple clients (web, iOS, Android) with different data needs, when screens require data from many related backend resources, or when you want to evolve the API without creating many new endpoints. It’s especially helpful for mobile apps where bandwidth matters. Avoid or delay GraphQL if your API is very simple, you rely heavily on HTTP caching/CDNs with static responses, or your team isn’t ready to manage schema design, resolver performance, and authorization at field level.

Question 3

How much does GraphQL cost?

Accepted Answer

GraphQL itself is free (it’s a specification and many server libraries are open source). Costs come from how you run it: compute (containers/functions), API gateway or managed GraphQL services, networking/egress, observability, and engineering time. For managed services like AWS AppSync, pricing is typically based on request volume and features used (such as real-time subscriptions). For self-hosted GraphQL, pricing depends on your hosting platform (Kubernetes/VMs/serverless) and traffic.

GraphQL

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