Architecture
GraphQL is a query language and runtime for APIs that allows clients to request exactly the data fields they need in a single request, eliminating over-fetching and under-fetching problems common in REST APIs.
Developed by Facebook in 2012 and open-sourced in 2015, GraphQL exposes a single endpoint where clients send queries describing the precise shape of the data they want, and the server responds with exactly that structure. This is especially powerful for mobile clients with bandwidth constraints and complex UIs that need data from multiple related resources in one network round-trip. A strongly typed schema serves as a living contract between frontend and backend teams, enabling auto-generated documentation and compile-time query validation. GraphQL subscriptions extend the model to real-time data by maintaining a persistent connection over WebSockets.
Example
A social media mobile app uses GraphQL to fetch a user's profile photo, username, and three most recent posts in a single query instead of making three separate REST API calls.
Related terms
REST API (Representational State Transfer API)
A REST API is a web API that follows the REST architectural style, using standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and stateless communication to expose resources identified by URLs.
API (Application Programming Interface)
An API is a defined set of rules and protocols that allows one software application to request and exchange data or functionality with another, acting as a structured contract between systems.
Frontend
Frontend refers to the client-side layer of a web or mobile application — everything the user sees and interacts with directly, including layout, visual design, navigation, and interactive behaviour rendered in the browser or on the device.
Microservices
Microservices is an architectural style in which a large application is built as a collection of small, independently deployable services, each responsible for a specific business capability and communicating via APIs.
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