GraphQL, gRPC or REST? Resolving the API Developer's Dilemma

on YouTube ↗51m

" summary

Compares REST, GraphQL, gRPC and WebHooks by mapping concrete tradeoffs: GraphQL uses a schema and client queries with tooling like Apollo and persistent queries to reduce round trips but complicates server-side batching; gRPC uses protobufs and HTTP/2 for low-latency internal RPCs and can be proxied for browsers; REST leverages HTTP caching, CDNs and HTTP/2 server push for edge performance and simpler CRUD; recommends contract-first (OpenAPI or proto files), graceful evolution over versioning, and using a BFF/composite layer when aggregating multiple services.

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" chapters (24)

1. 0:00Intro
2. 2:17MY TWITTER TIMELINE IS A TYRE FIRE
3. 6:11API COMMUNITY IS SMALL WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER
4. 6:49NO! THAT'S NOT THE WAY APIS WORK!
5. 12:39THERE IS NO UNIVERSAL BEST API STYLE
6. 12:56THERE IS ALWAYS A BEST API STYLE FOR YOUR PROBLEM
7. 16:06CONSTRAINTS = PROPERTIES
8. 17:38LET'S DISPEL SOME MYTHS
9. 19:54REST IS STATE-MACHINE OVER HTTP
10. 21:31FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS BUILD RESTISH APIS
11. 24:02GRAPHQL BREAKS CACHING
12. 24:13WHAT KIND OF CACHING?
13. 25:28GET WITH PERSISTED QUERIES
14. 29:03OVER/UNDER FETCHING
15. 31:56HELLO HTTP/2, GOODBYE NETWORK HACKS
16. 34:23GRAPHQL IS NOT JUST ABOUT NETWORK EFFICIENCY
17. 36:01GRAPHQL ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR VERSIONING
18. 36:24VERSIONING VS GRACEFUL EVOLUTION
19. 36:55GRACEFUL EVOLUTION SHOULD BE THE GOAL
20. 37:41YOU CANNOT OVER COMMUNICATE WITH USERS!
21. 38:29TOLERANT READERS ARE MODEL CLIENTS
22. 40:17BUG FOR BUG COMPATIBILITY
23. 42:05DOMAIN MODELLING IS PURELY A REST CONCERN
24. 43:03GRAPHQL DELAYS THE LAST RESPONSIBLE MOMENT FOR IDENTIFYING USER NEEDS

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