Why you shouldn’t use GraphQL
GraphQL is gaining traction in the software development world because it offers an alternative to the traditional REST architecture. I think there are still some reasons why we should still consider the REST architecture instead.
Debugging GraphQL is Difficult
One of the most significant problems with GraphQL is that it is more difficult to debug than REST APIs. Unlike a REST API, GraphQL requests can’t be sent to a testing service like Postman. Also, unlike REST APIs, GraphQL does not provide any built-in error handling or logging. This makes it difficult to quickly identify and fix any errors that occur in GraphQL requests.
GraphQL Tooling Support is Limited
Another problem with GraphQL is its limited tooling support. Unlike REST APIs, there is no standardized way of organizing and managing GraphQL related code. This makes it difficult to integrate GraphQL into existing codebases, and without the right tools it can be difficult to properly scale and maintain GraphQL.
GraphQL has inherent Performance Issues
GraphQL can also have a negative impact on performance. GraphQL requires more round trips in order to fetch data than a typical REST API, which can result in slower response times. In addition, GraphQL can cause increased latency due to the need to create multiple versions of requests in order to fetch different data points.
GraphQL depends on User Input
Finally, GraphQL can also present security issues. Since GraphQL requests are sent with user input, there is a greater risk of malicious requests being sent to the server. This can cause serious security issues, as malicious requests can be used to access sensitive data or even execute arbitrary code on the server.
Wrapping it Up
GraphQL offers some advantages to the traditional REST API, but these advantages aren’t without downsides.
For most developers, the drawbacks associated with GraphQL outweigh the benefits. For senior software developers who are already familiar with REST and have the necessary tooling to manage APIs, it is usually better to stick to the more traditional REST architecture
Originally published at Brian Cline.
