Popular API Technologies: REST, GraphQL, and gRPC

Abstract

In the rapidly evolving landscape of software development, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are crucial for assembly efficient, scalable, and high-performance applications. This thesis aims to present a comparative analysis of three prominent API technologies: REST (Representational State Transfer), GraphQL (Graph Query Language), and gRPC (Google Remote Procedure Call). By examining their design principles, use cases, and emerging trends, this study aims to guide IT developers and IT professionals in making well-informed technology choices. The analysis covers the simplicity and widespread adoption of REST, the efficient and flexible data retrieval capabilities of GraphQL, and the high-performance communication facilitated by gRPC. Case studies on platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, GitHub, Facebook, Salesforce, Shopify, and Netflix illustrated the practical benefits and implementations of these technologies. The findings underscored the importance of selecting the appropriate API technology to drive digital transformation and integration across various industries.