What is GraphQL and Its Advantages?

Today, GraphQL takes pride in helping to solve common data problems that humanity experiences everyday. We define GraphQL as the query language that APIs and clients use to load applications from various servers. It was developed by Facebook in 2012 and was made open-source in 2015. Facebook first made it for their mobile phones applications before launching it officially to the public. During its launch, Facebook explained that the company needed a smart and powerful data fetching API to help manage all Facebook’s tasks. The company carried out GraphQL orientation on JavaScript (programming language of the web), to measure its credibility. Since then, GraphQL has continued to develop, and, as of now, it is the best open-source data query and manipulation language for APIs in the world. This blog aims to explore the basics of GraphQL, how it works, and its advantages.

How Does GraphQL Work?

GraphQL operates in three distinct ways which are:

• A query (read)
• Mutation (write)
• Subscription (continuous read)

The tool allows a client (mobile application) to select the type of data to request from a server using a single request. GraphQL tools then create a query based on the request that it has received and send it back to the same server. With the help of special software, the server understands this query and gives the results to the client in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation). GraphQL developed a syntax called Schema that enables clients to understand what data to ask for. In this way, GraphQL simplifies the process by making a single tool responsible for receiving queries, rather than relying on the REST (Representational state transfer) API strategy of having separate endpoints for each service. This is what makes companies like Netflix, Paypal, and Coursera take pride in GraphQL for enabling them to build flexible and super-performing APIs. Despite its top competition, GraphQL is the giant in the industry because its dynamic reduces data transfer and solves data problems. Below is a list of well-elaborated advantages of GraphQL and various ways in which it applies. So, shall we?

GraphQL is Faster

Speed is one of the major benefits that GraphQL offers to its customers. The 21st century is characterized by technology that helps solve problems quickly. Unlike many years ago, today, you don’t require the whole day to solve a problem or retrieve data. This is helpful because it enables clients to receive information quickly rather than waiting. From the moment a person makes a query to the server, GraphQL fetches this query quickly and interprets it. Because GraphQL enables us to specify queries, it can process them faster and hence deliver results within the time. As the world continues to get more digital, it means that we need a tool that will help capture, process, and deliver data quickly. GraphQL developers understand this trend and that’s why, even today, it is one of the best data management tools.

Does Not Require Constant Updates

Most of the applications that we have today require a constant update. Updating applications enables them to serve their purpose well and prevent machines from hanging. GraphQL, unlike much software, does not require a mandatory update to function. Some software tools we have in the world today require users to buy the latest versions. Buying these updated versions costs lots of money that users can use to do other important things. This constant update is also time-consuming and not everyone gets the time to keep them up to date. Failure to update software makes them slow and inefficient at work. Adopting GraphQL means you can process lots of data for years without having to update any of its tools. For instance, Facebook has used the same version of GraphQL to run its operations. The same GraphQL is still running smoothly, enabling Facebook to be the company it is today.

Hierarchical Structure

Technological tools that have a specific hierarchy achieve more than other tools that lack hierarchy. Hierarchy is very key in creating a better end-user experience. It also enables companies to prioritize business goals, hence creating high-quality goods and services. GraphQL uses a specific hierarchy when processing data. The benefit of using a hierarchy is that a company can perfect each step of the hierarchy to fasten data delivery. The quicker the company can process information, the quicker it makes more money and vice versa. From the foundations of GraphQL, the hierarchy of applications was well defined. Its every aspect was well put into place, enabling companies like Netflix, Facebook, and others to make millions of dollars each year.

Prevents Over and Under Fetching of Problem

Data over fetching or under fetching is a common problem many people encounter in their daily lives while using various devices, such as phones. Over-fetching is when a client downloads more information than required from an app, either knowingly or unknowingly. A disadvantage of this is that it may take longer to download, hence wasting your precious time. This unnecessary data may also require added space in your device, hence limiting your storage. Under-fetching, on the other hand, is the inability to have enough required data, hence giving you limited information. Using GraphQL eliminates these two problems by delivering the exact information that the client has asked for.

Predictable Data Analysis

Predictability is the ability of machines to detect what a client is looking for and deliver it before the client asks. This is key because it helps fasten the information acquiring process and hence saves time. GraphQL is very excellent at predicting the client query and processing that information to give the client feedback. To help you have an idea, let’s use an example. Let’s say you’re looking for the best phones on the market, right? You’ll just go to any search engine such as Google or Bing and try to type that information. If you are keen enough, you’ll realize that the search engine will predict what you are trying to search for and finish that statement for you. From the moment you type “The best phones…” the GraphQL will detect this and finish it for you by adding “in Australia 2022.” Apart from this, the GraphQL tools with the help of other technological software predict other types of phones you may be interested to look at and channels them to you. This happens quickly, saving you from the hassle involved while trying to get the correct information, hence saving your energy and time.

Improves Organisational Understanding

We live in a world full of business-oriented people. Unlike in the past, entrepreneurs have learned the importance of enhancing understanding between their employees. One of the best ways to achieve this cohesion is by adopting GraphQL because it improves how data is processed, dispatched, and retrieved by employees. Each organizational API can be put together in a specific graph known as schema, which makes it easier for any worker to understand the data. Also, grouping APIs gives entrepreneurs a perfect opportunity to organize data. This organization gives them an idea of what data employees require and at what time, hence making it easier to give them accurate information. When you give correct data to your workers, it reduces the chances of making mistakes, which in return gives you more profits. GraphQL gathers various types of data, and types down the errors found between applications and all company servers, hence making it easier to eliminate any found error. The best part is that GraphQL also enforces compatibility between various applications, making it easier for application developers to achieve their tasks effectively.

Provides More Backend Stability

One of the major benefits of GraphQL is stability and simplicity. GraphQL may seem very complex, but in reality, it uses very simple methods to collect and analyze data. Since Facebook launched it into the market back in 2015, until today, users still praise GraphQL for its simplicity. When applications or programs are simple, it means that it is easier to use them. Ease of use not only saves time but also enables you to perform lots of tasks that would otherwise appear impossible. GraphQL simplifies queries, improving the stability of the entire data processing process. Achieving this may look easy, but Grpahql uses a complex system to create this stability. First, it delivers the data in a structured format that is independent of the client’s request. The system then manipulates this data depending on the type of data a client is looking for. This alteration happens in the backend code base and there is no way it changes the way a client functions. Traditional servers cannot achieve this in any way, even when data is available. Why? Because such servers require clients to dictate the methods. The problem with this method is that it’s very easy to alter how the database works, which ends up in having “broken” applications.

Better Data Retrieval

The ability of a company or any application to work faster depends on the type of query language it uses to retrieve data. Using a faster method means that you get the required data within seconds, and therefore, you execute your plans quickly. Since 2012, GraphQL has always provided better methods of data retrieval because of its simplicity and stability. GraphiQL collects data under one common endpoint, making it easy for the client to get the same data at once, instead of receiving it little by little. For instance, just imagine you had to pick up your guest from the airport, right? On looking on a map, you just see over 20 different routes leading to the same airport but all have their specifications such as speed limits, types of vehicles, amount of weight, etc. Analyzing this scenario may be complex as you try to decide what route to use. In return, this causes delay, making it hard for you to pick up your guest on time. What if you had just one route with well-defined features? This would prevent you from thinking too much and saves you time. This is what GraphQL works, by shortening the route that data needs to go before it reaches you.

Best for Microservices

Developers know GraphQL for its ability to unite complex systems and other microservices. GraphQL joins these applications, making it difficult for the user to detect their complexity. The GraphQL server gathers data from an existing system and packs it in a format that can easily be readable by other GraphQL tools. The major benefit of doing this is that it helps create better and huge third-party APIs or legacy infrastructure that are difficult to handle. Combining these APIs creates better microservices architecture, which makes it easier for various microservices to communicate under the GraphQL schema umbrella.

Excellent Developer Experience

Adopting GraphQL comes with other additional tools that make using GraphQL a walk in the park. For example, GraphQL Playground allows developers to inspect the type of APIs they want to use. This tool also streamlines services which minimize the time developers waste as they try to navigate GraphQL database codes. The GraphQL Playground has self-documenting features that automatically record any activity that a developer is doing, reducing the time needed to do it manually. GraphQL Code Generator is another important tool that speeds up the development process, something that other query language APIs cannot do. GraphQL library also contains client-based caching that increases data retrieval performance without the need of accessing deeper data storage areas, which may take time to retrieve this data.

The Bottom Line

GraphQL is a query language that has an array of uses. Companies like Instagram, Takipedia, The New York Times, and others have discovered the benefits of GraphQL and have fully adopted the tool. GraphQL saves time and costs, offers better data analysis methods, has the best developer experience, and many others. The tool is built to help hide the complexity of internal systems by activating automatic data retrieval methods and self-documentation. Even if GraphQL has so many benefits, it has some disadvantages too. GraphQL lacks Caching support, has a complex query system, and its schemas can cause lots of problems for the user. Development of other query languages such as Prisma, Oracle PL/SQL, Oracle PL/SQL, and JSON API has also posed a challenge to GraphQL, but the tool keeps on becoming better as technology advances. Despite all this competition, GraphQL can be a brilliant solution for your company when well utilized. To learn more about GraphQL, click here:

https://blog.back4app.com/graphql-benefits-over-rest/