| slug | id | title | date | comments | tags | description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
66-public-api-choices |
66-public-api-choices |
Public API Choices |
2018-10-04 01:38 |
true |
|
There are several tools for the public API, API gateway or Backend for Frontend gateway. GraphQL distinguishes itself from others for its features like tailing results, batching nested queries, performance tracing, and explicit caching. |
In summary, to choose a tool for the public API, API gateway, or BFF (Backend For Frontend) gateway, I prefer GraphQL for its features like tailing results, batching nested queries, performance tracing, and explicit caching.
| JSON RPC | GraphQL | REST | gRPC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usecases | Etherum | Github V2, Airbnb, Facebook BFF / API Gateway | Swagger | High performance, Google, internal endpoints |
| Single Endpoint | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Type System | ✅ as weak as JSON No uint64 |
✅ No uint64 |
✅ w/ Swagger No uint64 |
✅ has uint64 |
| Tailored Results | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Batch nested queries | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Versioning | ❌ | Schema Extension | Yes, w/ v1/v2 route s | Field Numbers in protobuf |
| Error Handling | Structured | Structured | HTTP Status Code | Structured |
| Cross-platform | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Playground UI | ❌ | GraphQL Bin | Swagger | ❌ |
| Performance tracing | ? | Apollo plugin | ? | ? |
| caching | No or HTTP cache control | Apollo plugin | HTTP cache control | Native support not yet. but still yes w/ HTTP cache control |
| Problem | Lack of community support and toolchainBarrister IDL | 42.51 kb client-side bundle size | Unstructured with multiple endpoints. awful portability. | Grpc-web dev in progress140kb JS bundle. Compatibility issues: not all places support HTTP2 and grpc dependencies |