GraphQL vs REST comparison - Hands-On Comparison

Build a Simple GraphQL API to Compare GraphQL and REST

📖 Scenario: You are creating a small API to share information about the differences between GraphQL and REST. This API will help developers understand key points by querying the data.

🎯 Goal: Build a GraphQL schema with data about GraphQL and REST comparison, then write queries to fetch this data step-by-step.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a GraphQL type called ComparisonPoint with fields id, topic, and description

Create a list of ComparisonPoint items with exact comparison data

Add a query type comparisonPoints that returns the list

Write a GraphQL query to fetch all comparison points with their topic and description

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

APIs often need to explain or document differences between technologies. This project shows how to build a simple GraphQL API to share such information.

💼 Career

Understanding GraphQL schema design, resolvers, and queries is essential for backend developers working with modern APIs.

1

Define the ComparisonPoint type and initial data

Create a GraphQL type called ComparisonPoint with fields id (ID!), topic (String!), and description (String!). Then create a list called comparisonPoints with these exact entries: { id: "1", topic: "Data Fetching", description: "GraphQL fetches exactly what you ask for, REST returns fixed data." } and { id: "2", topic: "Endpoints", description: "GraphQL uses a single endpoint, REST uses multiple endpoints." }.

GraphQL

# Define the ComparisonPoint type and create the comparisonPoints list
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Define the type with three fields and create an array with two objects exactly as shown.

2

Add the Query type with comparisonPoints field

Add a GraphQL type Query with a field comparisonPoints that returns a list of ComparisonPoint. Then add a resolver function called comparisonPoints that returns the comparisonPoints list.

GraphQL

type ComparisonPoint {
  id: ID!
  topic: String!
  description: String!
}

const comparisonPoints = [
  { id: "1", topic: "Data Fetching", description: "GraphQL fetches exactly what you ask for, REST returns fixed data." },
  { id: "2", topic: "Endpoints", description: "GraphQL uses a single endpoint, REST uses multiple endpoints." }
];

# Add the Query type and resolver for comparisonPoints
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Define the Query type with a field returning a list of ComparisonPoint. Then write a resolver returning the data list.

3

Write a GraphQL query to fetch all comparison points

Write a GraphQL query named GetComparisonPoints that fetches the topic and description fields from comparisonPoints.

GraphQL

type ComparisonPoint {
  id: ID!
  topic: String!
  description: String!
}

type Query {
  comparisonPoints: [ComparisonPoint!]!
}

const comparisonPoints = [
  { id: "1", topic: "Data Fetching", description: "GraphQL fetches exactly what you ask for, REST returns fixed data." },
  { id: "2", topic: "Endpoints", description: "GraphQL uses a single endpoint, REST uses multiple endpoints." }
];

const resolvers = {
  Query: {
    comparisonPoints: () => comparisonPoints
  }
};

# Write the GraphQL query named GetComparisonPoints
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Write a query named GetComparisonPoints that requests topic and description fields from comparisonPoints.

4

Complete the GraphQL schema export

Export the GraphQL schema by combining the type definitions and resolvers. Use makeExecutableSchema from @graphql-tools/schema with typeDefs and resolvers.

GraphQL

type ComparisonPoint {
  id: ID!
  topic: String!
  description: String!
}

type Query {
  comparisonPoints: [ComparisonPoint!]!
}

const comparisonPoints = [
  { id: "1", topic: "Data Fetching", description: "GraphQL fetches exactly what you ask for, REST returns fixed data." },
  { id: "2", topic: "Endpoints", description: "GraphQL uses a single endpoint, REST uses multiple endpoints." }
];

const resolvers = {
  Query: {
    comparisonPoints: () => comparisonPoints
  }
};

query GetComparisonPoints {
  comparisonPoints {
    topic
    description
  }
}

# Export the schema using makeExecutableSchema with typeDefs and resolvers
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use makeExecutableSchema with typeDefs and resolvers, then export the schema as default.