GraphQL
GraphQL is an open-source query language for APIs that allows clients to request exactly the data they need, making it more efficient than traditional REST APIs.
What is GraphQL?
GraphQL is an open-source query language for APIs, developed by Facebook and released publicly in 2015. Unlike REST APIs, where the server defines fixed endpoints and response shapes, GraphQL allows the client to specify exactly what data it needs in a single request.
In e-commerce and PIM contexts, GraphQL is increasingly used for product data APIs because it allows frontend applications (websites, apps, kiosks) to fetch precisely the product fields they need — nothing more, nothing less.
How GraphQL Differs from REST
- REST: multiple endpoints for different resources; GraphQL: a single endpoint for all queries
- REST: server determines response shape; GraphQL: client specifies what fields to return
- REST: may over-fetch (too much data) or under-fetch (too little); GraphQL: fetch exactly what is needed
- REST: well-established with broad tooling; GraphQL: newer with growing ecosystem
GraphQL in Commerce Platforms
Modern headless commerce platforms like Shopify (Storefront API), Contentful, and Sanity all offer GraphQL APIs. This makes it easy to build fast, efficient storefronts that only load the product data required for each page, improving performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GraphQL better than REST?
Neither is universally better. GraphQL excels when clients need flexible queries and multiple resources in one request. REST is simpler to cache and widely supported. Many platforms offer both.
Does Apimio support GraphQL?
Apimio provides RESTful APIs for product data integration. Contact our team for details on GraphQL support and roadmap.