🔺GraphQL vs JSON-RPC📨
GraphQL is a flexible query language with a typed schema, while JSON-RPC is a minimal protocol for simple remote procedure calls. Rich flexibility versus simplicity.
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🔺GraphQL
- ✓Clients fetch exactly the data they need
- ✓Strongly typed, self-documenting schema
- ✓Rich tooling and a single endpoint
- ✓Great for varied frontend client needs
📨JSON-RPC
- ✓Extremely simple, minimal protocol
- ✓Easy to implement with little overhead
- ✓Transport-agnostic — works over HTTP, WebSockets and more
- ✓Ideal for straightforward remote method calls
Verdict
Pick GraphQL for flexible, typed APIs serving varied clients. Pick JSON-RPC for simple, minimal remote procedure calls where flexibility is unnecessary.
Frequently asked
Is JSON-RPC simpler than GraphQL?+
Yes — JSON-RPC is a minimal protocol, while GraphQL adds a schema and query language.
Which has more tooling?+
GraphQL has a far richer ecosystem of clients and developer tools.
When should I use JSON-RPC?+
For simple method-call APIs where GraphQL's flexibility adds unneeded complexity.
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