Exploring the quality attribute and performance implications of using GraphQL in a data-fetching API

Abstract: The dynamic query language GraphQL is gaining popularity within the field as more and more software architects choose it as their architectural model of choice when designing an API. The dynamic nature of the GraphQL queries provide a different way of thinking about data fetching, focusing more on the experience for the API consumer. The language provides many exciting features for the field, but not much is known about the implications of implementing them. This thesis analyzes the architecture of GraphQL and explores its attributes in order to understand the tradeoffs and performance implications of implementing a GraphQL architecture in a data-fetching API, as opposed to a conventional REST architecture. The results from the architectural analysis suggests that the GraphQL architecture values the usability and supportability attributes higher than its REST counterpart. A performance experiment was performed, testing the internal performance of GraphQL versus REST in a use-case where its dynamic functionality is not utilized (returning the same static response as its REST equivalent). The results indicate that the performance of GraphQL implementations are lower than that of its REST equivalents in use-cases where the dynamic functionality is not utilized.