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FeathersJS vs GraphQL: What are the differences?
# Introduction
Key differences between FeathersJS and GraphQL:
1. **Query Language and Execution**: FeathersJS uses its own query language while GraphQL comes with its query language which allows clients to request only the data they need, reducing over-fetching of data.
2. **Real-time and Subscriptions**: FeathersJS natively supports real-time functionality through WebSocket, while GraphQL requires additional protocols like GraphQL subscriptions for real-time updates.
3. **Backend Development Workflow**: FeathersJS provides a structured backend development workflow with built-in services and hooks for common functionalities, whereas GraphQL is mainly concerned with fetching and manipulating data at the API level.
4. **Learning Curve and Adoption**: FeathersJS follows a more traditional RESTful approach to API development, making it easier for developers familiar with REST, while GraphQL requires understanding of its schema, types, and resolvers, leading to a steeper learning curve for beginners.
5. **Data Fetching Efficiency**: GraphQL enables clients to request exactly the needed data through its schema, reducing multiple API calls for related data, whereas FeathersJS may require multiple API calls to fetch related data in a traditional RESTful approach.
6. **Client-Side Flexibility**: GraphQL allows clients to define their data requirements in the query, giving them more flexibility and control over the responses they receive, compared to FeathersJS where the server defines the data structure.
In Summary, the key differences between FeathersJS and GraphQL lie in their query languages, real-time capabilities, development workflows, learning curves, data fetching efficiency, and client-side flexibility.
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Learn MorePros of FeathersJS
Pros of GraphQL
Pros of FeathersJS
- Real-time12
- Choose any ORM7
- Datastore Agnostic7
- Flexible Plugins6
- Choose Socketio or Primus5
- Easy Rest4
- Isomorphic Services API4
- Open source4
- Scalable3
- Easy to use with Graphql3
- Documentation3
- Service-oriented architecture3
- Data-driven APIs3
- Uses express, will support other options soon3
- Advanced Composable Service Middleware called holds3
Pros of GraphQL
- Schemas defined by the requests made by the user75
- Will replace RESTful interfaces63
- The future of API's62
- The future of databases49
- Self-documenting13
- Get many resources in a single request12
- Query Language6
- Ask for what you need, get exactly that6
- Fetch different resources in one request3
- Type system3
- Evolve your API without versions3
- Ease of client creation2
- GraphiQL2
- Easy setup2
- "Open" document1
- Fast prototyping1
- Supports subscription1
- Standard1
- Good for apps that query at build time. (SSR/Gatsby)1
- 1. Describe your data1
- Better versioning1
- Backed by Facebook1
- Easy to learn1
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Cons of FeathersJS
Cons of GraphQL
Cons of FeathersJS
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Cons of GraphQL
- Hard to migrate from GraphQL to another technology4
- More code to type.4
- Takes longer to build compared to schemaless.2
- No support for caching1
- All the pros sound like NFT pitches1
- No support for streaming1
- Works just like any other API at runtime1
- N+1 fetch problem1
- No built in security1
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- No public GitHub repository available -
What is FeathersJS?
Feathers is a real-time, micro-service web framework for NodeJS that gives you control over your data via RESTful resources, sockets and flexible plug-ins.
What is GraphQL?
GraphQL is a data query language and runtime designed and used at Facebook to request and deliver data to mobile and web apps since 2012.
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What companies use FeathersJS?
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What tools integrate with GraphQL?
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What are some alternatives to FeathersJS and GraphQL?
Sails.js
Sails is designed to mimic the MVC pattern of frameworks like Ruby on Rails, but with support for the requirements of modern apps: data-driven APIs with scalable, service-oriented architecture.
Meteor
A Meteor application is a mix of JavaScript that runs inside a client web browser, JavaScript that runs on the Meteor server inside a Node.js container, and all the supporting HTML fragments, CSS rules, and static assets.
LoopBack
A highly-extensible, open-source Node.js framework that enables you to create dynamic end-to-end REST APIs with little or no coding. Connect to multiple data sources, write business logic in Node.js, glue on top of your existing services and data, connect using JS, iOS & Android SDKs.
AdonisJS
It is a Node.js Framework which is highly focused on developer ergonomics, stability and confidence.
NestJS
Nest is a framework for building efficient, scalable Node.js server-side applications. It uses progressive JavaScript, is built with TypeScript (preserves compatibility with pure JavaScript) and combines elements of OOP (Object Oriented Programming), FP (Functional Programming), and FRP (Functional Reactive Programming).
Under the hood, Nest makes use of Express, but also, provides compatibility with a wide range of other libraries, like e.g. Fastify, allowing for easy use of the myriad third-party plugins which are available.