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GraphQL in .NET 8: A Smarter Way to Build APIs
GraphQL in .NET: Why, When, and How to Use It
Why GraphQL is changing the game in .NET development, when to use it, and how to build a blazing-fast API with minimal code.
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Do you ever get that feeling when you order a coffee and they give you way too much milk when all you wanted was a strong shot of espresso? Or worse, when they don’t add enough, and you’re left with a drink that’s just… off?
That’s kind of how REST APIs work sometimes.
You either get too much data or not enough, and you end up making extra requests to fill in the gaps.
That’s where GraphQL steps in, and if you’re working with .NET, you’re in luck — it integrates smoothly into the ecosystem.
But before we jump into the how, let’s talk about the why.
Why Use GraphQL in .NET?
GraphQL was created by Facebook to solve a simple but frustrating problem: REST APIs don’t always give the client exactly what it needs.
Sometimes you get overloaded with unnecessary data, and other times, you have to make multiple calls just to assemble one complete response.
This inefficiency can lead to sluggish performance and wasted bandwidth.
When Should You Use GraphQL?
- Frontend Needs Flexibility: If your frontend developers are constantly asking for API changes or complaining about over-fetching or under-fetching data, GraphQL is your friend.
- Multiple Clients, Different Data Needs: Mobile apps, web apps, admin panels — all consuming the same API but requiring different fields? REST gets clunky here, while GraphQL handles it smoothly.
- Complex Relationships: If your API needs to pull data from multiple sources and stitch it together efficiently, GraphQL can help consolidate those requests into one neat package.
- Microservices…
