The debate between GraphQL and REST has been raging for a decade. In 2026, the arrival of tRPC and Server Components has added new layers to this discussion.
REST: The Universal Language
- Pros: Caching is built-in, predictable, works everywhere.
- Cons: Over-fetching (getting data you don't need) and multiple round-trips.
GraphQL: The Front-end's Dream
- Pros: Client gets exactly what it asks for, strongly typed, single endpoint.
- Cons: Complex to setup, caching is difficult, potential for N+1 query problems.
The New Contender: tRPC
For TypeScript-only stacks, tRPC offers the benefits of GraphQL (type safety, no round trips) with zero of the complexity.
When to use what?
- Public API: Use REST.
- Complex, multi-platform app: Use GraphQL.
- Internal Fullstack TS app: Use tRPC.
Architecture is about choosing the right tool for the specific problem at hand.