GraphQL API Basics & Best Practices (Explained Simply)

GraphQL provides a solution to REST API limitations by allowing clients to request exactly the data they need in a single query. The guide covers schema design fundamentals including types, queries, and mutations, explains GraphQL's unique error handling approach that returns partial data with errors, and discusses schema evolution as an alternative to versioning. Key best practices include keeping schemas modular and domain-driven, implementing query depth limits to prevent abuse, avoiding deep nesting for performance, and using clear naming conventions.