By Newton Piccone, Senior Product Manager, IBM API Connect
According to analysts, more than 50% of enterprises will use GraphQL in production by 2025. Why? GraphQL provides advantages over REST, including better scaling and more control over what data is returned in the API call. With GraphQL, developers request the specific data they need and receive the specific data they requested, unlike traditional REST APIs.
GraphQL APIs can be used to federate multiple data sources together to provide a unified API experience. This combination of being able to request only the data needed, and to front-end multiple backend sources, eliminates excess server-side queries and reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred.
GraphQL also abstracts away the backend knowledge that REST requires. With GraphQL, developers don’t need to memorize backend architectures and systems; after defining the fields and objects needed, the GraphQL API pulls the data from wherever it lives. This simplifies data aggregation coming from multiple sources and improves productivity so developers can focus on building great applications and experiences.
At IBM, we’re focused on empowering developers and providing them with the tools they need to build innovative apps. We saw the value of GraphQL and acquired StepZen earlier this year to complement our market-leading API management solution, IBM API Connect. In July 2023, we launched a fully managed SaaS solution to help our clients simplify and accelerate the creation of GraphQL APIs, without having to worry about infrastructure, maintenance, or updates.
As of today, IBM API Connect Essentials is now generally available on-premises for clients who want the same benefits of building and scaling GraphQL APIs quickly, but with more control and customization to meet their specific IT requirements.
What is IBM API Connect Essentials?
IBM API Connect Essentials helps teams build and run GraphQL APIs in minutes, federate data from multiple sources (REST APIs, SQL databases, NoSQL databases, other GraphQL APIs and more) and run those APIs at scale to help you unlock more business value from your data. GraphQL APIs can be declaratively built from backend services by auto-generating schemas, so your developers write less code, and speed up the development process.
Why choose IBM API Connect Essentials?
-
Simplicity: eliminate complex coding challenges and detailed runtime configurations, and streamline the API creation process, saving you time and effort in both upfront development and long-term maintenance
-
Flexibility: it’s easy to combine different services (aka subgraphs) into one unified, federated supergraph, regardless of whether the graphs were built in API Connect Essentials or elsewhere.
-
Reliability: built to meet strict SLAs, API Connect Essentials ensures your GraphQL APIs are available when your users need them.
How do you get started with IBM API Connect Essentials?
Whether you're building a new application, enhancing an existing one, or exploring the power of GraphQL for the first time, we're here to support you every step of the way. Visit our website to learn more or try IBM API Connect Essentials for free. Experience firsthand how you can accelerate your GraphQL API development, streamline your workflows, and empower developers to create innovative applications.
#automation-featured-area-1#Spotlight