Why we migrate GraphQL to tRPC?

#Engineering #tRPC #GraphQL

In the realm of web development, staying abreast of emerging technologies and frameworks is paramount to ensuring optimal performance, scalability, and developer productivity. GraphQL has long been hailed as a revolutionary tool for building flexible and efficient APIs. However, as the landscape evolves, so too do our needs and priorities. In this blog post, we'll delve into our decision to migrate from GraphQL to tRPC and explore the compelling reasons behind this transition.

The Rise of GraphQL

GraphQL emerged as a game-changer in the world of API development, offering a powerful alternative to traditional REST APIs. With its declarative data-fetching capabilities, GraphQL allows clients to request precisely the data they need, streamlining communication between client and server and eliminating over-fetching and under-fetching of data. Its schema-based approach and introspection capabilities provide unparalleled flexibility and discoverability, making it an attractive choice for developers seeking to build robust and adaptable APIs.

Challenges with GraphQL

While GraphQL undoubtedly offers numerous benefits, it is not without its challenges. One common pain point is the complexity associated with schema management and versioning, particularly in larger projects with multiple teams contributing to the codebase. Additionally, the learning curve for developers new to GraphQL can be steep, requiring a deep understanding of concepts such as resolvers, types, and queries.

Enter tRPC

tRPC (Typed RPC) is a modern framework for building type-safe APIs in TypeScript. Developed by the team behind Blitz.js, tRPC takes a different approach from GraphQL, focusing on simplicity, type-safety, and developer ergonomics. At its core, tRPC leverages TypeScript's powerful type system to automatically generate type-safe client and server code, eliminating the need for manual type definitions and reducing the likelihood of runtime errors.

Why We Migrated to tRPC

1. Type Safety: One of the most compelling reasons for migrating to tRPC was its unparalleled type safety. By leveraging TypeScript's static typing capabilities, tRPC ensures that both client and server code remain type-safe throughout the development process, reducing the likelihood of runtime errors and improving code maintainability.
2. Simplified Workflow: tRPC's minimalist approach to API development streamlined our workflow, allowing us to focus on building features rather than wrestling with complex schema definitions and resolver functions. With tRPC, defining API endpoints is as simple as writing TypeScript functions, making it easy to iterate and evolve our API over time.
3. Performance and Scalability: tRPC's lightweight runtime and efficient serialization format (MessagePack) contribute to improved performance and scalability compared to GraphQL. By minimizing overhead and optimizing data transmission, tRPC ensures fast and responsive API interactions, even under heavy load.
4. Community Support: As part of the thriving TypeScript ecosystem, tRPC benefits from strong community support and active development. The availability of plugins, extensions, and documentation resources further enhances its appeal, making it a compelling choice for developers seeking to build modern, type-safe APIs.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, our decision to migrate from GraphQL to tRPC was driven by a desire to simplify our workflow, improve type safety, and enhance performance and scalability. While GraphQL remains a powerful tool for API development, tRPC offered a more streamlined and developer-friendly alternative that aligned closely with our needs and priorities. As the landscape continues to evolve, we're excited to embrace new technologies and frameworks that enable us to build better, more resilient software.