Overview
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gRPC: A high-performance, open-source RPC (Remote Procedure Call) framework developed by Google. Ideal for microservices and internal communication in distributed systems.
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REST: An architectural style for building web services over HTTP, commonly used for web APIs due to its simplicity and widespread adoption.
Communication Patterns
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gRPC: Supports unary, client streaming, server streaming, and bidirectional streaming.
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REST: Uses a request-response model only. No built-in support for streaming or real-time updates.
Protocols
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gRPC: Uses HTTP/2, allowing multiplexing, header compression, and persistent connections.
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REST: Primarily uses HTTP/1.1, which has limitations like no multiplexing and higher overhead.
Data Formats
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gRPC: Uses Protocol Buffers (Protobuf) – compact, binary format that’s fast and efficient.
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REST: Typically uses JSON – human-readable but larger and slower to parse.
Flexibility
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gRPC:
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Auto-generates code for many languages (e.g., C#, Java, Go).
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Tight coupling between client and server due to schema (Protobuf).
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REST:
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Language-agnostic and easier to integrate with web and mobile platforms.
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More flexible for public APIs due to loose coupling.
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Performance
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gRPC:
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High throughput, low latency.
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Efficient for internal microservices and real-time communication.
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REST:
- Simpler but less efficient, especially for large payloads or frequent calls.
Which One to Choose?
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✅ Choose gRPC for speed, streaming, and internal microservices.
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✅ Choose REST for simplicity, interoperability, and public APIs.