RESTful APIs have long been the standard for building web services, but GraphQL is rapidly gaining popularity due to its flexibility and efficiency. In 2024, developers must decide between the two based on the needs of their application. REST is well-suited for simple, resource-based APIs where a clear, hierarchical structure is preferred. GraphQL, on the other hand, allows for more dynamic queries, letting clients specify exactly what data they need, reducing over-fetching and under-fetching of data. GraphQL is ideal for applications where complex data relationships exist, or where performance is critical due to its ability to combine multiple API calls into a single request. Choosing between REST and GraphQL depends on the complexity of your data and the specific requirements of your app.