When building APIs in Node.js, choosing between GraphQL and REST depends on your project needs. REST is a traditional approach using endpoints for specific resources, making it straightforward and familiar. However, it can result in over-fetching or under-fetching data, especially in complex applications.
GraphQL, on the other hand, offers flexibility by allowing clients to request precisely the data they need in a single query. This minimizes network calls and improves performance. For projects requiring dynamic data structures or rapid iterations, GraphQL is a strong choice, while REST remains suitable for simpler, well-defined APIs.