Is GraphQL DEAD indeed?

Spoiler: Not for the Web3 in 2025!

Author

Daniel Yavorovych
October 02, 2024

Hey there, it’s Daniel! 

Recently, I showed a LinkedIn post to Alex, our Web3 Architect, claiming that GraphQL is on the decline. He just laughed it off, which made me wonder if there was more to the story. I did some digging, and here’s what I got.

What is GraphQL?

GraphQL is a query language and runtime system designed to offer a more efficient and flexible alternative to traditional REST APIs. Unlike REST, which uses multiple endpoints to retrieve data, GraphQL allows clients to request exactly what they need, reducing unnecessary data transfer and improving performance.

For blockchain, GraphQL simplifies data access and management across complex, distributed networks, making it easier for developers to work with blockchain data efficiently.

In practice that means we use GraphQL for:

Smooth blockchain data queries

GraphQL lets you query specific data from the blockchain without wading through massive responses.

Aggregating data from multiple chains

Normally, it’s a hassle to handle different blockchains’ APIs and formats, but with GraphQL, you can unify this into a single query!

Real-time NFT data

You know how NFTs have metadata scattered all over IPFS, centralized databases, or on-chain? GraphQL stitches this data together in one simple query.

Decentralized social apps

Platforms like Lens Protocol already use GraphQL to serve user data like posts, profiles, and interactions from the blockchain. It makes decentralized social media apps fast, without endless API requests.

Efficient DAO management

Instead of querying tons of contract events to get proposals, votes, and treasury balances, you just call one endpoint and get all the latest governance data instantly.

Customized DeFi dashboards

We pull needed data from various DeFi protocols—balances, staking info, interest rates, anything.
Zero APIs involved.

How do these small treasures influence the whole treasury? I show you how GraphQL works for real-world examples of popular projects you’re likely familiar with.

Nansen, a blockchain analytics platform, uses GraphQL through its product called "Nansen Query" to provide access to comprehensive blockchain data across more than 16 chains. The GraphQL-like querying capability supports various use cases such as portfolio management, market analysis, trading strategies, and enhanced user experiences for dApps.

By the way, we know Nansen personally as we created the part of their infrastructure capable of handling the vast amount of data involved while ensuring both reliability and security. 

Uniswap has embraced GraphQL to simplify data access for their users and developers. By implementing a GraphQL-powered API, Uniswap has empowered its community to query the exact data they need, whether it's token prices, liquidity pools, or transaction history. 

The Graph has also placed GraphQL at the heart of its architecture. By providing a GraphQL-based API, The Graph enables developers to easily access and aggregate data from various blockchain networks, including Ethereum, IPFS, and Filecoin. 

So, are those features enough to stay in demand in 2025?

The short answer is “Sure!” as using GraphQL always sounds like taking a shorter and safer road while retrieving any needed data with haste. A report from Gartner® predicted that by 2025, more than 50% of enterprises will use GraphQL in production, up from less than 10% in 2021. And, we at Dynsix as programmers, blockchain engineers, and infrastructure architects will use this instrument to make your Web3 projects faster, better, and more reliable.

My colleagues attended Singapore recently and shared the most spectacular news (and views!) from blockchain events:

Best regards,

Daniel