gRPC vs REST : Overview, Key Differences and Where to Use

Few critical differences between gRPC and REST that are worth highlighting. First, gRPC uses a binary encoding for its message payloads as opposed to the JSON encoding used by REST. This can result in a more efficient representation of data, especially when dealing with structured data types such as protobufs. 

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Second, gRPC uses HTTP/2 as its transport protocol, while REST typically uses HTTP/1.1. This can provide a number of performance benefits such as lower latency and higher throughput. Finally, gRPC services are typically generated from service definitions using tools like protocol.

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They can be strongly typed and easily integrated into programming languages like Java, Go, Python, etc. In terms of performance, gRPC has been shown to outperform REST in a number of benchmarks. For example, a recent benchmarking study by Google showed that gRPC was able to achieve up to 60% lower latency than REST for some use cases.

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In terms of throughput, gRPC has also been shown to outperform REST, achieving up to 10x higher throughput in some cases. Confused between gRPC and REST? Well, worry not! This article will help break down the key differences between these two popular web service styles.

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But before we try to understand the significant difference between two of the most popular API development styles. Let us first understand what an RPC is.

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What is RPC?

RPC stands for the remote procedure call. It is a method of communication between two computer systems in which one system (the client) requests a service from the other system (the server).

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The server then performs the requested service and returns the results to the client. RPC is used in a wide variety of applications, such as file sharing, printing, and software updates. It is also a popular choice for inter-process communication (IPC), due to its flexibility and efficiency.

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In order for RPC to work, both the client and server must have access to a shared library of code that contains the RPC functions. This library is typically provided by the operating system or an application programming interface (API).

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Once the RPC library is in place, communication between the two systems can take place using any number of protocols, such as TCP/IP or UDP. RPC is a powerful tool for building distributed applications, and its popularity is only likely to continue to grow in the years to come.

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What is gRPC?

gRPC is a modern open-source remote procedure call (RPC) framework that can run anywhere. It enables client and server applications to communicate transparently and makes it easier to build connected systems.

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gRPC is based on the concept of a contract or service definition. This contract defines the methods that can be called remotely, the parameters they take, and the data types used for both requests and responses. Once a contract is defined, gRPC users can generate client and server bindings for that contract in any of gRPC’s supported languages.

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gRPC contracts are defined using the Protocol Buffers language. Protocol Buffers is a language-neutral, platform-neutral, extensible way of serializing structured data for use in communications protocols, data storage, and more. 

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gRPC users can take advantage of all the features that Protocol Buffers provide, including backward and forward compatibility, multiple languages, and code generation.

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How does gRPC work?

Representational State Transfer (REST) is an architectural style that uses HTTP as the standard communication protocol for dealing with resources defined in an API. A resource can be thought of as an entity similar to an object in object-oriented programming. Like an object, a RESTful resource has behaviors and properties. 

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Most implementations of REST focus more on the properties of a resource than on its RESTful behaviors. Implementations that only describe a resource in terms of its properties are considered RESTful.

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What is REST?

A software architectural style that defines a set of constraints to be used for creating web services, Representational State Transfer (REST) provides interoperability between computer systems on the Internet.

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You can use RESTful web services to allow the requesting systems to access and manipulate textual representations of web resources by using a uniform and predefined set of stateless operations. 

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With other forms of web services, such as SOAP web services, you expose your own arbitrary operations. However, RESTful web services provide greater flexibility and compatibility.

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RESTful web services are built on top of the HTTP protocol and use the HTTP verbs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.) to define their operations. They also use HTTP headers to provide additional information about the request or response.

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Now that we have a basic understanding of what gRPC and REST are, let us look at the key differences between them.

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How does REST work?

REST is an architectural style for designing networked applications. It is based on the client-server model, with a stateless server and a stateful client. The client initiates requests to the server, which processes them and sends back a response. The client can then use the response to update its own state. 

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This simple model is robust and scalable, and it has proven to be very successful in building large-scale applications. Because REST is based on the existing HTTP protocol, it is easy to implement and easy to understand. 

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As a result, it has become the dominant approach for building web services. REST should be used in the following cases:

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• When you need a simple, lightweight, and easy-to-use RPC framework that does not require code generation.
• When you want to directly invoke your services from web browsers without the need for any conversion.
• When you want to use a software architectural style that is well-known and easy to understand.
• When you want to use an RPC framework that uses HTTP as its transport layer protocol, this allows REST services to be directly invoked by web browsers.
• When you do not need the advanced features that Protocol Buffers provide, such as code generation and multiple language bindings.

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Designing APIs using HTTP

Most of the time, APIs implement HTTP as their go-between transmission protocol. So, before getting into the gRPC vs REST debate, it is crucial to understand the different models you can use to design APIs. 

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Essentially, every developer can choose a unique model to generate APIs; however, all those models will be based on HTTP in various ways. Building an API that uses HTTP usually involves these three approaches:

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• gRPC API Model
• REST API Model
• OpenAPI Model

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1) gRPC API Model

The gRPC model is popular for designing APIs because it uses HTTP with strong abstraction. gRPC generates Stubs and Skeletons that hide HTTP from both the client and server, making it easy to design RPC concepts without worrying about how they are mapped to HTTP. 

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This makes it ideal for situations where you want to design an API without worrying about the underlying implementation details. There are three steps you can follow to use a gRPC API:

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Step 1: You need to choose the method you want to use.

Step 2: In order to calculate the required parameter values..

Step 3: Use a code-generated Stub to make the Call and pass parameter values.

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2) REST API Model

A REST API ensures that users don't need to learn the format of your URLs. The API specifications given to the user do not include URL formats. A browser extracts the information needed for an HTTP request and forms an absolute URL using relative URLs. 

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In addition, in REST APIs, clients directly use the URLs passed by the server instead of creating new ones. This means that browsers do not build URLs and don't understand the website-specific formats of URLs. 

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The browser blindly follows URLs that it finds on the current page received from the server, tagged by previous pages, or entered by the user. Although simple, the REST model is used by only a handful of developers for designing APIs.

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3) OpenAPI Model

An OpenAPI model is a popular option for API designers due to its intuitive design. Like the gRPC model, it uses similar steps for clients to follow. The main difference lies in the detail of the procedures and URL formats. 

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A gRPC client uses a Stub procedure to make a call, while an OpenAPI client inputs parameter values into a URL path pattern to issue an HTTP request. While the details may be different, the overall structure of both models is very similar.

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Comparing gRPC vs REST

In the gRPC vs REST discussion, developers often compare and debate these two models for designing APIs. However, making a decision on which model to use can be tricky. The following parameters will help you select the most fitting model in this situation:

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• gRPC vs REST: Working model
• gRPC vs REST: Browser support and latency
• gRPC vs REST: Data formats and serialization

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1) Working model:

If you're wondering whether to use gRPC or REST for your next project, it's essential to understand the critical differences between the two approaches. gRPC imposes a set of rules that both the client and server must follow, while REST does not. gRPC also offers built-in code generation capabilities, while REST does not. 

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If you're looking for a less restrictive model, go with REST. If you need built-in code generation, go with gRPC.

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2) Browser support and latency:

Browser support is a vital component to consider when debating gRPC vs REST, as a great majority of Web API communication happens online. The gRPC operates on the HTTP/2 protocol, which only a handful of browser supports. Therefore, gRPCweb requires a proxy layer to convert it into HTTP/2. 

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The low browser support is the reason that gRPC is limited to internal services only. On the other hand, REST APIs receive universal browser support as they implement HTTP 1.1. However, this also means that REST APIs often suffer from latency issues due to the TCP handshaking mechanism required for each request.

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3) Data formats and serialization:

Several critical differences between gRPC and REST APIs can help developers decide which model is better suited for their needs. One key difference is the data formats and serialization used by each type of API. gRPC APIs utilize Protocol Buffers for data compression and transmission, while REST APIs make use of JSON or XML formats. 

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JSON provides more flexibility for transmitting dynamic data, but XML is often more human-readable. Another key difference is the way in which each type of API transforms data for transmission. gRPC APIs use strongly typed messages that can be easily converted into a format that is readable by both clients and servers.

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In contrast, REST APIs use JSON or XML formats which must be transformed into a format that is readable by the client and server-side programming languages. This can hamper the speed of transmission and make it more prone to errors. When deciding between gRPC and REST APIs, developers should consider the specific needs of their project to determine which model is better suited for their needs.

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gRPC vs REST Use Cases

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When to use gRPC?

Although there are many third-party tools available, they lack the built-in features needed to support gRPC APIs. This means that gRPC can only build internal systems and applications rather than external ones. However, you can use the gRPC model in cases such as:

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• Lightweight Microservice connections: gRPC APIs are the perfect choice for connecting lightweight microservice architectures because they provide a unique combination of low latency and high throughput communication.
• Real-time streaming: Real-time communications take advantage of gRPC's two-way streaming to send and receive messages as they happen.
• Low Power, Low Bandwidth Networks: gRPC APIs use serialized Protocol Buffer messages, which makes for lighter messaging and more efficiency. These would be great for IoT networks that could then utilize the gRPC API.

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When to use REST?

If you're looking to connect microservice-based applications, REST APIs are the best. They support not only in-house systems but also open systems that share resources with other globalized networks. The following scenarios are where REST APIs would be most helpful:

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• High-Speed Tasks: REST APIs are the best option when your system needs to rapidly iterate the HTTP protocol. With REST APIs, you can take advantage of universal support from third-party tools, which makes it ideal for developing web applications and services.
• Cloud Applications: In Cloud-based applications, REST APIs that use Stateless Calls are beneficial. If an application fails, you can quickly resize and redeploy the Stateless components to accommodate changes in load.
• Multiple Acess to APIs: The beauty of REST APIs is that they are not limited to any one client-side technology. You can access these APIs from a web project, iOS app, IoT device, or Windows phone. This gives you the freedom to build your organization's infrastructure without getting bogged down by preference for any one particular stack.

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Conclusion

By now you must have a good understanding of the key differences between gRPC and REST. In general, gRPC should be used when you need a high-performance, efficient, and scalable RPC framework. REST should be used when you need a simple, lightweight, and easy-to-use RPC framework.

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Boltic can help you with your gRPC and REST needs. We provide a simple, easy-to-use platform that makes it easy to create and manage your PC and REST services. Our platform also provides a number of features that make it easy to scale your services. 

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It is a no-code platform that makes it easy to get started with gRPC and REST. You can learn more about our platform by visiting our home page.

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