GraphQL has emerged as a powerful alternative to REST APIs, offering more flexibility and efficiency in data fetching. This comprehensive guide will teach you how to build scalable APIs using GraphQL. ## What Makes GraphQL Different? Unlike REST APIs that expose multiple endpoints, GraphQL provides a single endpoint that can handle complex queries. This approach offers several advantages including reduced over-fetching and under-fetching of data. ## Setting Up a GraphQL Server We'll walk through setting up a GraphQL server from scratch, including schema definition, resolvers, and middleware. ## Advanced GraphQL Features Explore advanced features like subscriptions for real-time data, authentication and authorization, and performance optimization techniques. ## Best Practices Learn industry best practices for GraphQL API design, including schema organization, error handling, and caching strategies.