Before building my first gRPC service, I wanted to get a clearer understanding of how it differs from the RESTful APIs I'm used to. Below is the converted Markdown version of your post.

What Are gRPC and RESTful APIs?

gRPC

Initially developed by Google, gRPC is an open-source communication framework built on HTTP/2. It uses Protocol Buffers for messaging and includes built-in features such as authentication and load balancing.

RESTful APIs

REST defines a set of principles for standardized, stateless communication between systems. REST APIs typically use HTTP/1.1 and exchange data using JSON or XML.

Messaging Format

gRPC

gRPC uses Protocol Buffers, a compact binary serialization format that is:

• smaller
• faster
• more efficient for service-to-service communication

RESTful APIs

REST typically uses JSON (or XML), which is human-readable but slower to parse and larger in size.

Underlying Protocols

gRPC

Built on HTTP/2, gRPC benefits from:

• multiplexing
• header compression
• server push

RESTful APIs

Traditionally built on HTTP/1.1. While REST can run over HTTP/2, it doesn't inherently take advantage of its advanced capabilities.

Real-time Communication

gRPC

Supports multiple streaming types natively, allowing:

• real-time updates
• bi-directional communication

RESTful APIs

REST is stateless and request-response based. Streaming is possible but requires workarounds.

Performance

gRPC

Offers high performance due to Protocol Buffers and HTTP/2 features.

RESTful APIs

JSON’s size and parsing cost can introduce latency.

Ecosystem and Tooling

gRPC

Tools like gRPC-Web and gRPC-Gateway expand compatibility with browser clients and REST ecosystems.

RESTful APIs

Has a massive ecosystem of tools, libraries, and best practices built up over many years.

Design Methodologies

gRPC

Follows a contract-first approach using .proto files to define service methods and message types upfront.

RESTful APIs

More flexible with no enforced contract. This flexibility requires disciplined design to avoid inconsistencies.

Versioning & Compatibility

gRPC

Protocol Buffers support backward and forward compatibility natively.

RESTful APIs

Versioning approaches include:

• URL versioning (/v1/)
• custom headers
• version fields in payloads

Each comes with trade-offs and must be chosen carefully.

Conclusion

Based on this research, gRPC shines in applications that demand:

• high performance
• real-time updates
• efficient service-to-service communication

Examples include trading platforms or collaborative tools (like Figma). With prior experience using WebSockets for chat apps, many concepts feel familiar.

What will I build with gRPC next? Stay tuned…