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Athreya Aka Maneshwar @athreyac4

Choosing The Right API Protocol: SOAP Vs REST Vs GRPC

SOAP is best for enterprise apps requiring high security & reliability, while REST suits public-facing APIs needing simplicity & flexibility. gRPC excels in high-performance, real-time systems like microservices & streaming services. Choose wisely!

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are the backbone of modern software development, enabling seamless communication between different services. 
Over the years, multiple API protocols have emerged, each with unique strengths and trade-offs. 
This post explores three major API protocols—SOAP, REST, and gRPC—to help you choose the right one for your application.

  
  
  Choosing the Right API Protocol


Feature
SOAP
REST
gRPC


Data Format
XML
JSON, XML, etc.
Protocol Buffers (Binary)

Transport
HTTP, SMTP, TCP, UDP
HTTP
HTTP/2

Performance
Slow (XML is verbose)
Moderate
High (Binary for...