GraphQL is a query language for APIs and a runtime for executing those queries against your data. Developed by Facebook in 2012 and released as an open-source project in 2015, GraphQL provides a more efficient and flexible alternative to traditional REST APIs. With GraphQL, clients can request only the specific data they need, reducing the amount of data transferred over the network and improving performance. This fine-grained control over data fetching is particularly useful for mobile and web applications, where bandwidth and latency are critical considerations.

In GraphQL, the structure of the queries is defined by the client, and the server responds with precisely the data requested, making it easier to evolve APIs over time without breaking existing clients. GraphQL also supports real-time data updates through subscriptions, allowing clients to receive live updates as the data changes. The schema-driven approach of GraphQL enables strong typing, introspection, and better tooling, leading to more predictable and maintainable APIs. As a result, GraphQL has gained popularity among developers and organizations looking for a modern, efficient way to interact with APIs.