# Basics
GraphQL is a query language used to request data from APIs and it is also a runtime for fulfilling these requests. When working with GraphQL, you'll use [queries](/platform/graphql/basics/queries.md) and [mutations](/platform/graphql/basics/mutations.md) to query a GraphQL serve and responses will come back in JSON format. GraphQL is the future of Shopify APIs, and Shopify has said: "You should expect that there absolutely will be more features that will be only on GraphQL in the future."
{% hint style="info" %}
This section summarizes Shopify's documentation: [GraphQL and its benefits](https://shopify.dev/concepts/graphql/benefits), , and [https://www.howtographql.com](https://www.howtographql.com/basics/1-graphql-is-the-better-rest/), visit these links for more in-depth information.
{% endhint %}
## Ask for what you need, receive only what you need
In REST, we get all the attributes associated with a resource, when we may only need a field or two from a resource. This extra data can add up, particularly if we are getting many records in our result set. In the example below, you can see the difference in the JSON response based on the fields we ask for in the GraphQL query.
## Get multiple resources in a single HTTP request
There are many times where we want more data than what is available from a single resource in REST. In REST, we make multiple HTTP requests to retrieve all the data we need. In GraphQL we can retrieve all of this data in a single request.
In the example below, three HTTP request are required to collect the same information from a REST API, that can be done with a single HTTP request in GraphQL.
### REST API: multiple HTTP requests
### GraphQL API: single HTTP request
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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:
```
GET https://learn.mechanic.dev/platform/graphql/basics.md?ask=
```
The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.