Design API endpoint for resource that needs to return different forms of data for different pages

Question

I'm using prisma to communicate with db, with nested relations and all.

I have a resource that is requested by multiple pages. Each page needs different set of data from the resource so each page sends different query params. Simplified exmaple would be: one page needs price and name, the other page needs price, name and collection.

Example query would be

prisma.product.findMany({
  where: {
    ...(collectionName ? { collection: {
      is: {
        collectionName,
      },
    } } : {}),
    ...(productName ? { productName } : {}),
  },
  ...(select ? { // checking if its array and mapping it is omitted for the example
    select: {
      [select]: true, // no way to select fields from relation
  } } : {}),
});

But the query becomes more complex as I add new pages that use the resource, adding more and more filters and/or select s, and pages end up requesting-receiving unnecessary data if not using select s.

It feels rather complex and like there's a way to make it better, like splitting endpoints into multiple or sending the whole Prisma.ProductFindManyArgs from the frontend.

How can I reduce complexity and increase reusability?

Answer 1

I would recommend you to use a GraphQL API, which allows for more fine-grained queries by allowing the client to specify exactly what fields it wants to receive. Using a GraphQL API would also allow for more flexibility and customization and may also simplify the backend code by reducing the number of endpoints.