What is the difference between graphql and sparql?

@ryan.murray 

GraphQL and SPARQL are both query languages, but they are used for different purposes and have different syntax and functionality.

1. Purpose:

• GraphQL is a query language for APIs that allows clients to request only the data they need, making it more efficient for querying resources. It is commonly used for building APIs in web and mobile applications.
• SPARQL is a query language for querying RDF data (Resource Description Framework), which is used to represent and store data in the Semantic Web. It is commonly used in linked data applications and querying knowledge graphs.

1. Syntax:

• GraphQL uses a JSON-like syntax to define queries and mutations, with the ability to specify the exact shape of the response data.
• SPARQL uses a syntax similar to SQL, with SELECT, WHERE, and FILTER clauses to query RDF data.

1. Functionality:

• GraphQL allows clients to specify exactly what data they need in a query, reducing over-fetching and under-fetching of data. It also supports mutations to create, update, or delete data on the server.
• SPARQL is specifically designed for querying RDF data, allowing users to search for patterns in the data graph and retrieve specific pieces of information.

In summary, GraphQL is used for querying APIs to retrieve data in a flexible and efficient way, while SPARQL is used for querying RDF data in the Semantic Web to retrieve and explore linked data.