AWS AppSync vs Apollo: What are the differences?

Introduction: AWS AppSync and Apollo are both popular tools for building GraphQL APIs. While they have similarities, there are also key differences between them that developers should consider. Here are six key differences between AWS AppSync and Apollo.

1. Managed Service vs Library: AWS AppSync is a fully managed service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It provides a serverless GraphQL API without the need to manage infrastructure. On the other hand, Apollo is a JavaScript library that allows developers to build GraphQL APIs within their own server environments. This means that developers using Apollo have more control over their infrastructure but also need to handle the management themselves.

2. Data Sources and Resolvers: AWS AppSync provides built-in support for various data sources, including Amazon DynamoDB, AWS Lambda, and more. With AppSync, you can define data sources and resolvers using AWS services, making it easier to integrate with other AWS features. Apollo, on the other hand, is more flexible when it comes to data sources and resolvers. Developers can choose their preferred data sources and write custom resolvers for their specific needs.

3. Real-time Subscriptions: AWS AppSync has native support for real-time subscriptions, allowing you to push updates to clients when changes occur in your data. This is done through websockets and is especially useful for applications that require real-time updates, like chat applications or collaborative tools. Apollo does not provide built-in support for real-time subscriptions, although there are community packages available that can add this functionality.

4. Authentication and Authorization: AWS AppSync provides built-in support for authentication and authorization using AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles and policies. This makes it easier to secure your API and control access to your data. Apollo does not have built-in authentication and authorization support, but it can be integrated with other authentication systems or libraries, giving developers more flexibility in implementing authentication and authorization mechanisms.

5. Managed Serverless Functions: In addition to data sources, AWS AppSync allows you to use AWS Lambda as a resolver for your GraphQL operations. This means you can write serverless functions in Lambda and integrate them with your API. Apollo does not provide a managed serverless function feature, so if you want to use serverless functions with Apollo, you would need to set up and manage your own serverless infrastructure.

6. Infrastructure and Scalability: With AWS AppSync, you don't need to worry about infrastructure management or scalability. AWS handles the scaling of your API and ensures high availability. On the other hand, Apollo gives you more control over your infrastructure, but you are responsible for managing and scaling it yourself. This may require additional effort and expertise from your development team.

In Summary, AWS AppSync is a managed service provided by AWS, offering built-in support for data sources, real-time subscriptions, authentication, and authorization. It also provides managed serverless functions and takes care of infrastructure management and scalability. Apollo, on the other hand, is a JavaScript library that allows more flexibility in choosing data sources, resolvers, and authentication mechanisms. Developers have more control over their infrastructure but need to handle management and scalability themselves.