@apollo/client vs react-query vs @tanstack/vue-query
Data Fetching Libraries for Web Applications Comparison
3 Years
@apollo/clientreact-query@tanstack/vue-querySimilar Packages:
What's Data Fetching Libraries for Web Applications?

Data fetching libraries streamline the process of managing server state in web applications. They provide tools to fetch, cache, and synchronize data between the client and server, enhancing the user experience by minimizing loading times and ensuring data consistency. These libraries are particularly useful in modern web development, where applications often rely on external APIs to retrieve data dynamically. By leveraging these libraries, developers can focus on building features rather than managing data-fetching logic, leading to cleaner and more maintainable code.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
Github Stars Ranking
Stat Detail
Package
Downloads
Stars
Size
Issues
Publish
License
@apollo/client3,664,751
19,6137.45 MB51115 days agoMIT
react-query1,300,391
46,2462.26 MB1263 years agoMIT
@tanstack/vue-query245,133
46,246733 kB12613 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: @apollo/client vs react-query vs @tanstack/vue-query

Data Management

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client provides a robust solution for managing GraphQL data, allowing developers to define queries and mutations in a declarative manner. It includes built-in caching mechanisms that optimize data retrieval and minimize network requests, ensuring that the application remains responsive even under heavy data loads.

  • react-query:

    react-query offers a powerful set of tools for managing server state in React applications. It abstracts away the complexities of data fetching and caching, allowing developers to focus on building features. With features like automatic retries, pagination, and query invalidation, it ensures that the application always displays the most up-to-date data.

  • @tanstack/vue-query:

    @tanstack/vue-query simplifies data management in Vue applications by providing hooks that handle fetching, caching, and updating data. It allows developers to easily manage server state and provides features like automatic refetching, stale data management, and background updates, enhancing the overall performance of the application.

Integration

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client integrates seamlessly with GraphQL, providing a complete solution for managing data in applications that utilize GraphQL APIs. It works well with React and Vue frameworks, allowing developers to easily connect their UI components to the GraphQL server, making data fetching straightforward and efficient.

  • react-query:

    react-query is tailored for React applications, providing hooks that align with React's functional programming paradigm. Its API is designed to work seamlessly with React components, allowing developers to fetch and manage data directly within their component logic.

  • @tanstack/vue-query:

    @tanstack/vue-query is designed specifically for Vue.js applications, leveraging Vue's reactivity system to provide a smooth integration experience. It allows developers to use Vue's composition API to manage server state, making it a natural fit for modern Vue development practices.

Caching Strategy

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client employs a sophisticated caching strategy that allows developers to cache query results and manage cache updates efficiently. It supports normalized caching, which enables fine-grained control over how data is stored and retrieved, reducing the need for repeated network requests and improving application performance.

  • react-query:

    react-query features a powerful caching mechanism that automatically caches query results and updates them based on user interactions. It allows developers to configure cache time and stale time, ensuring that the application remains responsive while keeping data up-to-date.

  • @tanstack/vue-query:

    @tanstack/vue-query offers a flexible caching strategy that allows developers to customize how data is cached and invalidated. It provides options for stale time, cache time, and background fetching, ensuring that data is always fresh while minimizing unnecessary network calls.

Learning Curve

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client has a moderate learning curve, especially for developers unfamiliar with GraphQL. Understanding GraphQL concepts such as queries, mutations, and subscriptions is essential, but once grasped, it provides a powerful toolset for managing data in applications.

  • react-query:

    react-query is known for its straightforward API, making it easy for developers to get started quickly. Its focus on simplicity and convention over configuration allows developers to grasp its concepts rapidly, even if they are new to data fetching in React.

  • @tanstack/vue-query:

    @tanstack/vue-query is relatively easy to learn for developers familiar with Vue.js. Its API is intuitive and aligns well with Vue's reactivity principles, making it accessible for those who have experience with Vue's composition API.

Community and Ecosystem

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client benefits from a large and active community, with extensive documentation and resources available for developers. Its integration with the Apollo ecosystem, including Apollo Server and Apollo Studio, provides a comprehensive solution for GraphQL development.

  • react-query:

    react-query has a vibrant community and is widely adopted in the React ecosystem. Its extensive documentation, tutorials, and community support make it a popular choice for managing server state in React applications.

  • @tanstack/vue-query:

    @tanstack/vue-query is part of the TanStack family of libraries, which has a growing community and a focus on providing high-quality tools for modern web development. Its documentation is clear and helpful, making it easier for developers to adopt and implement.

How to Choose: @apollo/client vs react-query vs @tanstack/vue-query
  • @apollo/client:

    Choose @apollo/client if you are working with GraphQL APIs and need a powerful client that integrates seamlessly with your React or Vue applications. It provides advanced features like caching, optimistic UI updates, and subscriptions, making it ideal for applications that require real-time data updates.

  • react-query:

    Opt for react-query if you are building a React application and want a library that provides a simple and efficient way to handle server state. It excels in managing caching, background updates, and synchronization, making it suitable for applications that require frequent data fetching.

  • @tanstack/vue-query:

    Select @tanstack/vue-query if you are developing a Vue.js application and need a library that simplifies data fetching and caching. It offers a reactive API that integrates well with Vue's reactivity system, making it easy to manage server state and synchronize it with your UI.

README for @apollo/client
Apollo Logo

Apollo Client

The industry-leading GraphQL client for TypeScript, JavaScript, React, Vue, Angular, and more. Apollo Client delivers powerful caching, intuitive APIs, and comprehensive developer tools to accelerate your app development.

➡️ Get Started with Apollo Client →

npm version Build Status Join the community

❓ Why Choose Apollo Client?

✅ Zero-config caching - Intelligent caching out of the box
✅ Framework agnostic - Works with React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, and vanilla JavaScript
✅ TypeScript-first - Full type safety and IntelliSense support
✅ React 19 ready - Supports Suspense, RSC, Compiler, and more
✅ Production-tested - Powers countless apps worldwide that serve millions of end users

🚀 Quick Start

npm install @apollo/client graphql

💡 Resources

| Resource | Description | Link | | ----- | ----- | ----- | | Getting Started Guide | Complete setup and first query | Start Here → | | Full Documentation | Comprehensive guides and examples | Read Docs → | | API Reference | Complete API documentation | Browse API → | | VS Code Extension | Enhanced development experience | Install Extension → | | DevTools | Debug your GraphQL apps | Chrome | Firefox | | Free Course | Learn GraphQL and Apollo Client | Take Course → |

💬 Get Support

Need help? We're here for you:

🧑‍🚀 About Apollo

Deliver tomorrow's roadmap today with our comprehensive suite of API orchestration tools:

Explore the Complete Apollo Platform →

🛠️ Maintained by

|Name|Username| |---|---| |Jeff Auriemma|@bignimbus| |Jerel Miller|@jerelmiller| |Lenz Weber-Tronic|@phryneas|

🗺️ Roadmap

We regularly update our public roadmap with the status of our work-in-progress and upcoming features.

📣 Tell us what you think

| ☑️ Apollo Client User Survey | | :----- | | What do you like best about Apollo Client? What needs to be improved? Please tell us by taking a one-minute survey. Your responses will help us understand Apollo Client usage and allow us to serve you better. |

🗓️ Events

Join these live events to meet other GraphQL users and learn more:

🎪 GraphQL Summit 2025
Oct 6-8, 2025 • San Francisco
1000+ engineers, talks, workshops, and office hours

🌟 GraphQLConf 2025 Sep 8-10, 2025 • Amsterdam
Celebrating 10 Years of GraphQL

View All Events →

🏆 Contributing

Thank you for your interest in submitting a Pull Request to Apollo Client! Read our guidelines first, and don't hesitate to get in touch.

New to open source? Check out our Good First Issues to get started.

🤝 Code of Conduct

Please read our Code of Conduct. This applies to any space run by Apollo, including our GitHub repositories, the Apollo GraphOS Discord, the Apollo GraphQL Forum. The Code of Conduct reflects our commitment to making the Apollo Community a welcoming and safe space in which individuals can interact.

🪪 License

Source code in this repository is available under the terms of the MIT License. Read the full text here.