@apollo/client vs react-query vs @tanstack/vue-query
Data Fetching Libraries for Web Applications Comparison
1 Year
@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/client3,734,61019,5527.44 MB5385 days agoMIT
react-query1,369,18744,7252.26 MB1152 years agoMIT
@tanstack/vue-query210,74944,725740 kB115a day 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 Client

Apollo Client

npm version Build Status Join the community


Announcement: Join 1000+ engineers at GraphQL Summit 2025 by Apollo for talks, workshops, and office hours. Oct 6-8, 2025 in San Francisco. Get your pass here ->


Apollo Client is a fully-featured caching GraphQL client with integrations for React, Angular, and more. It allows you to easily build UI components that fetch data via GraphQL.

Apollo Client aims to comply with the Working Draft of the GraphQL specification.

| ☑️ 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. |

Documentation

All Apollo Client documentation, including React integration articles and helpful recipes, can be found at:
https://www.apollographql.com/docs/react/

The Apollo Client API reference can be found at:
https://www.apollographql.com/docs/react/api/apollo-client/

Learn how to use Apollo Client with self-paced hands-on training on Odyssey, Apollo's official learning platform:
https://odyssey.apollographql.com/

Maintainers

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

Who is Apollo?

Apollo builds open-source tools and commercial services to make application development easier, better, and accessible to more people. We help you ship faster with:

  • GraphOS - The platform for building, managing, and scaling a supergraph: a unified network of your organization's microservices and their data sources—all composed into a single distributed API.
  • Apollo Federation – The industry-standard open architecture for building a distributed graph. Use Apollo’s gateway to compose a unified graph from multiple subgraphs, determine a query plan, and route requests across your services.
  • Apollo Client – The most popular GraphQL client for the web. Apollo also builds and maintains Apollo iOS and Apollo Kotlin.
  • Apollo Server – A production-ready JavaScript GraphQL server that connects to any microservice, API, or database. Compatible with all popular JavaScript frameworks and deployable in serverless environments.

Learn how to build with Apollo

Check out the Odyssey learning platform, the perfect place to start your GraphQL journey with videos and interactive code challenges. Join the Apollo Community to interact with and get technical help from the GraphQL community.