>Im not sure what REST apis are being compared against? Something like RPCs? If so, then using an interchange format like protobufs allows for automatic client generation in several languages. Additionally, schema changes are much less painful.
It's so much more expensive in the long run, though. Everything talks in HTTP. Everyone can read and understand HTTP. Proprietary binary protocols add a layer of complexity to literally everything else you do, and require a translation layer to talk to the front end.
It's so much more expensive in the long run, though. Everything talks in HTTP. Everyone can read and understand HTTP. Proprietary binary protocols add a layer of complexity to literally everything else you do, and require a translation layer to talk to the front end.