September 2016 Summaries

The Strapi project has made significant advancements in its framework layer, including updates to the v3.0.0 branch and the addition of an auto-refresh feature for monitoring the server. The repositories have been moved to a new organization called `strapi`, and a new file `hooks.json` has been introduced to manage hook load order. In the administration panel, the team focused on building a powerful React app with easy integration of independent plugins. A new design for the administration panel is in progress, and a screenshot of the Content Type Builder plugin was shared. The team invites users to contribute by submitting PRs or opening issues on GitHub, sending emails at `[email protected]`, or pinging them on Slack.

The author discusses the importance of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) in modern software development and introduces GraphQL as a new challenger to traditional REST APIs. The author explains that APIs provide a list of functionalities to interact with software, allowing for centralized data management and separation between front-end and back-end applications. GraphQL is a data fetching language that allows clients to declaratively describe their data requirements with a JSON-like format, making it database agnostic. However, the author notes that GraphQL has its limitations, particularly when it comes to handling common layers such as validations, authentication, and policies, which are well-established in REST architectures. The author concludes that both GraphQL and REST APIs have their pros and cons, and that Strapi is working with both technologies to get the full potential of each.