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.