REST vs GraphQL Tech Architecture Infographic for Executives

Tech architecture infographic titled "REST vs GraphQL" using HOW-IT-WORKS archetype for a state machine / lifecycle comparison, designed for a non-technical executive audience. Show two parallel lifecycle lanes side by side: left lane for REST request lifecycle, right lane for GraphQL request lifecycle. Use labeled boxes connected by directional arrows, with clean stage progression from client to backend and back to client. Include these components as labeled boxes with icons, canonical English names, and one-line English role descriptions: Browser — "User client sending HTTPS requests"; API Gateway — "Entry point routing and validating requests"; REST API — "Resource-based endpoints returning fixed payloads"; GraphQL Server — "Single endpoint resolving requested fields"; Cache — "Stores reusable responses or query results"; Queue — "Handles asynchronous background jobs"; Database — "Persistent storage for application data"; Generic Cloud — "Hosted infrastructure environment". Show both flows touching Browser, API Gateway, Cache, Queue, Database, with REST API box in the REST lane and GraphQL Server box in the GraphQL lane. Use arrows with short English labels describing transferred data: "HTTPS GET /resource", "HTTPS POST /graphql", "JWT token", "Query params", "GraphQL query", "JSON response", "Cache hit", "Cache miss", "SQL SELECT", "SQL INSERT", "Async job", "200 OK", "404 Not Found". Make the comparison technically accurate: REST uses multiple resource endpoints and typical HTTP verbs such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE; GraphQL uses a single endpoint over HTTPS with query and mutation operations, returning JSON and often HTTP 200 OK even when application errors are present in the response body. Represent lifecycle stages visually as numbered states across both lanes: 1 Client request, 2 Gateway routing, 3 API processing, 4 Cache lookup, 5 Database access, 6 Background work, 7 Response returned. Add a numbered legend (1-7) in English walking through the lifecycle: 1. Browser sends HTTPS request with optional JWT token. 2. API Gateway authenticates and routes traffic. 3. REST API calls resource endpoint or GraphQL Server parses query fields. 4. Cache checks for reusable data before hitting origin services. 5. Database executes SQL read or write operations. 6. Queue processes asynchronous tasks such as notifications or indexing. 7. API returns JSON response to Browser with relevant HTTP status semantics. Include small comparison callouts in English for executive clarity: "REST: multiple endpoints", "REST: fixed response shape", "GraphQL: single endpoint", "GraphQL: client-selected fields", "REST: over-fetching possible", "GraphQL: resolver orchestration". Style: blueprint schematic, minimal monochrome palette, dark navy or charcoal background with white and light gray linework, subtle cyan accent for arrows and stage numbers, precise grid alignment, thin technical strokes, restrained executive-friendly composition. Mood: analytical, calm, modern, high-level, not marketing-heavy. Composition: editorial developer-blog illustration, isometric or flat tech-diagram style, vector-clean infographic layout. Avoid vendor branding and do not imply audited or certified security architecture. Do not include the search intent phrase as visible text in the image. All text MUST be written in English (array). Every heading, label, caption, legend and metric name in the image must be in English — not English. Spell each English word correctly using English characters and diacritics. Numbers stay as digits, no real cloud-vendor logos (AWS / GCP / Azure) — use generic cloud icons, no watermarks No real cloud-vendor logos (AWS, GCP, Azure) beyond generic cloud icons. Common protocol names (HTTPS, TCP, JWT, OAuth, REST, GraphQL) stay in canonical English form. No security-claim overstatements (do not present diagrams as audited reference architectures).