Adaptive clients (like @api-platform/ld or Zod at the boundary) are imo better. They generate the safety (runtime validation) without the brittle parts (hardcoded stuff). But if full-stack control works for you, Orval is definitely valid!

When we hardcode every endpoint path and strict DTO shape, the frontend "knows" too much about the backend. If I add a non-breaking field or change a link relation, I shouldn't have to regenerate/redeploy, but with static clients, types often go stale instantly.

I totally agree that breaking changes are fundamentally a design issue first. My main hesitation with tools like Orval isn't the generation itself—it's the coupling it creates.