Friday, 7 March 2014

HTTP Methods

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Complete Guide to HTTP Methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and More

In web development and REST APIs, HTTP Methods (often called HTTP verbs) indicate the desired action to be performed on a given resource. HTTP method names are case-sensitive and must always be written in UPPERCASE. Let’s break down all 8 primary HTTP methods and how they function between client and server.

1. The Primary Data Methods

GET: Used strictly to request and retrieve data from a specified resource. It reads server data without modifying it and displays the response in the client browser.

POST: Used to submit data from the client to the server (e.g., submitting contact forms, uploading files, or creating new database records).

PUT: Used to send data to update an existing resource on the server. If the target resource does not exist, PUT can also create it.

DELETE: Instructs the server to remove or delete the specified target resource permanently.

2. Utility and Inspection Methods

HEAD: Similar to a GET request, but it returns only the status line and header metadata—omitting the response body entirely. This is ideal for checking resource existence or headers without downloading heavy payloads.

OPTIONS: Queries the server to find out which HTTP methods and communication options are supported by the target resource URL.

CONNECT: Establishes a transparent bidirectional network tunnel between the client and the destination server, typically used for SSL/TLS encrypted connections through proxies.

TRACE: Performs a message loop-back test along the path to the target resource. The server echoes the received request back to the client, making it useful for network debugging and testing.