Introduction to HTTP Request Methods

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is an application protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. It is the foundation of data communication on the World Wide Web.

HTTP functions as a request-response protocol, where a client sends a request to a server and receives a response.

HTTP defines several request methods, each with unique semantics. The most commonly used methods are:

• GET: Requests data from a specified resource.
• POST: Submits data to be processed to a specified resource.
• PUT: Updates a current resource with new data.
• DELETE: Removes the specified resource.
• HEAD: Similar to GET but retrieves only the headers.
• OPTIONS: Describes the communication options for the target resource.

1. GET

The GET method is used to request data from a specified resource. It is idempotent, meaning multiple identical requests should produce the same result.

GET /users/123 HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com

2. POST

The POST method is used to submit data to be processed to a specified resource, often causing a change in state or side effects on the server.

POST /users HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/json

{
    "name": "John",
    "age": 30
}

3. PUT

PUT updates a current resource with new data. It is idempotent, similar to GET.

PUT /users/123 HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/json

{
    "name": "John",
    "age": 31
}

4. DELETE

DELETE is used to remove the specified resource. It is also idempotent.

DELETE /users/123 HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com

5. HEAD

HEAD is used to retrieve the headers of a resource, similar to GET but without the body.

HEAD /users/123 HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com

6. OPTIONS

OPTIONS describes the communication options for the target resource, allowing clients to discover methods supported by a server.

OPTIONS /users HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com

When using HTTP request methods, consider the following best practices:

1. Use GET for retrieving data without causing side effects.
2. Use POST for operations that change the state of the server.
3. Ensure idempotency for PUT and DELETE methods.
4. Use appropriate status codes to indicate the result of a request.
5. Secure sensitive data using HTTPS.