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HTTP Request Methods
HTTP What is it?
The topic of discussion is Ref httpmethods. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) establishes communication between clients and servers.
Within clients and servers, HTTP works as a request-response protocol.
Here’s an example: An HTTP request is sent by the client (browser) to the server, which then replies to the client. Request responses usually include request status details as well as the content sought.
HTTP Request Methods Importance
HTTP request methods are a critical aspect of the HTTP protocol that facilitates the exchange of data between web servers and clients. Here are some of the reasons why HTTP request methods are significant:
- Resource Identification: One of the main reasons why HTTP request methods are essential is that they enable clients to identify and request specific resources on a web server. This is particularly important for retrieving data, submitting data, and executing various other operations on a web server.
- Data Submission: HTTP request methods play a crucial role in facilitating the submission of data to a web server. This is crucial for submitting form data, uploading files, and performing other operations that require sending data to a server.
- Security: HTTP request methods also enable web developers to establish security measures, such as access control and authentication. This restricts access to certain methods, ensuring that sensitive data is not accessed or modified by unauthorized users.
- Caching: HTTP request methods can be used to implement caching mechanisms that can enhance performance by storing frequently accessed data on the client-side. This improves website loading times and reduces server load.
- Standardization: HTTP request methods are standardized and widely recognized, making them compatible with a broad range of web servers and clients. This ensures that web applications can be developed and deployed across different platforms and devices, making them accessible to a wider range of users.
Methods Of HTTP
| Method | Overview |
| GET | The GET method is used to retrieve information from the server. It is typically used to retrieve data from a web page or an API endpoint. |
| POST | The POST method is used to send data to the server. It is typically used to submit data to a web form or to create a new resource on the server. |
| PUT | The PUT method is used to update an existing resource on the server. It is typically used to update the contents of a web page or to update data in a database. |
| DELETE | The DELETE method is used to remove a resource from the server. It is typically used to delete a web page or to remove data from a database. |
| HEAD | The HEAD method is similar to the GET method, but it only retrieves the headers of a resource, rather than the entire resource. |
| OPTIONS | The OPTIONS method is used to retrieve information about the communication options available for a resource. |
| TRACE | The TRACE method is used to retrieve a diagnostic trace of the HTTP request and response messages. |
| CONNECT | The CONNECT method is used to establish a network connection to a resource. |
The most frequently used HTTP methods are GET and POST when discussing Ref httpmethods.
GET Method
To obtain data from a particular resource, GET is used.
HTTP’s GET method is one of the most popular.
If you are performing a GET request, the query string (name/value pairs) is sent in the URL:
GET requests: Additional notes:
- It is possible to cache GET requests.
- The browser’s history keeps track of GET requests.
- Bookmarks are available for GET requests.
- If you are dealing with sensitive information, you should never use GET requests.
- The length of GET requests is limited.
- Data can only be requested (not changed) using GET requests.
POST Method
When creating/updating a resource, POST transmits data to the server.
Data sent to a server with the POST Method is placed in the request section of an HTTP request:
Host: mrexamples.com
name1=value1&name2=value2
HTTP POST is one of the most popular methods.
Additional notes about POST requests:
- There is no caching of POST requests.
- The browser does not retain the history of a POST request.
- Bookmarking is not possible for POST requests.
- No data length restriction applies to POST requests.
HEAD Method
A HEAD request is similar to a GET request but does not include the body of the response.
Put another way, the HEAD /users request will make the same request but does not return a list of users if GET /users return a list.
Before making a GET request, you can use HEAD requests to see what a GET request will return, such as when downloading a large file.
DELETE Method
The DELETE method is utilized to delete the corresponding resources.
PUT Method
A PUT method delivers data to a server to add or update a resource.
A PUT request is irreversible, unlike a POST request. In other words, you will always get the same outcome when running the same PUT request several times as it comes to Ref httpmethods.
Continuously making a POST request has consequences because it will create the same resource several times in Ref httpmethods.
OPTIONS Method
In Ref httpmethods, OPTIONS specifies the methods available for communicating with the target resource.
GET vs. POST
Refer to the table below to compare GET and POST methods when looking at Ref httpmethods.
| Method’s Name | GET | POST |
|---|---|---|
| BACK button/Reload | It’s safe | There is going to be a re-submission of the data (the browser must notify the user that the data is being submitted again). |
| Restrictions on data type | There is just support for ASCII characters | Restriction-free. It is also possible to use binary data. |
| Encoding type | application/x-www-form-urlencoded | application/x-www-form-urlencoded or multipart/form-data.Binary data should be encoded in multipart. |
| History | A browser’s history contains parameters | A browser’s history does not store parameters |
| Visibility | Anybody can see the data in the URL | In Ref httpmethods, data is not available in the URL |
| Bookmarked | Bookmarkable | Can’t be bookmarked |
| Cached | Cacheable | Not Cacheable |
| Restrictions on data length | The GET method indeed passes data to a URL, but the length limit of a URL is 2048 characters. | Restriction-free |
| Security | Compared with POST, GET is more vulnerable since data is sent as part of the URL. Sharing user credentials or confidential data via GET is never wise! | Since POST does not save the parameters in the cookies or the server logs, it can be considered slightly more secure than GET |
Advantages of HTTP Request Methods
HTTP request methods provide several advantages that make them an essential part of the HTTP protocol. Here are some of the advantages of HTTP request methods:
- Flexibility: HTTP request methods are flexible and can be used to perform a wide range of operations, such as retrieving data, submitting data, updating resources, and deleting resources. This flexibility allows web developers to create dynamic and interactive web applications.
- Efficiency: HTTP request methods are designed to be efficient, allowing for fast and reliable communication between web browsers and web servers. This enables web applications to load quickly and respond to user actions in real-time.
- Security: HTTP request methods provide a framework for implementing security measures, such as access control and authentication. This allows web developers to restrict access to certain resources, ensuring that sensitive data is not accessed or modified by unauthorized users.
- Standardization: HTTP request methods are standardized and widely recognized, making them compatible with a broad range of web servers and clients. This ensures that web applications can be developed and deployed across different platforms and devices, making them accessible to a wider range of users.
- Caching: HTTP request methods allow web developers to implement caching mechanisms, which can improve performance by storing frequently accessed data on the client-side. This reduces server load and improves website loading times.
