HTTP Request Methods: GET, POST, PUT, and More Explained
Understand how web browsers communicate with servers using HTTP request methods. This tutorial explains the most common methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and their use cases, along with a comparison of GET vs. POST, highlighting security and data handling differences. Essential knowledge for web developers!
HTTP Request Methods: How Clients Communicate with Servers
The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is how web browsers (clients) and web servers communicate. It works as a request-response system: the client sends a request, and the server sends back a response (including the requested data or an error message).
Understanding HTTP Methods
There are several different HTTP methods, each designed for a specific type of interaction. The most common are GET and POST, but others exist for more specialized tasks.
- GET
- POST
- PUT
- HEAD
- DELETE
- PATCH
- OPTIONS
- CONNECT
- TRACE
The GET Method
The GET method retrieves data from a specified resource. The data you're requesting is included as part of the URL:
Example URL
/test/demo_form.php?name1=value1&name2=value2
Important Notes about GET Requests:
- They can be cached by the browser.
- They are stored in the browser's history.
- They can be bookmarked.
- Never use GET for sensitive data (like passwords) due to security risks.
- They have length limitations for the data included in the URL.
- They are only for retrieving data; they don't modify anything on the server.
The POST Method
The POST method sends data to the server to create or update a resource. Unlike GET, this data isn't in the URL, but in the request body:
Example Request Body
POST /test/demo_form.php HTTP/1.1
Host: w3schools.com
name1=value1&name2=value2
Important Notes about POST Requests:
- They are not cached.
- They are not stored in the browser history.
- They cannot be bookmarked.
- They don't have restrictions on data length.
GET vs. POST: A Comparison
| Feature | GET | POST |
|---|---|---|
| Back Button/Reload | Harmless | Data resubmission (browser usually warns) |
| Bookmarking | Can be bookmarked | Cannot be bookmarked |
| Caching | Can be cached | Not cached |
| Encoding Type | application/x-www-form-urlencoded |
application/x-www-form-urlencoded or multipart/form-data (for binary data) |
| Browser History | Parameters in history | Parameters not saved in history |
| Data Length | Limited (URL length restrictions) | No restrictions |
| Data Type | ASCII characters only | No restrictions; binary data allowed |
| Security | Less secure (data in URL) | More secure (data not in URL) |
| Data Visibility | Data visible in URL | Data not visible in URL |
The PUT Method
PUT also sends data to create or update a resource, but it's idempotent. This means making the same PUT request multiple times has the same effect as making it once.
The HEAD Method
HEAD is like GET but only returns the headers, not the actual content. Useful for checking the size of a file (using the Content-Length header) without downloading it.
The DELETE Method
DELETE removes the specified resource.
The PATCH Method
PATCH applies partial modifications to a resource.
The OPTIONS Method
OPTIONS describes the communication options available for a resource.
The CONNECT Method
CONNECT establishes a two-way communication tunnel to the resource.
The TRACE Method
TRACE performs a message loop-back test to check the path to a resource (helpful for debugging).