Hey everyone,
I wanted to share some thoughts on HTTP methods — something fundamental but often overlooked, especially when you’re building or consuming APIs. Understanding these well can make your APIs more predictable, secure, and easier to maintain.
Let me break down the main HTTP methods you’ll encounter and how to use them correctly.
1. GET :-
What it does: Retrieves data from the server.
Key point: It’s read-only — it should never modify data or have side effects.
Idempotent: Yes — calling it multiple times won’t change anything.
Typical use case: Fetching user profiles, lists of products, or articles.
Pro tip: Use GET for anything that’s safe to cache and can be bookmarked.
2. POST :-
What it does: Sends data to create a new resource or trigger an action on the server.
Key point: Not idempotent — sending the same POST multiple times may create duplicates.
Typical use case: Creating a new user account, submitting a form, uploading files.
Pro tip: Always validate input on the server side to avoid bad data.
3. PUT :-
What it does: Replaces an entire resource or creates it if it doesn’t exist.
Key point: Idempotent — repeating the same PUT request results in the same resource state.
Typical use case: Updating a user profile fully or replacing a document.
Pro tip: Send the complete updated data; partial updates should use PATCH.
4. PATCH :-
What it does: Partially updates a resource by sending only the changes.
Key point: Usually idempotent but depends on implementation.
Typical use case: Changing just a user’s email or phone number.
Pro tip: Use PATCH to reduce bandwidth when only a few fields need updating.
5. DELETE :-
What it does: Removes a resource from the server.
Key point: Idempotent — deleting multiple times has the same effect as once.
Typical use case: Deleting user accounts, posts, or files.
Pro tip: Return appropriate status codes (204 for success with no content, 404 if resource not found).
6. HEAD :-
What it does: Retrieves headers for a resource without the body.
Typical use case: Checking if a resource exists, or getting metadata like content length.
Pro tip: Useful for caching or conditional requests.
7. OPTIONS :-
What it does: Returns the HTTP methods supported by the server for a resource.
Typical use case: Used by browsers during CORS preflight checks or API exploration.
Pro tip: Helps clients understand what actions they’re allowed to perform.
Why This Matters :-
Using the right HTTP method is more than just following REST principles — it impacts security, performance, and how others interact with your API. For example:
- Using GET for non-read actions can cause accidental data changes through simple link clicks.
- Knowing that POST isn’t idempotent helps you design retry logic carefully.
- Proper use of PUT and PATCH improves efficiency and clarity.
Final Tips :-
- Always protect your POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE endpoints with proper authentication and validation.
- Document your API clearly so users know what to expect.
- Use status codes consistently to help clients handle responses correctly.
- Remember that good API design leads to fewer bugs and happier developers.
Feel free to ask questions or share your experiences with HTTP methods. What common mistakes have you seen? How do you handle partial updates or complex actions in your APIs?
