Introduction
HTTP methods are used to perform actions on resources in a web application. Each method has a specific purpose and set of semantics that define how it interacts with resources. Understanding HTTP methods is crucial for designing and interacting with web APIs effectively.
HTTP Methods Cheat Sheet
Here’s a handy cheat sheet of the most important HTTP methods:
| Method | Description | Idempotent | Safe | Cacheable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GET | Requests a representation of the specified resource. Used for retrieving data. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| POST | Submits an entity to the specified resource, often causing a change in state or side effects on the server. | No | No | No |
| PUT | Replaces all current representations of the target resource with the request payload. | Yes | No | No |
| DELETE | Deletes the specified resource. | Yes | No | No |
| HEAD | Same as GET but transfers the status line and header section only. Used for checking if a resource is available. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OPTIONS | Describes the communication options for the target resource. | Yes | Yes | No |
| PATCH | Applies partial modifications to a resource. | No | No | No |
| CONNECT | Establishes a tunnel to the server identified by the target resource. | No | No | No |
| TRACE | Performs a message loop-back test along the path to the target resource. | Yes | Yes | No |
Detailed Descriptions
GET
- Description: Requests a representation of the specified resource. Used for retrieving data.
- Idempotent: Yes
- Safe: Yes
- Cacheable: Yes
POST
- Description: Submits an entity to the specified resource, often causing a change in state or side effects on the server.
- Idempotent: No
- Safe: No
- Cacheable: No
PUT
- Description: Replaces all current representations of the target resource with the request payload.
- Idempotent: Yes
- Safe: No
- Cacheable: No
DELETE
- Description: Deletes the specified resource.
- Idempotent: Yes
- Safe: No
- Cacheable: No
HEAD
- Description: Same as GET but transfers the status line and header section only. Used for checking if a resource is available.
- Idempotent: Yes
- Safe: Yes
- Cacheable: Yes
OPTIONS
- Description: Describes the communication options for the target resource.
- Idempotent: Yes
- Safe: Yes
- Cacheable: No
PATCH
- Description: Applies partial modifications to a resource.
- Idempotent: No
- Safe: No
- Cacheable: No
CONNECT
- Description: Establishes a tunnel to the server identified by the target resource.
- Idempotent: No
- Safe: No
- Cacheable: No
TRACE
- Description: Performs a message loop-back test along the path to the target resource.
- Idempotent: Yes
- Safe: Yes
- Cacheable: No
Conclusion
Understanding HTTP methods is essential for designing and interacting with web APIs effectively. This cheat sheet provides a quick reference to the most important HTTP methods, their purposes, and their properties. Keep this guide handy to make the most of HTTP methods in your web development.