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HTML•Reference and Practice

HTTP Request Methods

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HTTP Request Methods

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What is HTTP?

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is designed to enable communications between clients and servers.

Formula

HTTP works as a request - response protocol between a client and server.

Example: A client (browser) sends an HTTP request to the server; then the server returns a response to the client. The response contains status information about the request and may also contain the requested content.

HTTP Methods

GET POST PUT HEAD DELETE PATCH OPTIONS CONNECT

Trace

The two most common HTTP methods are: GET and POST.

The GET Method

GET is used to request data from a specified resource. Note that the query string (name/value pairs) is sent in the URL of a GET request:

Formula

/test/demo_form.php?name1 = value1&name2 = value2

Some notes on GET requests:

GET requests can be cached

GET requests remain in the browser history

GET requests can be bookmarked

GET requests should never be used when dealing with sensitive data

GET requests have length restrictions

GET requests are only used to request data (not modify)

The POST Method

Formula

POST is used to send data to a server to create/update a resource.

The data sent to the server with POST is stored in the request body of the

HTTP request:

Formula

POST /test/demo_form.php HTTP/1.1
Host: w3schools.com name1 = value1&name2 = value2

Some notes on POST requests:

POST requests are never cached

POST requests do not remain in the browser history

POST requests cannot be bookmarked

POST requests have no restrictions on data length Compare GET vs. POST The following table compares the two HTTP methods: GET and POST.

Get

Post

BACK button/Reload

Harmless

Formula

Data will be re - submitted (the browser should alert the user that the data are about to be re - submitted)

Bookmarked

Can be bookmarked

Cannot be bookmarked

Cached

Can be cached

Not cached

Encoding type application/x-www-form-urlencoded application/x-www-form-urlencoded or multipart/form-data. Use multipart encoding for binary data

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