HTTP Methods

HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, which is a protocol used for communication between systems over the internet. HTTP methods are actions or verbs that indicate the intended action to be performed on the resource identified by the URI (Uniform Resource Identifier).

Syntax

The HTTP method is included in the request line along with the URI and the HTTP version.

METHOD URI HTTP/1.x

Examples

1. GET Method

GET /hello HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost:5000

2. POST Method

POST /postform HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost:5000
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

username=testuser&password=password123

3. PUT Method

PUT /putform HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost:5000
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "TestUser",
  "age": 30,
  "email": "testuser@example.com"
}

4. DELETE Method

DELETE /deleteform HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost:5000

Explanation

1. GET Method - Retrieves data from the server identified by the given URI. It is used to read a resource, such as getting a webpage or an image.

2. POST Method - Sends data to the server to create or update a resource. It is used to submit a form or to upload a file.

3. PUT Method - Sends data to update an existing resource on the server. It is used to update an existing record or to create a new record if it does not already exist.

4. DELETE Method - Deletes the specified resource from the server. It is used to remove a record or a file.

Use

HTTP methods play a crucial role in developing web applications. They help in handling the CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations of a web application. For example, a web application may use HTTP methods to create a new user account (POST), read a user's details (GET), update a user's information (PUT), or delete a user's account (DELETE).

Important Points

• HTTP methods are case sensitive in nature. For example, GET and get are different methods.
• A single HTTP request can only use one HTTP method at a time.
• The most commonly used HTTP methods are GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, HEAD, and OPTIONS.

Summary

• HTTP methods are actions or verbs that indicate the intended action to be performed on the resource identified by the URI.
• HTTP methods play a crucial role in developing web applications.
• The most commonly used HTTP methods are GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, HEAD, and OPTIONS.