Essential HTTP Methods for APIs

Let's break down the 9 key HTTP methods today : 1. GET: The 'Read' Operation    - Retrieves data from the server    - Example: GET /api/users (fetches list of users)    - Safe and idempotent (multiple identical requests should have the same effect as a single request) 2. POST: The 'Create' Operation    - Submits data to be processed by the server    - Example: POST /api/users (creates a new user)    - Not idempotent (multiple identical requests may result in multiple resources being created) 3. PUT: The 'Update/Replace' Operation    - Updates an existing resource or creates it if it doesn't exist    - Example: PUT /api/users/123 (updates user with ID 123)    - Idempotent (multiple identical requests should have the same effect as a single request) 4. PATCH: The 'Partial Update' Operation    - Partially modifies an existing resource    - Example: PATCH /api/users/123 (updates specific fields of user 123)    - Not guaranteed to be idempotent 5. DELETE: The 'Delete' Operation    - Removes a specified resource    - Example: DELETE /api/users/123 (deletes user with ID 123)    - Idempotent (deleting an already deleted resource should not change the server state) 6. HEAD: The 'Header' Operation    - Similar to GET but retrieves only headers, not the body    - Useful for checking resource metadata without transferring the entire resource    - Example: HEAD /api/users (retrieves headers for the users list) 7. OPTIONS: The 'Communication Options' Operation    - Describes communication options for the target resource    - Useful for CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) preflight requests    - Example: OPTIONS /api/users (returns allowed methods on this endpoint) 8. TRACE: The 'Diagnostic' Operation    - Performs a message loop-back test along the path to the target resource    - Useful for debugging, but often disabled for security reasons    - Example: TRACE /api/users (echoes back the received request) 9. CONNECT: The 'Tunnel' Operation    - Establishes a tunnel to the server identified by the target resource    - Primarily used for SSL tunneling through proxies    - Example: CONNECT example.com:443 HTTP/1.1 Understanding these methods is key to designing robust and REST APIs. Each method has its specific use case and implications for server behavior. Pro Tip: When designing APIs, consider the idempotency and safety of your operations. GET, HEAD, and OPTIONS are safe methods that shouldn't change server state. What's your experience with CONNECT method? Have you encountered any interesting use cases or challenges?

Top 9 HTTP Request Methods Every Developer Should Know! Whether you're building APIs, designing web services, or debugging applications, understanding HTTP request methods is a must-have skill for modern developers. This infographic breaks down the 9 most commonly used HTTP methods, their purposes, and practical examples of how they work. 🔑 Here's What You Should Know: 1️⃣ GET Used to retrieve data from a server. 👉 Example: GET /v1/products/iphone The server responds with the requested data, such as details about an iPhone product. Ideal for fetching single items or lists of resources. 2️⃣ POST Used to create new resources. 👉 Example: POST /v1/users Send a JSON payload (e.g., user details) to the server, and it creates a new resource. 3️⃣ PUT Used to completely replace an existing resource. 👉 Example: PUT /v1/users/123 Send the full updated data for a user, and the server replaces the old resource with the new one. 4️⃣ PATCH Used to partially update an existing resource. 👉 Example: PATCH /v1/users/123 Send only the fields you want to update (e.g., updating just an email). 5️⃣ DELETE Used to remove a resource. 👉 Example: DELETE /v1/users/123 The server deletes the specified user. 6️⃣ HEAD Fetches headers for a resource without downloading the full body. 👉 Example: HEAD /v1/products/iphone Great for checking metadata or verifying resource availability. 7️⃣ OPTIONS Used to discover the HTTP methods supported by an endpoint. 👉 Example: OPTIONS /v1/users The server responds with the allowed methods (e.g., GET, POST, DELETE, etc.). 8️⃣ CONNECT Establishes a two-way connection (like for tunneling through a proxy). 👉 Example: CONNECT example.com:80 9️⃣ TRACE Used for debugging; it performs a loop-back test to verify communication. 👉 Example: TRACE /index.html Why This Matters: Efficiency: Choose the right method for the right task to optimize your APIs. Performance: Avoid over-fetching or unnecessary operations by using methods purposefully. Security: Understand which methods expose vulnerabilities (e.g., over-permissive TRACE) and implement safeguards. Pro Tip: Pair these methods with proper status codes (like 200 OK, 404 Not Found, etc.) and authentication for a robust API design.

REST API Cheat sheet If I had to learn REST API from 0, this is what I would focus on 🏛️ Architectural Principles of REST 𝟭. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 • 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀:    • Clients handle user interface and interactions.    • Servers manage business logic and data storage. • 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:    • Enables independent evolution, updates of client and server components.    • Allows flexibility to use different platforms and programming languages. 𝟮. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 - Each request from the client to the server must contain all the information needed to process it.    • No session state is stored server-side. • 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:    • Improves scalability since server doesn't need to remember client sessions.    • Enables load balancers to distribute requests efficiently. • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲:     • Include an authorization token in each request rather than relying on a server-side session. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 • 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀:    • Responses must explicitly state their cacheability via headers (`Cache-Control`, `ETag`).    • Improves speed by avoiding repetitive server processing for identical requests. • 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:    • Reduces latency for users.    • Lightens server load and enhances performance. 𝟰. 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 • 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲:    • REST APIs allow intermediaries (e.g., load balancers, caches) to enhance functionality.    • Requests might pass through multiple layers before reaching server. • 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:    • Enhances scalability and resilience by isolating each layers responsibility.    • Prevents clients from interacting directly with backend systems. 𝟱. 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 • 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:    • Resource identification through URIs (e.g., `/users/123`).    • Representation-based resource manipulation (e.g., JSON, XML).    • Self-descriptive messages with clear metadata.    • Stateless interactions that use standard HTTP methods. • 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:    • Simplifies integration with diverse systems by adhering to a consistent standard. 🌐 𝗛𝗧𝗧𝗣 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀: 𝟭. 𝗚𝗘𝗧 • 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Retrieve data from server. • 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀:    • Safe: Doesn’t change server data.    • Idempotent: Multiple identical requests produce the same result.    • Headers: `Cache-Control`, `If-Modified-Since`, `ETag`. • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: /users/123 - Get details for user ID 123. 𝟮. 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧 • 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Create new resources on server. • 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀:    • Not idempotent: Sending the same request multiple times may create duplicate resources.    • Typically used to send data in the request body.    • Headers: `Content-Type`, `Location` (for the new resource). • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: /users - Add a new user to the database. Continued here: https://lnkd.in/g6q-VZBn