# HTTP request methods

This tutorial explains to you the HTTP request methods.

HTTP defines a set of request methods to indicate the desired action to be performed for a given resource.

The HTTP request methods are: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, HEAD, OPTIONS, CONNECT, TRACE.

# GET request methods

• is used to retrieve data from the server (should only retrieve data !)
• idempotent: YES

# POST request methods

• creates a new resource on the server
• idempotent: NO (each POST create another resource)

# DELETE request methods

• remove a resource from the server
• idempotent: YES

# PUT request methods

• creates a new resource or replaces a representation of the target resource with the request payload
• idempotent: YES

# PATCH request methods

• similar to the PUT method, but the request body only needs to contain the specific changes to the resource
• idempotent: YES (excepting some particular cases, for instance when the resource keeps the number of updates, the last date of update, etc. )

# HEAD request methods

• asks for a response identical to that of a GET request, but without the response body
• idempotent: YES

# OPTIONS request methods

• requests information about the communication options available for the target resource
• idempotent: YES

# CONNECT request methods

• starts two-way communications with the requested resource. It can be used to open a tunnel.
• idempotent: NO

# TRACE request methods

• debugs web server connections
• idempotent: YES