HTTP Methods

You might say

AI said to use POST instead of GET here. What does that mean?

The verb in a request stating which kind of operation it performs: read, create, update, or deleteIn the Network panel, GET /api/articles/7 and POST /api/articles are different requests. GET means safe reading; POST asks the target resource to process the request, and whether it creates or saves depends on the API contract. A method states request semantics; choosing the wrong one does not guarantee a 405 response.

Know first

HTTP

GET / POST

What operation each common method corresponds to

Network · GET /api/articles/7

MethodGET

Request bodyNone

ResponseArticle record

Read request returned

GET is for safe reading: repeating it does not change the server resource. Check separately whether the page shows the result you need.

Why method semantics matter

GET is read: Address-bar Enter and ordinary links are GET; it is designed to be safely resent and should have no side effects.

POST submits a request for processing: Forms commonly use POST, but POST does not inherently mean save or create; check the API contract for the operation it triggers.

PUT / DELETE update and remove: Express modification and deletion per the API contract; some APIs use POST uniformly for compatibility—follow the API docs.

Quick checkChoose the best answer

A delete button sends a GET request, and refreshing the page deletes again. What is the problem?

Delete should use DELETE or an agreed POST; GET is read-only semantics and can be resentA frontend confirmation dialog is enoughChange the returned status code to 404 so it won't delete again

You can say this to an AI Agent

The delete button currently sends a GET request, and refresh deletes again. Change it to the semantically correct method (DELETE or the API's agreed POST) and confirm refreshing does not re-trigger it. Verify the method and result in the Network panel afterward.

Learn next

1HTTP→2HTTP Status Code→3Idempotency→

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