HTTP Methods: GET v.s POST

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

A web browser may be the client, and an application on a computer that hosts a web site may be the server.

Example: A client (browser) submits 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.

Two commonly used methods for a request-response between a client and server are:

• GET - Requests data from a specified resource
• POST - Submits data to be processed to a specified resource

GET

query strings (name/value pairs) is sent in the URL of a GET request:

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

• 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 should be used only to retrieve data

POST

query strings (name/value pairs) is sent in the HTTP message body of a POST request:

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

• 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