GET vs POST – Understanding the key differences

Introduction

Understanding HTTP methods

GET vs POST: The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the basis of data communication on the Internet. It enables clients (such as web browsers or mobile apps) to communicate with servers and exchange information. HTTP is based on a series of methods, each of which serves a specific purpose when retrieving, changing or transferring data.

Among these methods, GET and POST are the most commonly used. They play a crucial role in the processing of requests by web applications, whether it is loading a web page, submitting a form or retrieving data from an API.

Why compare GET and POST?

Both GET and POST facilitate communication between clientand server, but differ in the way data is transmitted, the level of security and the intended use. Understanding these differences is important for:

Optimize performance by choosing the right method for each request.
Increase security by preventing data disclosure in URLs and defending against attacks.
Ensure proper implementation in web applications, APIs and databases.

Common misconceptions

Many developers assume that POST is inherently more secure than GET or that GET should never be used to send data. However, security depends more on the implementation (e.g. the use of HTTPS and proper authentication) than on the method itself. GET is also not only suitable for retrieving static pages, but is often used in APIs to retrieve data.

This article takes an in-depth look at GET and POST and highlights their differences, benefits and best practices to help developers make an informed decision.

What is HTTP?

Overview of HTTP

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a protocol that regulates how data is transferred over the Internet. It enables communication between clients (such as web browsers, mobile applications or API clients) and servers that store and provide requested resources. HTTP is the backbone of the internet and facilitates the retrieval and exchange of websites, images, videos and other digital content.

How HTTP works

HTTP works according to the request-response model, where a client sends a request to a server, the server processes the request and responds accordingly. This interaction follows a structured format:

The client initiates a connection to a server.
The client sends an HTTP request specifying the method (e.g. GET or POST), the requested resource and additional headers or data.
The server processes the request and retrieves or changes the data as required.
The server sends an HTTP response with the requested data or a corresponding status code.

The stateless nature of HTTP

A key feature of HTTP is that it is stateless. This means that each request is independent and no memories of previous requests are stored. While this design simplifies communication, it also requires mechanisms such as cookies, sessions or tokens to maintain user state in web applications.

The importance of HTTP methods

HTTP defines various methods that determine how data is requested or sent between client and server. Some of the most commonly used HTTP methods are:

GET – Retrieves data from the server.
POST – Sends data to the server for processing.
PUT – Updates an existing resource.
DELETE – Removes a resource from the server.
PATCH – Partially updates a resource.

GET and POST are the most commonly used methods and form the basis for many interactions on the web. In order to develop efficient, secure and scalable web applications, it is important to know their differences.

Understanding the HTTP GET method

What is the GET method?

The HTTP GET method is used to request data from a server. It retrieves information without changing the state of the server and is therefore an important method for retrieving web pages, images, API responses and other resources. GET requests are often used when browsing websites, searching for information or accessing publicly available data.

How do GET requests work?

When a client sends a GET request, the requested data is appended to the URL as query parameters. The server processes the request and responds with the requested resource or a corresponding status code.

Example of a GET request URL:

https://example.com/search?query=http+methods&page=1

In this example:

query=http+methods specifies the search term.
“page=1” specifies the desired page number.

As GET queries contain parameters in the URL, they can be bookmarked, shared and cached.

Features of GET requests

Visibility of data

GET requests append data to the URL and make it visible in the browser history, server logs and network requests. While this transparency is useful for debugging and sharing links, it also poses security risks if sensitive information is disclosed.

Idempotency

GET requests are idempotent, which means that if you send the same request multiple times, you will always get the same result without changing the server’s data. Thanks to this property, GET is suitable for retrieving static or read-only resources.

Cache capability

Most web browsers and servers store GET requests in the cache to improve performance. When a user revisits a previously requested page, the browser can output the cached response instead of making a new request to the server. This reduces loading times and bandwidth usage.

Common use cases for GET

Retrieving web pages

When you enter a URL into a browser, it sends a GET request to retrieve the corresponding web page. The server responds with an HTML document that the browser renders for display.

Retrieving data from APIs

Many web APIs use GET requests to provide data. For example, an API call to retrieve weather data could look like this:

https://api.weather.com/current?location=Bangalore

The API server processes the request and returns the weather data for Bangalore.

Search queries

Search engines and web applications often use GET requests to retrieve search results. The parameters in the URL allow users to bookmark or share search results.

Pagination and filtering

Web applications that display lists of data, such as e-commerce product pages or blogs, use GET requests to load different pages of results or filter content. For example:

https://example.com/products?category=shoes&page=2

This request retrieves the second page with shoe products without changing any data on the server.

The GET method is ideal for retrieving data that does not require any changes on the server, but it is not suitable for sending sensitive or large amounts of data due to its visibility in URLs.

Understanding the HTTP POST method

What is the POST method?

The HTTP POST method is used to send data to a server for processing. Unlike the GET method, POST does not append data to the URL, but sends it in the request body. This makes it suitable for the secure transmission of sensitive or large amounts of data. POST is often used for form requests, API requests and database updates.

How do POST requests work?

When a client sends a POST request, the server processes the data in the request body and performs a corresponding action, e.g. saving the data in a database or triggering a workflow.

Example of a POST request:

POST /login HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Content-Length: 38

username=johndoe&password=securepass

In this example:

The request is sent to /login.
The Content-Type specifies how the data should be formatted.
The body of the request contains the user’s login data.

As the data is in the request body, it is not visible in the URL, which makes it more secure than GET for sensitive information.

Features of POST requests

Data transmission

With POST requests, the data is sent in the request body, which enables the secure transmission of sensitive information such as passwords, payment data and personal user data. This also enables the transmission of complex data structures such as JSON or XML.

Non-idempotence

POST requests are non-idempotent. This means that sending the same request multiple times can lead to different results. For example, if you submit a form twice, two records may be created in the database instead of just one.

Cannot be cached

Unlike GET requests, POST responses are not cached by browsers or servers. Each POST request is treated as a new request so that the data is always freshly processed by the server.

Common use cases for POST

Transmission of forms

When users fill out and submit a registration, login or feedback form, a POST request is used to send the form data to the server. The server then processes the information and responds accordingly.

Creating new data records in a database

POST is often used in APIs to create new resources. For example, an API call to create a new user could look like this:

POST /users
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "name": "John Doe",
 "email": "johndoe@example.com",
 "password": "securepass"
}

This request instructs the server to create a new user record with the specified data.

Uploading files

When users upload files, e.g. profile pictures or documents, a POST request is used to send the file to the server. The request body contains the file data together with the metadata.

Processing of payments

Payment gateways use POST requests to transmit transaction data securely. Since POST requests do not reveal any data in URLs, they are preferred for processing sensitive financial transactions.

The POST method is essential for processes that require the transmission or modification of data and is therefore a fundamental component of modern web applications and APIs.

Main differences: GET vs POST

Overview of GET vs POST

GET and POST are the two most commonly used HTTP methods, each serving a specific purpose in client-server communication. While GET is primarily used to retrieve data, POST is used to send data to the server for processing. These methods differ in data handling, security, performance and caching. Understanding these differences helps developers choose the right method for different use cases.

Data transfer

GET: Data in the URL

GET requests contain data as query parameters in the URL. This makes it easy to save them as bookmarks and pass them on, but the data is also displayed in the browser history and in the logs.

Example GET request:

https://example.com/search?query=shoes&category=sports

The server extracts the query parameters (query=shoes and category=sport) from the URL and returns the corresponding data.

POST: Data in the request body

POST requests send data in the request body and are therefore suitable for handling sensitive or large data. The data is not disclosed in the URL, which reduces security risks.

Example of a POST request:

POST /register HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Content type: application/json

{
 "username": "johndoe",
 "password": "securepass",
 "email": "johndoe@example.com"
}

Here the server processes the request and creates a new user account.

Idempotency

GET: Idempotent

GET requests are idempotent, i.e. if you make the same request several times, you will always get the same result without changing the state of the server.

Example: Query of a product list:

GET /products?page=1

will always return the same product list, no matter how often it is called.

POST: Not idempotent

POST requests are not idempotent. This means that sending the same request multiple times can lead to different results (e.g. duplicate database entries or repeated transactions).

For example, if a user sends a payment request multiple times via POST, they may be charged multiple times unless the server implements protective measures.

Caching

GET: Can be cached

GET responses can be cached by browsers and servers to improve performance. If a user calls up a previously accessed page again, the browser can load it from the cache instead of making a new request.

For example, after a visit:

GET /news/latest

the browser could save the response and load it faster the next time.

POST: Cannot be cached

POST requests are not cached by default because they send new data that should be processed by the server each time. Caching a POST response could result in outdated or incorrect data being displayed.

Security

GET: Less secure

Since GET requests expose data in the URL, they are not recommended for transmitting sensitive information such as passwords or financial data. URLs are stored in:

Browsing history
Server logs
Bookmarks

The following GET request, for example, reveals sensitive data:

https://example.com/login?username=johndoe&password=securepass

Anyone who has access to the browser history can see the password.

POST: More secure

POST requests do not expose any data in the URL, which makes them more secure for the transmission of sensitive data. However, security depends on additional factors such as HTTPS encryption, input validation and CSRF protection.

A secure login should look like this, for example:

POST /login HTTP/1.1
Content type: application/json

{
 "username": "johndoe",
 "password": "securepass"
}

Even though POST is more secure than GET, it is not inherently encrypted— – the use of HTTPS is essential to protect sensitive data.

Bookmarking and sharing

GET: Easy to share

Since GET requests contain parameters in the URL, they can be bookmarked and shared. Users can copy and paste URLs to revisit a page with the same data.

For example, a user can share a search result as follows:

https://example.com/search?query=laptops

Anyone who opens this link will see the same search results.

POST: Not shareable

POST requests cannot be bookmarked or shared because the data is in the request text and not in the URL. Once sent, the request cannot simply be repeated without re-entering the data manually.

Performance

GET: Faster

GET requests are faster than POST requests because:

They retrieve data without changing the server status.
They can be cached and reused.
They require fewer resources.

For example, a GET request to retrieve a product list will quickly return a response if it is already stored in the cache.

POST: Slightly slower

POST requests are slower than GET requests because:

They require new data to be processed on the server.
They cannot be cached.
They require additional security checks (e.g. authentication and CSRF protection).

Sending a form with POST, for example, takes longer because the server has to validate and save the data before responding.

Summary of the differences

Feature	GET	POST
Data location	Sent in the URL	Sent in the request body
Visibility	Visible in browser history, logs and bookmarks	Not visible in URLs
Idempotency	Yes	No
Caching	Can be cached	Cannot be cached
Security	Less secure (data in the URL)	More secure (data in the body)
Bookmarking	Can be bookmarked and shared	Can neither be bookmarked nor shared
Performance	Faster (cached, lightweight)	Slower (reprocessed each time)
Use cases	Data retrieval, search queries, API requests	Form submissions, login, payment transactions

Both GET and POST serve different purposes in web development, and understanding their differences is critical to developing secure, efficient and user-friendly applications.

When is GET used?

Retrieval of publicly available data

GET is the preferred method for retrieving data that does not need to be hidden or secured. Since GET requests are visible in the URL and can be cached, they are well suited for retrieving publicly available information.

Examples

Loading a blog post
Retrieving weather updates
Retrieving stock market data

An API request to retrieve weather data could look like this, for example:

GET /weather?city=Bangalore

This will retrieve the current weather for Bangalore without changing the server data.

Retrieving data from APIs

Many APIs use GET to return data that does not require authentication or modification. Developers use GET for requests like:

Retrieving user data
Retrieving a list of products
Retrieving the last transactions

For example, to retrieve a user’s profile from an API:

GET /users/12345

This request retrieves the data for the user ID 12345 without making any changes.

URLs with bookmarks and for sharing

Since GET requests contain parameters in the URL, they can be easily bookmarked or shared. This makes GET the best choice for:

Search queries
Filtered product listings
Paginated content

For example, on an e-commerce website, users might share a search result like this:

https://example.com/products?category=shoes&price=low

Anyone who clicks on the link will see the same filtered results.

Caching for faster performance

GET requests can be cached by browsers and servers to improve loading times. If a request has already been made, the browser can deliver the cached version instead of requesting new data.

Examples

Loading frequently visited news websites
Calling up a user’s profile page
Retrieving a product catalog

For example, after a visit:

GET /news/latest

the browser can save the response, which reduces the server load and improves page speed.

Using GET for search queries

Search functions in web applications often use GET queries to retrieve matching results. Since the search parameters appear in the URL, users can:

Change the search directly in the address bar
Bookmark their search results
Share search results with others

For example, a Google search for “HTTP methods” returns a URL like the following:

https://www.google.com/search?q=HTTP+methods

This allows users to revisit or share the exact same search.

Retrieving read-only data

GET is ideal for retrieving data without making changes to the server. This applies to:

Calling up a product page
Checking an account balance
Retrieving public API data

For example, a bank app could use the following:

GET /account/balance

to retrieve account data without changing records.

GET is the best choice when data needs to be retrieved without changing the status of the server, improving efficiency, performance and usability.

When to use POST

Transmission of sensitive or large data

POST is the preferred method for transmitting sensitive or large amounts of data. Since POST requests send the data in the body of the request, they offer more security than GET, where the data is visible in the URL.

Examples

Logging in with a password
Transmitting a credit card payment
Uploading files or images

For example, when a user logs in:

POST /login HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "username": "johndoe",
 "password": "securepass"
}

The password is sent securely in the request body so that it does not appear in the browser history or in the server logs.

Transmission of forms

POST is often used for the transmission of web forms in which users enter data that needs to be processed or saved. Unlike GET, POST does not expose the form data in the URL, making it ideal for:

Registration forms
Contact forms
Feedback submissions

For example, when you submit a registration form:

POST /register
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

name=John+Doe&email=johndoe@example.com&password=securepass

The server processes this data and creates a new user account.

Create or update resources

In web applications, POST is often used to create or modify records in a database. This is important for operations where data is added, updated or removed.

Creating a new resource

When you add a new user, a new order or a new comment, a POST request sends the data to the server:

POST /users
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "name": "Jane Doe",
 "email": "janedoe@example.com"
}

The server processes this request and saves the new user in the database.

Update existing resource

Although PUT is generally used for updating data, some APIs allow updates via POST if complex processing is involved.

Example:

POST /users/123/update
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "email": "newemail@example.com"
}

This request updates the email address of user ID 123.

Upload files

POST is the standard method for uploading files to a server, regardless of whether they are profile pictures, documents or other media. Since files are large and cannot be sent in a URL, they are transferred with POST in the request body.

Example of a file upload request:

POST /upload
Content-Type: multipart/form-data

file=profile_picture.jpg

The server receives and processes the uploaded file.

Processing payments

Secure transactions, such as credit card payments and bank transfers, use POST to transfer data securely. Payment gateways require POST to send sensitive data such as:

Card numbers
CVV codes
Billing addresses

Example of a payment request:

POST /payment
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "card_number": "4111111111111111",
 "cvv": "123",
 "amount": 500
}

As POST hides this information from URLs, it prevents it from appearing in the browser history and bookmarks.

Dealing with API calls that change data

APIs often use POST to make requests that trigger an action, such as

Placing an order
Resetting a password
Sending an email notification

For example: To reset a password via an API:

POST /reset-password
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "email": "user@example.com"
}

This request instructs the server to generate a link to reset the password and send it to the user.

Prevent unintentional resubmission of data

Since POST requests are not idempotent, they should be used when submitting data that should not be duplicated. Web applications implement security precautions such as:

CSRF tokens to prevent unauthorized resubmission of forms
Transaction locks to prevent duplicate orders
Confirmation prompts before processing payments

For example, after a user has submitted a payment, they can see

Your transaction has been processed. Please do not refresh this page.

Refreshing a GET request will reload the data, but refreshing a POST request may result in duplicate transactions or resubmission of the form.

POST is the best choice if you are sending sensitive data, changing server-side data or performing actions that should not be repeated unintentionally.

Safety-relevant effects

Visibility of the data

GET: Disclosure of data in the URL

GET requests send data as query parameters in the URL and make them visible:

Browsing history – users can see previous search queries and parameters.
Server logs – Web servers log complete URLs, including query parameters.
Bookmarks and shared links – Anyone who has the URL can access the same data.

For example, if you log in with GET, you can view the login data:

https://example.com/login?username=johndoe&password=securepass

This URL could be saved in the browser history, which makes it very insecure.

POST: Hides data in the request body

POST requests send data in the request body and thus prevent it from appearing in URLs. This offers more security, especially for sensitive information such as passwords and financial data.

Example of a secure login request:

POST /login
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "username": "johndoe",
 "password": "securepass"
}

As the login data is in the body, it does not appear in the browser history or in the server logs.

Risk of data disclosure

GET: Vulnerable to URL-based attacks

As GET parameters are stored in logs and bookmarks, they can be exploited:

Shoulder Surfing – If someone sees a user’s browsing history, they can find sensitive information.
Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks – If GET is used over HTTP (instead of HTTPS), attackers can intercept URLs and read their content.
Referrer Leakage – When a user clicks on a link from a GET request, their previous URL (with parameters) can be sent as a referrer.

For example, if a password reset request is made via GET:

GET /reset-password?email=johndoe@example.com

An attacker could read this from the browser history or logs.

POST: More security for sensitive data

As POST data is sent in the request body, it is not visible in the logs or browser history. However, it does not guarantee encryption — it must be used with HTTPS to prevent interception.

For example, also with POST when sent via HTTP:

POST /payment
Content type: application/json

{
 "card_number": "4111111111111111",
 "cvv": "123"
}

an attacker on the same network could still intercept the request.

CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) risks

GET: More susceptible to CSRF attacks

CSRF attacks occur when an attacker tricks a user into making an unintended request. As GET requests can be triggered simply by visiting a link or loading an image, they are particularly vulnerable.

For example, if a website allows:

GET/delete account

an attacker could embed this in an image tag:

<img src="https://example.com/delete-account">

If the victim is logged in, their browser will send the request and possibly delete their account.

POST: Less vulnerable, but still in need of protection

POST requests require a user action (e.g. submitting a form), which makes them more difficult to exploit via CSRF. However, they are not immune — attackers can still create fake forms that trick users into submitting data.

To prevent CSRF:

Websites should require authentication for sensitive actions.
Implement CSRF tokens that validate form submissions.
Use SameSite Cookies to prevent cross-site requests.

Caching and security

GET: Cached by default, increased risk

GET responses can be cached by browsers and intermediary proxies. If sensitive data is contained in the URL, it can be saved:

The user’s browser cache
Shared proxy servers
ISP protocols

For example, if a bank displays account balances via GET:

GET /balance?account=12345

the response could be cached and later retrieved by another user on the same device.

POST: Not cached, more secure for sensitive data

Since POST responses are not cached by default, the risk of sensitive data being exposed through cached pages is lower. However, developers should still

use HTTPS to encrypt data.
Explicitly disable caching for sensitive pages (e.g. banking dashboards).
introduce authentication to restrict access.

Use HTTPS for secure communication

GET and POST: Both require HTTPS

Neither GET nor POST are inherently encrypted — security depends on the use of HTTPS (SSL/TLS).

HTTP transmits data in plain text, making it vulnerable to eavesdropping.
HTTPS encrypts the data and prevents attackers from reading or modifying requests.

For example, if you use HTTPS:

https://securebank.com/login

ensures that the login data is encrypted before transmission.

Even though POST is more secure than GET for the transmission of sensitive data, the use of HTTPS is essential to prevent unauthorized access.

Performance considerations

Speed and efficiency

GET: Faster through caching

GET requests are generally faster than POST requests because they:

They retrieve data without changing the server status.
They can be cached by browsers and intermediate servers.
Require fewer server resources as they do not involve data processing.

For example, when a user visits a news website:

GET /latest-news

If the request is cached, the browser or server can return the response quickly without making a new request.

POST: Slower due to the processing effort

POST requests tend to be slower than GET requests because they:

The server has to process and store the data.
Cannot be cached, which means that a new request must be processed each time.
They often contain larger payloads in the request body, which increases the data transfer time.

For example, when you post a comment on a blog:

POST /add-comment
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "user": "JohnDoe",
 "comment": "Great article!"
}

This request requires database interaction, validation and storage, which makes it slower than a simple GET request.

Server load

GET: Reducing the load through caching

Since GET requests can be cached, repeated requests do not always reach the server, which reduces the processing load. This is useful for:

Frequently used resources (e.g. product catalogs, news feeds).
API endpoints that return static or semistatic data.

For example, an API that returns exchange rates can be cached:

GET /exchange-rates

This prevents thousands of identical requests from unnecessarily hitting the server.

POST: Increases the server load

POST requests must always be processed by the server because they:

Cannot be cached.
Often involve database operations (insert, update, delete).
Require additional security checks (authentication, validation).

For example, when a user submits an order:

POST /order-place-order
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "user_id": 123,
 "items": ["Laptop", "Mouse"]
}

The server must validate the order, check the stock, process the payment and save the order data, which increases the server load.

Data transfer size

GET: Limited by the URL length

GET requests have a URL length limit, usually:

2,048 characters in many browsers.
8,192 characters in some modern web servers.

If too much data is sent in the URL, the request may fail. For example, it is not possible to send a large JSON payload in a GET request:

GET /api/data?payload=verylongdata...(truncated)

For large payloads, POST is the better option.

POST: Can handle large data

POST enables the sending of large payloads in the request body and is therefore ideal for:

File uploads.
Transmission of form data.
Sending detailed API requests.

For example, to upload a CV to a job portal:

POST /upload-resume
Content-Type: multipart/form-data

file=resume.pdf

Since the data is not limited by the length of the URL, POST can process much larger inputs.

Handling simultaneous requests

GET: More scalable with high data traffic

Since GET requests can be cached and do not change server data, they are scalable even with high traffic. Websites like:

Google Search
Wikipedia
Online news portals

use GET to retrieve content efficiently.

POST: Requires more resources with high traffic

As POST requests need to be processed, a high volume of POST requests can

overload the database if too many records are created or updated.
cause double submissions when users update a form.
Require load balancing to distribute traffic.

For example, an online shopping website that processes thousands of checkout requests needs to optimize POST processing to prevent slowdowns.

Use in web applications

GET: Ideal for read-only requests

GET should be used for:

Retrieving non-sensitive data.
Displaying public content.
Performing searches and filtering results.

POST: Necessary for changing data

POST should be used for:

Transmitting sensitive information.
Creating or updating data records.
Performing actions that should not be repeated accidentally.

By choosing the right method for each request, developers can optimize web performance, improve usability and reduce server load.

Examples from the real world

GET in action

Retrieving public websites

When you visit a website by entering a URL or clicking on a link, your browser sends a GET request to retrieve the content of the page.

Example:

GET /home
Host: example.com

The server responds with the HTML, CSS and JavaScript code required to display the page.

Retrieving data from an API

APIs usually use GET to provide data without changing the server.

Example: Retrieving weather data

GET /weather?city=Bangalore
Host: api.weather.com

The server responds with:

{
 "city": "Bangalore",
 "temperature": "30°C",
 "condition": "Sunny"
}

As this data does not change the state of the server, GET is the best choice.

Loading search results

Search engines and e-commerce websites use GET to retrieve results based on user queries.

Example: Search for shoes

GET /search?query=shoes&page=2
Host: store.com

The URL can be bookmarked or shared so that others can see the same search results.

Display of user profiles

When displaying a social media profile, GET is used to retrieve the user’s data.

Example: Retrieving a profile

GET /users/johndoe
Host: socialmedia.com

The server responds with the user’s data, but does not change anything.

POST in action

User login

To log in to a website, the login data must be transmitted securely, which is done with POST.

Example:

POST /login
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "username": "johndoe",
 "password": "securepass"
}

As the login data is sent in the request body, it is not displayed in the URL.

Sending a contact form

When a user fills out and submits a contact form, the data is sent to the server via POST request.

Example:

POST /contact
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

name=John+Doe&email=johndoe@example.com&message=Hello

The server processes the request and saves or forwards the message.

Creating a new user in an API

Web applications often use POST to create new data records in a database.

Example: Registering a new user

POST /users
Host: api.example.com
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "name": "Jane Doe",
 "email": "janedoe@example.com"
}

The server processes this request and saves the new user.

Placing an e-commerce order

When checking out on an e-commerce website, a POST request sends the order data to the server.

Example:

POST /checkout
Host: store.com
Content-Type: application/json

{
 "user_id": 123,
 "items": ["Laptop", "Mouse"],
 "payment_method": "Credit Card"
}

The server processes the payment and confirms the order.

Uploading a file

Websites and APIs use POST to process file uploads.

Example: Uploading a profile picture

POST /upload
Host: example.com
Content-Type: multipart/form-data

file=profile_picture.jpg

The server saves the file and links it to the user’s profile.

By using GET for data retrieval and POST for data transmission, web applications ensure efficient, secure and user-friendly interactions.

Choice between GET and POST

When should you use GET?

Retrieving publicly accessible data
Searching and filtering content
Bookmarking and sharing links
Retrieving API data that does not change the server

When should POST be used?

Transmission of forms with sensitive data
Creating or updating data records in a database
Processing transactions and payments
Uploading files or processing large amounts of data

By using GET to retrieve data and POST to modify data, web applications can optimize performance, security and usability.