api: YAML JSON TOON Database
version: 1.0.0
format: json
dataset:
  id: 12
  slug: http-methods-reference
  title: HTTP Methods Reference
  description: "Standard HTTP request methods: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS, TRACE with safety, idempotency, and body characteristics."
  summary: "The standard HTTP methods with their safety, idempotence, whether they carry a body and what they are for: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS and TRACE, plus CONNECT for proxy tunnels."
  use_when[2]: You are choosing a method for an API operation.,You need to know whether a request can be retried safely.
  caveats[3]: Safe and idempotent describe the semantics defined by the specification; a badly designed server can violate them.,POST is neither safe nor idempotent by definition; use an idempotency key if retries must be safe.,"A request body on GET, HEAD, or DELETE has no generally defined semantics. Do not infer universal support from a client library accepting one."
  related[5]: http-methods,http-status-codes-complete,http-status-code-best-practices,http-client-error-guide,http-request-retry-decisions
  category: HTTP Status Codes
  category_slug: http-status-codes
  tags: "http,methods,rest,web"
  view_count: 0
  created_at: 1777673262
  updated_at: 1791799373
  sources[1]{title,url}:
    IETF HTTP semantics,"https://httpwg.org/specs/rfc9110.html"
  reading[1]: api-retries-with-backoff-and-idempotency
  reviewed_at: 2026-10-12
  provenance: "Original editorial reference notes by YJTOON, informed by the linked primary documentation. External specifications retain their own licenses."
  entry_count: 9
  fields[5]{section,field,type,example}:
    methods,method,string,GET
    methods,safety,string,Safe
    methods,idempotent,boolean,"true"
    methods,body,string,No generally defined semantics
    methods,purpose,string,Retrieve a resource
data:
  methods[9]{method,safety,idempotent,body,purpose}:
    GET,Safe,true,No generally defined semantics,Retrieve a resource
    POST,Unsafe,false,Yes,Process the enclosed representation according to the target resource; creation is one use
    PUT,Unsafe,true,Yes,Replace a resource
    PATCH,Unsafe,false,Yes,Partially modify a resource
    DELETE,Unsafe,true,No generally defined semantics,Delete a resource
    HEAD,Safe,true,No generally defined semantics,GET without response body
    OPTIONS,Safe,true,No,Describe communication options
    TRACE,Safe,true,No,Echo request for diagnostic
    CONNECT,Unsafe,false,No generally defined semantics,"Establish a tunnel to the target, used by proxies for HTTPS"