Saturday, January 5, 2008

GET POST PUT

When a browser requests a normal page from a server, it uses the "GET" method. This is the standard way to get back information from a server. The information itself may come from a static page, a CGI program, a server-side include page or any other source handled by the server. By definition it is safe for a browser to obtain a page by GET as many times as it likes - it will never cause any permanent action on the server (such as entering a product order).

To perform a permanent action on the server, the "POST" method is used. This method must be handled by a program or script, and the browser should not re-request a POST page without getting the user to confirm it. This POST method is used when a script or program requires a lot of form data input or when the request makes the server perform a real action such as entering an order.

The "PUT" method is similar to the POST method in that it can cause information to be updated on the server. The difference is that the POST method is normally handed a script which is explicitly named by the resource (that is, something that already exists), while a PUT request could be directed at a resource which does not (yet) exist. Another difference is that the POST method can be used in response to a form, while the PUT method can only contain a single data item. The PUT method is suited for publishing pages.


Reference :
http://www.apacheweek.com/features/put

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