Understanding HTTP Requests: Types, Components, and Best Practices

HTTP requests can be categorized into five main types, often compared to CRUD operations. These are GET for reading, POST for creating, PUT and PATCH for updating, and DELETE for removing resources.

An HTTP request consists of three core components: the request line, headers, and the message body. These elements specify the type of action and data involved.

For example, when submitting a contact form on a website, your browser uses the POST HTTP request method to send data to the server. PUT requests are used for updating resources.

While GET and POST are commonly used, methods like PUT, PATCH, and DELETE also play important roles. They align with CRUD operations: Create, Read, Update, and Delete.

HTTP and REST are often confused. HTTP is a protocol, while REST is an architectural style that uses HTTP features but has additional constraints and attributes.

HTTP APIs use HTTP for communication to expose endpoints. For example, scheduling a Zoom meeting via Google Calendar typically involves an HTTP API.

Email uses SMTP for sending and protocols like POP3 or IMAP for retrieval, which is fundamentally different from HTTP's request-response nature.

The request line is divided into three parts: the method, the URL, and the HTTP version. These dictate how the server processes the request.