HTTP methods

The method is part of a request's meaning. Read it alongside the target resource, headers, and content so the intended operation is clear. A client that understands those semantics can make better decisions about refreshing a view, repeating a request, or protecting a concurrent edit.

Begin with the GET retrieval guide when exploring read operations. Inspect query parameters, collection traversal, and empty results. Decide how the consumer handles a resource that changes or becomes unavailable between two requests.

Continue to PUT replacement and retry behavior for updates. Determine which representation the endpoint accepts and how omitted fields are treated. Define the application's response to a conflict before automatically repeating an older change. Record both the returned result and the resulting business state when evaluating method behavior.