Key takeaways
- POST submits data and is expected to change state, unlike GET.
- It is neither cacheable nor idempotent, so repeats can duplicate work.
- The body carries the payload, which is why it suits sensitive or large data.
HTTP POST request is used for sending data to a server. You can use POST requests for upload a file or submitting a web form, make sure that the receiving application agrees on the format.
Additional headers are sent with the POST request: Content-Type: header which is usually application/x-www-form-urlencoded and the Content-Length: header gives the length of the URL-encoded form data. These additional headers are used to describe the message body.
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The POST body is the block of data sent with the request and the request URI is not a resource to retrieve; it’s usually an application to handle the data you’re sending.
The HTTP response is normally application response to your file upload request or form submission, not a static file.
You can check related posts, what is HTTP, and what is HTTP GET request.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is POST for?
Sending data to a server, such as a form submission or a file upload. Unlike GET it is expected to change state.
Can a POST be safely retried?
No. It is neither cacheable nor idempotent, so a repeat can duplicate the work: two orders, two records, two charges. That is why retry logic around POST needs care.
Why send data in the body?
Because it is not part of the URL. That keeps large payloads workable and keeps sensitive values out of browser history, logs and referrer headers.
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