HTTP MethodsHow They Relate to RESTful API's

About Me

Herman J. Radtke III

Web Architect at HauteLookDesign the RESTful API

Writing PHP for 9 years

Maintain pecl/gearman and pecl/memcache

Perspective

HauteLook's API is for internal useVery few restrictions on designExample: Netflix

Many companies have an external APIConcerned with how the design affects other clients (ex: flash)Examples: Twilio, Jira, Facebook

Why?

REST is an architectural style

Not satisfied with the existing explanations

GET vs POST

Do we actually know the differences?

GET vs POST

I ask every interviewee this question.

Common answers:GET does not send a body in the request

POST can send more data

POST is more secure

Idempotence

Idempotence means no side-effects.

This is the most important difference!GET is idempotent (safe)POST is not idempotent (unsafe)

It allows the web to scale.

Improper use of GET

<a href=”/logout.php”>Logout</a>

We just broke the internetCaching proxiesBrowser "accelerator" plugins

Better to use a form with the POST method

Other example: Tracking Pixels

POST vs PUT

POST is create and PUT is update, right?

Not so simpleMethods do not map to CRUDCRUD can map to the methods

Key difference?PUT is idempotent!

Create Using POST

Create Using PUT

Update Using POST 1/2

Update Using POST 2/2

Update Using PUT

Other HTTP Methods

PATCH

DELETE

HEAD

OPTIONS

Additional Resources

RFC 2616 Method Definitions - http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec9.html

#rest on freenode

My twitter - @hermanradtke