Why follow this standard? Simplest answer is "Interoperability".
Interoperability is "the ability of computer systems or software to exchange and make use of information".
Example: Different browsers retrieve and display the same web page.
| HTTP Method | Use | Idempotent | Safe | Cacheable | Request body |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GET | Retrieve a resource | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| POST | Create a resource | No | No | No | Yes |
| PATCH | Modify part of existing resource | No | No | No | Yes |
| PUT | Replace existing resource | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| DELETE | Destroy a resource | Yes | No | No | No |
| HEAD | Retrieve headers only (no body) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| OPTIONS | Retrieve supported HTTP methods | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CONNECT | Open a tunnel for two-way communications | No | No | No | No |
| TRACE | Loop- back of the request message | Yes | Yes | No | No |
GET - can retrieve many resources (list of same resource type). Include pagination, filters, and sorting.
POST - can create many resources (in bulk). Saves on making many http requests