Which HTTP method is idempotent, meaning it can be called multiple times without unintended effects?

Which HTTP method is idempotent, meaning it can be called multiple times without unintended effects?

• A. POST
• B. GET
• C. PUT
• D. DELETE

Answer: (C)

The correct answer is PUT. The term "idempotent" in the context of HTTP methods refers to the property where making multiple identical requests results in the same state of the server as making a single request. In the case of the PUT method, it is designed to update a resource at a specific URI. If you were to send a PUT request with the same payload to the same resource multiple times, the outcome would always be the same — the resource would reflect the latest submitted data. This characteristic aligns with the definition of idempotency, since the server's state does not change with repeated identical requests. In contrast, other HTTP methods like POST are not idempotent. A POST request generally creates a new resource, so if you call it multiple times, you would end up creating multiple instances of that resource, leading to different states on the server. Similarly, while DELETE can be idempotent (deleting a resource multiple times results in the resource remaining absent), it's often treated as a non-idempotent method because attempting to delete a resource that has already been deleted can lead to different responses or server behavior, depending on the implementation. GET is another method that is idempotent, as retrieving the same resource multiple times does not

The correct answer is PUT. The term "idempotent" in the context of HTTP methods refers to the property where making multiple identical requests results in the same state of the server as making a single request.

In the case of the PUT method, it is designed to update a resource at a specific URI. If you were to send a PUT request with the same payload to the same resource multiple times, the outcome would always be the same — the resource would reflect the latest submitted data. This characteristic aligns with the definition of idempotency, since the server's state does not change with repeated identical requests.

In contrast, other HTTP methods like POST are not idempotent. A POST request generally creates a new resource, so if you call it multiple times, you would end up creating multiple instances of that resource, leading to different states on the server. Similarly, while DELETE can be idempotent (deleting a resource multiple times results in the resource remaining absent), it's often treated as a non-idempotent method because attempting to delete a resource that has already been deleted can lead to different responses or server behavior, depending on the implementation.

GET is another method that is idempotent, as retrieving the same resource multiple times does not