What's the difference between $_POST and $_GET in PHP?
$_POST and $_GET are some of the predefined superglobal variables in PHP. Regardless of scope, a superglobal variable is accessible from anywhere in the PHP script.
The GET method is used for retrieving data not modify, whereas the post method is used to send data to a server to create or update a resource.
Some notes on POST Requests:
- more secure since data is not exposed in the URL
- no limit on data length, making it suitable for forms and file uploads
- data is included in the request body
- do not remain in the browser history and never cached
- cannot be bookmarked
- not considered idempotent, same request multiple times may have additional side effects
Some notes on GET Requests:
- less secure, never use for sensitive information
- appends data to the URL and visible
- data length is limited by URL length (maximum URL length is 2048 characters)
- can be cached and remain in the browser history
- can be bookmarked
- considered idempotent, same request multiple times should not have additional side effects
Some use cases when the POST method would be used include:
- submitting form data: login forms, registration forms, contact forms
- sending large amounts of data: uploading files
- modifying server-side data: updating user profiles, adding comments
- clicking the "Add to cart" button
- api interactions: communicating with APIs to create, update, or delete resources
Some use cases when the GET method would be used include:
- retrieving data based on user input: search queries, filtering options, pagination
- passing small amounts of data: passing IDs
- creating shareable URLs: bookmarking
Powerful tools that can help you with API testing by sending GET and POST requests