What is GET (GET Method)?
The GET method is a type of HTTP request used by clients, such as web browsers, to retrieve information from a web server. Essentially, it is employed to "get" (retrieve) resources or data from a server.
An HTTP request consists of three components: the request line, the headers, and the message body. When a client sends a GET request, the request line is structured as follows:
GET /index.html HTTP/1.1
Here, /index.html represents the URI (or URL) of the desired resource, while HTTP/1.1 specifies the HTTP protocol version being used.
Originally, the GET method was designed to retrieve files specified by the URI in the request line. However, when using dynamic content generation mechanisms like CGI, a GET request can also include parameters to request specific information. Parameters are appended to the URI using a ? symbol, and multiple parameters can be connected using &, as shown below:
GET /index.html?a=1&b=2 HTTP/1.1
Although GET can be used to send information to the server via these parameters, it is important to note that some web browsers impose restrictions on the length of the URL. Therefore, GET is mainly suited for handling short pieces of data.
Other HTTP request methods include HEAD, POST, PUT, and DELETE. Among these, GET and POST are the most widely used in web communications.