Difference between PUT and PATCH Methods in HTTP
When it comes to updating or modifying data in web applications via API calls, developers use HTTP methods such as PUT and PATCH. While these two methods may seem similar on the surface, they have distinct differences that can affect the way they are used in practice.
PUT Method
The PUT method is used to update or replace an entire resource or entity at a given URL. When you send a PUT request, the server completely replaces the existing resource with the new one that is included in the request body.
For example, if you have a product resource at the URL “/api/products/1” and send a PUT request with updated information, such as a new product name, description, and price, the server will replace the entire product resource with the new one.
PUT requests are idempotent, which means that sending the same request multiple times will have the same effect as sending it once. This makes PUT requests suitable for updating resources that need to be completely replaced, such as replacing an entire customer profile.
PATCH Method
Unlike PUT, the PATCH method is used to update only a portion of the resource, rather than the entire resource. A PATCH request specifies a set of changes to be applied to a resource, without requiring the full resource to be sent back and forth.
For example, if you have an invoice resource at the URL “/api/invoices/1” and send a PATCH request with updated information, such as a change to the status of the invoice, the server will apply only the changes specified in the request body.
PATCH requests are not idempotent, which means that sending the same request multiple times will have different effects each time. This makes PATCH requests suitable for making partial updates to a resource, such as changing the status of an invoice or updating a specific field in a complex object.
Conclusion
In summary, PUT and PATCH are two HTTP methods used for modifying resources in web applications via API calls. While they may seem similar, the key difference between them is that PUT is used to completely replace a resource, while PATCH is used to update a portion of a resource. Understanding when to use each method is crucial for building efficient and effective APIs.
Table difference between put and patch
| PUT | PATCH |
|---|---|
| PUT is used to update an entire resource. | PATCH is used to update a part of a resource. |
| PUT requires the entire resource to be sent in the request. | PATCH only requires the part of the resource that is being updated to be sent in the request. |
| PUT is idempotent, meaning that multiple identical requests will have the same effect as a single request. | PATCH is not necessarily idempotent, meaning that multiple identical requests may have different effects. |
| PUT is commonly used for creating or updating a resource. | PATCH is commonly used for making small updates to a resource without replacing it entirely. |
| PUT is used when the client has all the necessary data to update the resource. | PATCH is used when the client only has some of the data needed to update the resource, or when a subset of the data needs to be updated. |