Difference Between GET and POST Methods in PHP

HTTP methods are used to make requests between clients and servers. In PHP development, the $_GET and $_POST variables make it easy to define actions that clients can perform on the web server.

Developing PHP applications requires a good understanding of HTTP methods. This article discusses the difference between GET and POST. We’ll cover their features, use cases, security implications, and best practices. 

Overview of HTTP Methods.

HTTP methods are a fundamental part of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). These allow you to interact meaningfully with your web server.

There are many different HTTP methods, you can visit them here. But the most commonly used ones are:

• GET
• POST
• PUT
• DELETE

Basically, HTTP methods are used to let the web server know what to do with the request after receiving it.

GET and POST are the most basic methods. They are used in most web applications. PUT and DELETE are used for tasks, such as updating and deleting records in a database.

The GET Method.

GET is a lightweight method. It retrieves data from the server side. This method appends parameters to the URL query string.

For example, a PHP developer uses the GET method to retrieve data from the /products page. The following URL a developer would use.

example.com/product.php?id=123.

*The product_id parameter would be accessible in the $_GET superglobal.

In the GET method parameters are visible in the URL which makes them easily shareable and bookmarkable. However, the parameter’s visibility poses a security risk since sensitive data can be exposed.

The POST Method.

The POST method is another commonly used HTTP method, particularly for sending data to the server side. Unlike the GET method, the POST method does not append parameters to the URL query string. Instead, it sends the data in the body of the HTTP request.

Let’s consider the same example of a PHP developer working with a /products page. In this case, the developer might use the POST method to submit data to the server, such as adding a new product to the database. Here’s an example of how the POST method would be used:

<form action="product.php" method="post">
  <input type="text" name="product_name" placeholder="Product Name">
  <input type="text" name="price" placeholder="Price">
  <button type="submit">Add Product</button>
</form>

In this form, the developer collects the product name and price from the user. When the user clicks the “Add Product” button, the form data is sent to the server using the POST method.

On the server side, the PHP code in the product.php file can access the submitted data through the $_POST superglobal. For example:

$productName = $_POST['product_name'];
$price = $_POST['price'];

// Perform necessary operations with the submitted data
// such as storing it in a database or processing it further

Unlike the GET method, the parameters sent via the POST method are not visible in the URL, which provides some level of security by hiding sensitive data from being exposed directly. This makes the POST method more suitable for transmitting confidential information, such as passwords or personal details.

GET vs POST Methods in PHP.

A Quick Comparison of GET and POST Methods.

GET and POST Methods in PHP.

Use GET when: 

Use POST when:

For comprehensive information on GET and POST methods in PHP, see – GET and POST Methods in PHP: A Guide to Best Practices

Conclusion.

GET and POST are two important HTTP methods that are used in web applications. They have different characteristics and are used for different purposes. It is important to understand the differences between GET and POST in order to choose the appropriate method for a particular task.

We hope this article has been informative. Please let us know if you have any questions.