When working with HTTP APIs, understanding how to query data is essential. Below are key concepts and practices for effective data retrieval:
1. HTTP Methods for Data Querying
- GET: Retrieve data from the server (✅ Safe method)
- POST: Submit data to the server (❌ Not suitable for queries)
- PUT: Update data on the server (❌ Not for querying)
- DELETE: Remove data from the server (❌ Not for querying)
2. Query Parameters
- Append key-value pairs to the URL path (e.g.,
/en/guides/query-data?filter=active
) - Use
&
to separate multiple parameters (e.g.,/en/guides/query-data?sort=date&limit=10
)
3. Best Practices
- Always validate input parameters (🛡️ Security)
- Limit data returned to avoid unnecessary load (📦 Efficiency)
- Use pagination for large datasets (📄 Navigation)
- Check the API Response Structure for proper data handling
4. Example Request
GET /en/guides/query-data?query=example HTTP/1.1
Host: yourdomain.com
Accept: application/json
For advanced querying techniques, explore our Data Filtering Guide. 📚