Skip to main content

PATCH vs POST and PUT

Quick summary highlighting the differences between PATCH, POST, and PUT:

  • POST:

    • Used to create a new resource.
    • Sends data to the server to create a new entry in a collection.
    • Does not require the full resource representation.

  • PUT:

    • Used to update/replace an existing resource in its entirety.
    • Requires the client to send the complete updated entity, including both modified and unmodified fields.
    • Idempotent: Repeated requests with the same data result in the same state of the resource.

  • PATCH:

    • Used for partial updates to an existing resource.
    • Only the fields that are being changed need to be sent.
    • More efficient for small updates, as it reduces data transfer and processing.
    • Ideal for updating a subset of a resource's attributes, such as metadata or tags, without affecting the rest of the resource.

In summary, PATCH is chosen for efficiency and specificity when updating parts of a resource, POST for creating new resources, and PUT for complete replacements of existing resources.

Check this for an example of using PATCH when dealing with partial updates to existing database.