What is the difference between GET and POST?
PICTURE THIS: A REST CALL
Simple meaning
GET retrieves data, can be cached, and puts parameters in the URL.
WHY — HTTP instead of guessing?
Why interviewers care about HTTP:
contrast on HTTP, not two memorised paragraphs.
the developer, then one case where picking wrong hurts.
Name the idea, why it exists, then one short example.
End with when you use it and one common pitfall.
STEPS — What happens step by step?
Before you speak the answer, walk the interviewer through these steps:
- 1GET retrieves data, can
be cached, and puts parameters in the URL.
- 2POST creates a resource
or triggers work and sends data in the body.
- 3You never put passwords
in a GET query string because URLs are logged, bookmarked, and shared.
- 4Give an example
One tiny concrete case you can say aloud.
- 5Common mistake
What juniors usually get wrong.
- 6Close
When you pick this over the alternative.
EXAMPLE — See it in action
Here's a short line you can speak, broken into clear beats:
Note: Adapt this scaffold to your own project — keep it under 60–90 seconds.
Key takeaway
GET retrieves data, can be cached, and puts parameters in the URL. POST creates a resource or triggers work and sends data in the body.