Difference between GET and HEAD
GET and HEAD are HTTP methods used in web communication, and they have some key differences:
📘 Usage:
GET method:
The GET method serves the purpose of requesting data from the server, specifically for retrieving resources identified by the provided URL. GET requests are intended solely for data retrieval and should not induce any other alterations to the server.
Example:
When you initiate the loading of a web page in your browser, the browser dispatches a GET request to the server, aiming to retrieve the essential elements such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other assets needed for rendering the web page.
Response:
The server handles the request and provides the requested data within the response body, accompanied by metadata, including headers and status codes.
Example response:
HEAD method:
The HEAD method closely resembles GET, with the key distinction that it is employed when the sole objective is to obtain the response headers, excluding the response body. It proves valuable for tasks like resource existence verification, metadata retrieval, or examination of the resource’s modification date, all without the need to download the actual content.
Example Scenario:
When you wish to verify the existence of a particular file on a web server without the need to download the complete file, you can employ the HEAD method.
Response:
The server handles the request and provides only the response headers (metadata), omitting the actual data.
Example response:
📘 Cache Control:
GET:
GET requests can be cached by both the client and intermediate caches (e.g., proxy servers). The response is stored for later use, and subsequent GET requests may be served from the cache.
HEAD:
HEAD requests can also be cached, but only the headers are stored, not the full content. Caching headers can be useful for quickly checking resource availability or metadata without re-downloading.
📘 Response Size:
GET responses are typically larger because they include the resource’s content, making them suitable for cases where you need the complete data.
HEAD responses are smaller since they only include the headers, making them suitable for scenarios where you want to conserve bandwidth.
In summary, GET is used to retrieve the complete content of a resource, while HEAD is used to retrieve only the headers and metadata of a resource without downloading the full content. The choice between GET and HEAD depends on your specific use case and whether you need the actual data or just information about the resource.
