PUT vs PATCH

The PUT and PATCH methods are both HTTP verbs used in web development for updating resources on a server, but they differ in their semantics and usage.

PUT

• Full Replacement: The PUT method is used to update a resource by replacing the entire resource with the new content provided in the request. It usually requires sending the complete representation of the resource.
• Idempotency: PUT is idempotent, meaning that making multiple identical PUT requests will result in the same state as making a single request. If you PUT the same data multiple times, the resource remains unchanged after the first request.
• Usage Example: Updating a user profile by sending the entire user object, even if only one attribute has changed.

PUT /users/123
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "id": 123,
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "john.doe@example.com",
  "age": 30
}

PATCH

• Partial Update: The PATCH method is used to apply partial modifications to a resource. It allows for updating specific fields without requiring the entire resource representation.
• Non-Idempotency (Generally): PATCH is not necessarily idempotent. The outcome of multiple identical PATCH requests might not be the same as a single request, depending on the changes applied.