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Postman Testing
CHAPTER 06 Beginner

Understanding HTTP Methods in Postman

Updated: May 13, 2026
20 min read

# CHAPTER 6

Understanding HTTP Methods in Postman

1. Introduction

In the previous chapter, we successfully retrieved data using a GET request. However, APIs are not just read-only encyclopedias; they are dynamic systems that allow you to create, modify, and delete data. This is where HTTP Methods (also known as HTTP Verbs) come into play. In this chapter, we will learn how to use Postman to execute the full spectrum of CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations using the corresponding standard HTTP methods.

2. Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
  • Define the acronym CRUD and map it to standard HTTP Methods.
  • Understand the purpose of GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE methods.
  • Switch between different methods in the Postman Request Builder.
  • Recognize how the expected server response changes based on the method used.

3. Beginner-Friendly Explanation

Imagine managing a digital contact list on your phone.
  • When you open the app to look at your friend's phone number, you are doing a GET request.
  • When you meet someone new and save their contact info, you are doing a POST request.
  • When your friend gets a new phone number and you replace the old one entirely, you are doing a PUT request.
  • When you just want to fix a typo in their name without touching the phone number, you are doing a PATCH request.
  • When you have a falling out and remove them from your phone, you are doing a DELETE request.

Postman has a simple dropdown menu right next to the URL bar that lets you choose exactly which of these actions you want to perform.

4. Real-World Examples

Let's see how these map to an E-commerce API:
  • GET /cart -> Retrieves the items currently in your shopping cart.
  • POST /cart -> Adds a new laptop to your shopping cart.
  • PUT /cart/item/1 -> Replaces the laptop with a different model.
  • PATCH /cart/item/1 -> Updates the quantity of laptops from 1 to 2.
  • DELETE /cart/item/1 -> Removes the laptop from the cart entirely.

5. Step-by-Step Tutorials (CRUD in Postman)

Let's use our fake API (jsonplaceholder.typicode.com) to simulate CRUD operations.

Step 1: The POST Request (Create)

  1. 1. Open a new tab in Postman.
  1. 2. Change the method dropdown from GET to POST.
  1. 3. Enter URL: https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts
  1. 4. Click the Body tab below the URL.
  1. 5. Select raw and change the blue Text dropdown to JSON.
  1. 6. Paste the following JSON:

json
12345 
{
  "title": "My Postman Test",
  "body": "Learning how to POST data",
  "userId": 1
}
  1. 7. Hit Send. You should get a 201 Created status code and the server will return an id (e.g., 101) for your new post!

Step 2: The PUT Request (Update)

  1. 1. Change the method to PUT.
  1. 2. Change the URL to target a specific post: https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1
  1. 3. In the Body, change the title to "Updated Title".
  1. 4. Hit Send. The server returns the fully updated object.

Step 3: The DELETE Request (Delete)

  1. 1. Change the method to DELETE.
  1. 2. Keep the URL: https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1
  1. 3. Hit Send. The server usually returns an empty body {} and a 200 OK or 204 No Content status code, indicating the deletion was successful.

6. Summary of Methods

ActionHTTP MethodURL TargetBody Required?Typical Success Status
CreatePOST/usersYes201 Created
ReadGET/users/1No200 OK
Update (Full)PUT/users/1Yes200 OK
Update (Partial)PATCH/users/1Yes200 OK
DeleteDELETE/users/1No204 No Content

7. What about OPTIONS and HEAD?

If you scroll down the Postman method list, you'll see many others.
  • OPTIONS: Asks the server "What methods are allowed on this URL?" It is mostly used automatically by web browsers for security checks (CORS).
  • HEAD: Exactly like a GET request, but it asks the server to *only* send the Headers, not the actual Body data. Useful for checking if a large file exists without downloading it.

8. Testing Methods

When testing APIs, you must verify that the endpoint behaves correctly based on the method:
  • Does sending a POST to /users/1 fail appropriately? (You shouldn't be able to "Create" a user that already exists). It should return 405 Method Not Allowed.
  • Does sending a DELETE without authentication fail? (We will test this later).

9. Best Practices

  • Adhere to REST Standards: A GET request should *never* change data in the database. A DELETE request should *never* return the entire list of users.
  • Check the Documentation: Always refer to the API's documentation. Some older APIs don't use PUT or PATCH; they just use POST for all updates. Postman does exactly what you tell it to, but the server must be built to understand it.

10. Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the Body on a POST: If you select POST but forget to add data in the Body tab, the server will likely return a 400 Bad Request or create a completely blank database entry.
  • Using GET with a Body: While technically possible, the HTTP specification strongly discourages sending a Body with a GET request. Most servers (and Postman by default) will ignore it.

11. Mini Exercises

  1. 1. Which HTTP Method is used to partially update an existing record (e.g., just changing an email address)?
  1. 2. If you want to create a brand new User, which Method should you select from the Postman dropdown?

12. Coding/Testing Challenges

Challenge 1: Using JSONPlaceholder, create a PATCH request to https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1. In the raw JSON body, send *only* {"title": "Patched Title"}. Hit Send. Observe the response. Notice how the body and userId fields remained untouched, but the title changed!

13. MCQs with Answers

Question 1

What does the acronym CRUD stand for in API development?

Question 2

Which HTTP status code specifically indicates that a POST request successfully resulted in a new record being added to the database?

Question 3

What is the difference between PUT and PATCH?

14. Interview Questions

  • Q: Explain the difference between PUT and POST. When would you use each?
  • Q: If a developer designs an API where a user is deleted by visiting GET /users/1/delete, why is this considered a bad practice in REST?
  • Q: What is the purpose of the OPTIONS HTTP method?

15. FAQs

Q: Can I invent my own HTTP method like SEND_MESSAGE in Postman? A: Postman actually allows you to type custom text into the Method dropdown! However, your web server (Apache/Nginx/Node) will likely reject it, as it violates standard HTTP protocols. Stick to the standard methods.

16. Summary

In this chapter, we unlocked the ability to modify data. We learned that the dropdown menu next to the Postman URL bar controls the HTTP Method, which dictates our intent. We mapped the standard CRUD operations to POST (Create), GET (Read), PUT/PATCH (Update), and DELETE (Delete). We also executed live POST, PUT, and DELETE requests using JSONPlaceholder to see how the server responds differently to each method.

17. Next Chapter Recommendation

We know how to define our intent, but how do we provide extra context to the server? How do we say "Search for shoes" or "I am sending JSON"? Proceed to Chapter 7: Working with Headers and Query Parameters to learn how to finely tune your HTTP requests.

Finish this Chapter

Save your progress on your learning path and prepare for coding interview challenges.

Previous Chapter Sending Your First API Request
Next Chapter Working with Headers and Query Parameters

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