A modern approach to HTTP requests for complex queries

The New HTTP QUERY Method

2024

02

Understanding the Challenge

Why existing HTTP methods fall short for complex queries

01

GET has URL length constraints Query strings are limited by URL length, making complex queries impractical
02

POST lacks semantic clarity POST is meant for creating resources, not for data retrieval queries
03

No standard for query payloads Developers resort to workarounds like POST with custom headers
04

Caching complexity POST requests bypass caches, reducing performance for query operations

04

A purpose-built method for safe, cacheable query operations

A new HTTP method designed specifically for complex query operations

search

Like GET, QUERY doesn't modify server state and can be retried safely

description

Send complex queries in the request body without URL length limits

cache

Responses can be cached, improving performance for repeated queries

code

Clearly expresses query intent, improving API design and documentation

GET

POST

QUERY New Standard
Safe and idempotent
Request body allowed
Complex queries supported
Cacheable by default

2024

IETF Draft Published

HTTP QUERY method proposed as an official internet standard

2024

Community Discussion

Widespread interest on platforms like Hacker News and GitHub

2025

Browser Implementation

Expected browser support and HTTP library adoption

2026

Industry Adoption

Widespread use in REST APIs and GraphQL implementations

The future of HTTP queries is here

Source: kreya.app/blog/new-http-query-method-explained