November 29, 2025
Bookmarks vs Bodies, FIGHT!
The HTTP Query Method
New ‘QUERY’ shakes the web: cleaner links or just POST in a wig
TLDR: IETF proposed a new HTTP “QUERY” method to send search info in the request body while staying safe like a GET. Commenters are split: some call it redundant or say “just let GET have bodies,” fans want cleaner URLs, and many worry it could break sharable bookmarks—so it could shape how we link online.
The internet’s rule‑makers at the IETF just dropped a proposal for a new HTTP trick called QUERY—think “GET, but the info rides in the message instead of the link.” The draft says it’s safe and repeatable (no surprise changes), aiming to fix mega‑long URLs and give apps more room to send search details. The web’s commentariat? On fire. The skeptics rolled in first: one critic grumbled we already have a crowd of verbs—POST, PUT, PATCH—so this feels like POST wearing a fake mustache. Another piled on with “just let GET have a body and call it a day.”
But there’s a hype squad too. A vocal fan cheered that URLs should be clean and the real data should live in the request, not explode across your address bar. Meanwhile, a third camp hit the panic button over bookmarks and sharing. If sites swap GET for QUERY, can you still copy a link to your exact search? One commenter asked flat-out: how do I share results now? Another warned it could “prevent bookmarking” if devs aren’t careful. Cue memes about “URLs going on a diet,” grandma’s saved recipes vanishing, and devs adding yet another header—yes, there’s even an Accept-Query one. The vibe: bold idea, big drama, bring popcorn
Key Points
- •Defines a new HTTP method, QUERY, as safe and idempotent, processing an enclosed body and returning results.
- •QUERY is similar to POST but designed for repeatability without partial state changes.
- •The draft specifies interactions with media types, content negotiation, response headers (Content-Location, Location), and redirection.
- •Client-server behaviors for QUERY include conditional requests, caching semantics, and support for range requests.
- •Introduces the Accept-Query header and includes IANA registrations; the draft is an IETF Internet-Draft expiring 22 May 2026.