The choice of GET or POST depends on the data delivery method, security and operation type. 1. GET transmits data through URLs, which is visible and easy to be tampered with, and is suitable for scenarios where there is no sensitive information; POST places the data in the request body, which is more hidden and suitable for submitting sensitive information. 2. GET supports bookmarks and caching, which is suitable for search, filtering and other operations that do not change the server status; POST is not cached or bookmarked by default, which is suitable for logging in, uploading files, creating or modifying data. 3. GET is limited by the URL length, usually no more than 2048 characters, and is not suitable for large amounts of data or binary content; POST sends data through the request body, and there is no such restriction. 4. POST is more secure than GET, but both require HTTPS encryption to truly ensure security. POST should be used when it involves passwords or personal information.

When you're working with PHP forms, the difference between GET and POST comes down to how data is sent from the form to the server. Both methods do the job of passing form data, but they behave differently in terms of visibility, caching, bookmarks, and security.

Here's a practical breakdown of when and why you'd choose one over the other.

1. How Data Is Sent: GET vs POST

With GET , form data is appended to the URL as query parameters. You've probably seen URLs like this:

 http://example.com/page.php?name=John&email=john@example.com

That's what happens when you use method="get" in your form — everything shows up in the address bar.

On the other hand, POST sends the data behind the scenes. It doesn't show up in the URL, which makes it more discreet and suitable for sensitive information (though not fully secure — more on that later).

So if you don't want users seeing or tampering with the submitted values ??easily, go with POST .

2. Bookmarking and Caching Behavior

If you use GET , the form data becomes part of the URL. That means users can bookmark or share the resulting page — sometimes useful, but also risky if the form submission changes something on the server.

For example:

• A search form using GET is fine because you want users to be able to save or share their search results.
• But if you're deleting a user account or updating a database record via a form, using GET could lead to accidental actions if someone clicks a saved link.

POST requests aren't cached or bookmarked by default, so they're safer for operations that have side effects.

Use GET for:

• Filtering content
• Search queries
• Anything that doesn't change server state

Use POST for:

• Submitting login details
• Uploading files
• Creating or modifying data

3. Data Length and Type Limitations

There's a practical limit to how much data you can send with GET . Since it's part of the URL, browsers and servers impose length restrictions (often around 2048 characters). So if your form has a lot of fields or allows long text input (like a comment box), GET might not work reliable.

POST doesn't have this limitation. It sends data in the HTTP body, so you can pass much larger amounts without hitting those limits.

Also, GET only handles ASCII characters well. If you need to support special characters or binary data (like file uploads), POST is the way to go — especially when combined with enctype="multipart/form-data" .

4. Security Considerations

While POST is more private than GET , neither method should be considered fully secure. Both can be intercepted or manipulated if the connection isn't encrypted (ie, no HTTPS).

However, since GET exposes data in the URL:

• It can be logged in browser history
• It may appear in server logs or referrer headers
• It's easier to guess or spoof manually

So for things like passwords or personal info, always use POST . And remember: real security comes from HTTPS, validation, and sanitization — not just the request method.

In short, choose GET when the action is safe, idealpotent, and means for retrieving data. Use POST when you're submitting sensitive info or making changes on the server.

Basically that's it.

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