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When is it appropriate to create a POST vs a GET?

I keep seeing APIs use a POST for seemingly no reason and it drives me crazy

From GitHub’s API docs, usually what I lean towards

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To me a POST is for updating data while a GET is for querying it

Exception is GraphQL where a POST is recommended for everything and things are split at the query / mutation level instead

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I don't want to out them but if you're actually interested I can DM you

It is common for some APIs to do everything with a POST because they are doing a simple mapping between library functions and the POST URL.

IMPORTANT: a GET call on your system should just return something not make changes. It is permissible to make changes needed for serving the resource, but repeated calls should not re-run that process, just return the same data. (this is called "idempotency")

Search engines spider websites using GET, if a GET made changes, it would be disastrous for you and them so don't do that.