Idempotent method
An idempotent method intends the same server effect for one request as for several identical requests.
- methods
- semantics
- retries
Definition
An idempotent method intends the same effect on the server when an identical request is applied once or several times. Responses, timestamps, request IDs, and logging side effects can still differ.
PUT /settings/theme HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: text/plain
dark
Expected result: repeating the same complete replacement intends the same resource state. Whether a retry is operationally safe still depends on what the client knows about the failed attempt and application behavior.
Why it matters
Idempotency informs retry design. It is not a guarantee that duplicate requests are free, fast, or identical in every observable detail.