Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
That is, this particular program prints out your query string for
ward and backward. In other cases, the information following the
question mark might indicate a person's name, and the program
might search a directory for that name.
Because URLs are so easy to use, this extended version of a URL
is one common way of sending information from a browser to a
Web server. In fact, this is one of two approaches frequently used
when you enter information into a form. One approach, called the
GET method, uses this extended version of a URL. When you com
plete a form and click “Submit,” the browser packages your infor
mation, adds it to the URL, and passes the entire URL along the net
work to the Web server. The Web server “GETs” the information
you provided from the extended URL. Although Web developers
sometimes employ tricks to hide the information you send in a URL,
you often can see the entire URL—with your information added—
in your browser's URL field when the new page is loaded. Thus, al
though the GET method is convenient, a browser may display your
information publicly where anyone looking over your shoulder can
see it. Because of this display possibility, any data you enter should
be considered public!
A second approach for data transmission packages the data in a
form that is sent behind the scenes. This second approach, called the
POST method, transmits data in packets over the Internet, but does
not attach data to a URL. The basic idea of the POST method is
similar to the GET: The browser gathers information you might en
ter in a Web form, packages the data, and transmits the material to
a Web server. The Web server locates the desired page, runs any
designated program, and forwards your form material to that pro
gram. However, because your information is not attached to the
URL, that information will not be displayed directly in your
browser. From this standpoint, forms using the POST method do
not display information as publicly as those relying on the URL. Be
warned, however, that there is still a question of how public your
material might be when the POST method is used, and I will address
that question shortly.
The POST method provides somewhat more privacy for your
data than the GET method, but the actual approach used for any
Webbased form is predetermined by that form. You cannot control
how your information will be transmitted. At a technical level, each
Web form contains one of the following elements:
