The proposed HTTP QUERY method (RFC 10008) functions like GET but allows a request body, giving developers an official, idempotent way to send complex query data instead of misusing POST or hacking a body onto GET.
CJ explains a new proposed HTTP method called QUERY, already implemented in Node.js's HTTP module, that lets developers send an idempotent, GET-like request with a JSON or form-encoded body — solving the common workaround of using POST (as GraphQL does) just to carry query data. ✦ AI generated
CJ Reynolds · Syntax · 2026-07-06 · original ↗
starts at this moment · 19:18
“CJ, what else you got for us today?”
Essentially, it's an HTTP get, but it can have a body. So you can put those query params in the body as like form URL encoded params, or you could have JSON inside of the body. You could set the content type to whatever you want. But the idea is this will still be in classified as an item potent request.
verbatim transcript · starts at 19:18
18:58complex data that you want to send but you still have an item potent request you would use a post request. And we actually see this in like GraphQL. If you've ever built a GraphQL API, you do uh like slash I think it's slashquery. It's always a post request and then it has a big massive payload of all the things you're requesting or reading. But that's the reason they use a post
19:18request is because they need more than just the URL state. They need actual data in the body. Um, and so HTTP query is here to solve that. Essentially, it's an HTTP get, but it can have a body. So you can put those query params in the body as like form URL encoded params, or you could have JSON inside of the body. You could set the content type to
19:40whatever you want. But the idea is this will still be in classified as an item potent request. like it doesn't modify anything on the server. It's really just requesting data. Um I have this other blog post that shows some more concrete examples. Um so yeah, in practice essentially like GraphQL would be one of the things that could adopt this. So instead of a post to slap APIgraphql,
20:02they do a query and then that query >> includes the GraphQL query in the body. Um similarly like they show an example here where instead of using a form URL encoded body they actually use a JSON body. So you have a a query request to an endpoint include JSON and it's essentially just a JSON version of the query string but it can get more readable because you can have like array
20:28types inside of there. Uh typically like with query strings if you want an array type you'll have like multiple of the same query parameter. So query it's coming. It's exciting. Um and like I said it it's only supported in Node.js HTTP module uh so far. But the idea with an RSV RFC is it's a request for comment. So uh implementers of browsers and everyone else can kind
20:52of chime in to decide should this thing exist? Should we kind of change the spec a little bit? And eventually this will make it across the web. I don't know how long it's going to take, but eventually uh if everyone buys in, it will make it across the web and you'll be able to use query instead of post or get. >> Interesting. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, um this is the type of
21:14thing where I think and you know what's this going to do for us devs on a daily basis? But I I think it's neat and it's feels modern. It feels nice. >> Yeah. >> I don't really have too much other than it's interesting. But yeah, >> I have some comments from uh Hacker News I can show cuz I think the >> good good. That's what we need.