CODEWITHSUNDEEP
node.jsexpresshttpurlmongoose
victor3r
victor3r

Reputation: 3

Difference between operators in a URL

What's the difference between using : and ? in a URL? For example /products/:id and /products?id=1? I am trying to get the values from the URL like this Product.findById (req.params.id) but I was wondering which one is most suitable. I know using : do I have to use req.params and ? req.query but I don't understand the difference between them, are they the same?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 273

Answers (2)

corvus
corvus

Reputation: 513

Having your parameters in the query is conceptually optional to the router, query parameters are more of properties and descriptions of the request itself, like when saying GET /users?sort=asc, in this case, the sort attribute was more of a description to the request and the request could complete the fetch without it, that might not always be the case, but a query parameter still describes its request even if it was mandatory.

On the other hand, URL parameters are part of the request itself, the URL without the parameter doesn't make sense, like GET /users/:userID, in this case, not supplying userID will supply unexpected data (A list of users for example) if it didn't break the router completely. URL parameters play part in defining the request rather than just describing it, and they can't be optional.

Upvotes: 0

Mohammed naji
Mohammed naji

Reputation: 1102

in my point of view, it is totally different if you are using RESTFUL API pattern

/products/:id called path parameters

The path parameters determine the resource you’re requesting for. Think of it like an automatic answering machine that asks you to press 1 for service, press 2 for another service, 3 for yet another service and so on. Path parameters are part of the endpoint itself and are not optional

but query parameters

Technically, query parameters are not part of the REST architecture, and they used to help you completely understand how to read and use API’s Query parameters give you the option to modify your request with key-value pairs.

Upvotes: 1

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