Call a Server-side Method on a Resource in a RESTful Way

Question

Keep in mind I have a rudimentary understanding of REST. Let\'s say I have this URL:

http://api.animals.com/v1/dogs/1/

And now, I want to m

Answer 1

POST is the HTTP method designed for

Providing a block of data...to a data-handling process

Server-side methods handling non-CRUD-mapped actions is what Roy Fielding intended with REST, so you're good there, and that's why POST was made to be non-idempotent. POST will handle most posting of data to server-side methods to process the information.

That said, in your dog-barking scenario, if you want a server-side bark to be performed every 10 minutes, but for some reason need the trigger to originate from a client, PUT would serve the purpose better, because of its idempotence. Well, strictly by this scenario there's no apparent risk of multiple POST requests causing your dog to meow instead, but anyway that's the purpose of the two similar methods. My answer to a similar SO question may be useful for you.