REST APIs: custom HTTP headers vs URL parameters

Question

When do you use custom HTTP headers in the request part of a REST API ?

Example:

Would you ever use

GET /orders/view 
(custom HTTP header)          


        

Answer 1

Custom headers have the following advantages:

• Can be read easily by network tools/scripts (authentication, meta info, ...)
• Keeps urls free from security stuff (safer, not in browser/proxy caches)
• Keeps urls cleaner: allows for better caching of resources