HTTP Methods

OpenAPI supports describing operations using HTTP methods. This page covers the standard HTTP methods available in all OpenAPI versions, and the enhanced method support introduced in OpenAPI 3.2.

Standard HTTP Methods (All Versions)

OpenAPI has always supported standard HTTP methods as operation keys in path items:

paths: /users: get: # Retrieve users summary: List users responses: '200': description: User list post: # Create user summary: Create a new user responses: '201': description: User created put: # Replace user collection summary: Replace all users delete: # Delete users summary: Delete all users options: # Get allowed methods summary: Get allowed methods for users endpoint head: # Get headers only summary: Get user list headers patch: # Update users summary: Update users trace: # Diagnostic trace summary: Trace users endpoint 

Each method corresponds to a specific HTTP verb and follows REST conventions for the expected behavior.

Enhanced HTTP Method Support in OpenAPI 3.2

QUERY Method Support

OpenAPI 3.2+

OpenAPI 3.2 adds native support for the QUERY HTTP method, designed for complex queries that don’t fit in URL query strings.

QUERY Method Example

# OpenAPI 3.2 paths: /products: query: summary: Advanced product search requestBody: required: true content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: filter: type: object sort: type: array items: type: string responses: '200': description: Search results 

Additional Operations for Custom Methods

OpenAPI 3.2+

Use additionalOperations for HTTP methods not covered by standard OpenAPI operations:

Additional Operations Example

Add the method names in upper case, any supported HTTP method name can be used.

# OpenAPI 3.2 paths: /documents/{id}: additionalOperations: LINK: summary: Link related documents parameters: - name: id in: path required: true schema: { type: string } requestBody: required: true content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: targetDocument: type: string relationship: type: string responses: '204': description: Link created successfully 

This approach makes it easier to adopt new methods as the HTTP landscape evolves.