Question 1,398 of 1,389
CCNA AI and Network Operations Practice Question
A network automation script sends this HTTP request to a controller API:
POST /api/v1/devices
What does the POST method typically indicate in a RESTful API?
⚠ Common exam trap
Remember that POST is for creating resources, not retrieving, deleting, or updating them.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It creates a new resource or submits data to be processed
POST usually means the client is submitting information to create a new resource or asking the server to process the provided payload. In a controller-based networking context, that often means onboarding a device, creating an object, or starting a workflow. This question is testing method recognition rather than deep programming skill. GET is commonly used for retrieval, DELETE for removal, and PUT for full replacement or update behavior that is typically idempotent. POST is different because repeating the same POST can create multiple objects or trigger repeated actions, depending on the API design. For CCNA purposes, the plain-English takeaway is simple: POST is generally associated with create-or-submit behavior, not read-only retrieval.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It retrieves an existing resource without changing it
Why it's wrong here
That describes GET, not POST. GET is normally used when a client wants to read information from the server without changing the resource. Learners sometimes remember that both are HTTP methods and stop there, but the exam expects you to match each method with its usual purpose.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question were to ask about the HTTP GET method instead of POST, option A would be correct, as GET is specifically designed to retrieve existing resources without making any changes to them.
- ✓
It creates a new resource or submits data to be processed
Why this is correct
Correct. This is correct. POST commonly creates a new resource or submits data to the API for processing. In automation questions, that usually means the script is asking the controller to add something or perform an action using the payload it sends.
- ✗
It deletes the targeted resource permanently
Why it's wrong here
Permanent removal of a target resource is the role of the DELETE method, not POST. While a POST request can be used to invoke a custom action that causes deletion, standard REST semantics assign all deletion to DELETE, and POST's primary purpose is submission for creation or processing. The question's scenario of sending an HTTP request in an automation script expects you to identify POST's standard meaning as create/submit.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question were to ask about the DELETE method in a RESTful API context, stating that it permanently deletes a targeted resource would be correct. For example, a question could ask, 'What does the DELETE method typically indicate in a RESTful API?'
- ✗
It replaces the entire existing resource in an idempotent way
Why it's wrong here
This description maps to the HTTP PUT method, which is designed for full replacement of a resource and is idempotent (repeating the request yields the same result). POST, by contrast, is non-idempotent and typically sends data to the server to create a new sub-resource or trigger processing. In RESTful APIs, replacing an entire existing resource is PUT's semantic role, not POST's.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question were to ask about the PUT method instead of POST, and the context specified that the operation was intended to update an existing resource, then option D would be correct as PUT is idempotent and replaces the entire resource.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓It creates a new resource or submits data to be processedCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Correct. This is correct. POST commonly creates a new resource or submits data to the API for processing. In automation questions, that usually means the script is asking the controller to add something or perform an action using the payload it sends.
✗It retrieves an existing resource without changing itWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Option A is incorrect because the POST method is not used for retrieving resources; instead, it is intended for creating new resources or submitting data for processing in a RESTful API context.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question were to ask about the HTTP GET method instead of POST, option A would be correct, as GET is specifically designed to retrieve existing resources without making any changes to them.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose this option due to a misunderstanding of HTTP methods, confusing POST with GET, or recalling that some methods can retrieve data without modification, leading to an incorrect association.
✗It deletes the targeted resource permanentlyWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The POST method is used to create or submit data, not to delete resources. Option C incorrectly describes the function of the DELETE method in RESTful APIs, which is responsible for removing resources.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question were to ask about the DELETE method in a RESTful API context, stating that it permanently deletes a targeted resource would be correct. For example, a question could ask, 'What does the DELETE method typically indicate in a RESTful API?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the POST method with other HTTP methods due to overlapping functionalities in API design, leading them to mistakenly associate POST with deletion instead of creation.
✗It replaces the entire existing resource in an idempotent wayWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Option D is incorrect because the POST method is not idempotent and does not replace an existing resource; it is primarily used to create new resources or submit data.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question were to ask about the PUT method instead of POST, and the context specified that the operation was intended to update an existing resource, then option D would be correct as PUT is idempotent and replaces the entire resource.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the POST method with the PUT method, as both are used to modify resources, leading them to mistakenly believe that POST can also replace existing resources.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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Last reviewed: May 17, 2026
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.
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