- A
GET
GET is safe and idempotent.
- B
DELETE
Why wrong: DELETE is idempotent but not safe.
- C
POST
Why wrong: POST is not idempotent and not safe.
- D
PUT
Why wrong: PUT is idempotent but not safe.
Question 498 of 1,000
200-901 Understanding and Using APIs Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of understanding and using apis. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which HTTP method is idempotent and safe?
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
✓
GET
GET is both idempotent and safe because it is designed to retrieve a resource without causing any side effects on the server. According to RFC 7231, a safe method does not modify the resource state, and an idempotent method guarantees that multiple identical requests produce the same result as a single request. GET satisfies both conditions, as it never alters server state and repeating the same GET request returns the same representation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
GET
Why this is correct
GET is safe and idempotent.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
DELETE
Why it's wrong here
DELETE is idempotent but not safe.
- ✗
POST
Why it's wrong here
POST is not idempotent and not safe.
- ✗
PUT
Why it's wrong here
PUT is idempotent but not safe.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between idempotent and safe by pairing DELETE (idempotent but not safe) or PUT (idempotent but not safe) as distractors, leading candidates to assume that any method that can be repeated safely is also safe, when in fact safety requires no server-side state change.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, idempotence is defined by RFC 7231 Section 4.2.2, where the client can safely retry idempotent methods without unintended consequences. In RESTful APIs, GET requests are often cached by intermediaries (e.g., CDNs or proxies) because they are safe, improving performance. A real-world scenario: a banking API uses GET to check an account balance; even if the request is retried due to network issues, the balance is never altered, ensuring data integrity.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 200-901 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-901 question test?
Understanding and Using APIs — This question tests Understanding and Using APIs — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: GET — GET is both idempotent and safe because it is designed to retrieve a resource without causing any side effects on the server. According to RFC 7231, a safe method does not modify the resource state, and an idempotent method guarantees that multiple identical requests produce the same result as a single request. GET satisfies both conditions, as it never alters server state and repeating the same GET request returns the same representation.
What should I do if I get this 200-901 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 200-901 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 200-901 exam.
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