web-API: rename should use POST, not GET #1428

New Issue

tahoe-lafs · 2011-07-12T23:56:56Z

davidsarah commented

2011-07-12 23:56:56 +00:00

The 'rename' button in WUI directory listings uses GET; it should use POST because it has side effects.

If we were to immediately remove the support in the web-API for doing a rename using GET, there would be a compatibility problem with old clients connecting to a new gateway. But we need to remove the support in order to conform to the HTTP spec, and to make browser clients do the right thing (for example they should not resubmit a rename request without user confirmation, because it's not idempotent).

So, let's do this in two steps:

in v1.9.0, add support for rename using POST and make the WUI use that support
later, remove support for rename using GET.

The 'rename' button in WUI directory listings uses GET; it should use POST because it has side effects. If we were to immediately remove the support in the web-API for doing a rename using GET, there would be a compatibility problem with old clients connecting to a new gateway. But we need to remove the support in order to conform to the HTTP spec, and to make browser clients do the right thing (for example they should not resubmit a rename request without user confirmation, because it's not idempotent). So, let's do this in two steps: - in v1.9.0, add support for rename using POST and make the WUI use that support - later, remove support for rename using GET.