> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.datafetcher.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Set request method

The HTTP request method determines what action your API request will perform. Different methods serve different purposes: `GET` requests retrieve data from an API to import into Airtable, while `POST` requests send data from Airtable to an external API.

Your API's documentation will specify which method to use for each endpoint. You can also learn more about HTTP request methods in general [here](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Reference/Methods).

## How to set the request method

1. On the custom request screen, locate the **Method** dropdown (to the left of the **URL** input field).
2. Click the dropdown to see available methods.
3. Select the method you need for your specific API endpoint.

<video controls className="w-full aspect-video rounded-xl" src="https://mintcdn.com/datafetcher/ea_xdpvD5ZwjF94J/videos/Set%20method.mp4?fit=max&auto=format&n=ea_xdpvD5ZwjF94J&q=85&s=c4bd4c6699f4c13e89e9fe3a932e88c6" data-path="videos/Set method.mp4" />

## Common request methods

Here are the most frequently used HTTP methods and their typical purposes:

* **GET** - Retrieve data from the API (most common for importing data into Airtable)
* **POST** - Send new data to the API (creating new records or resources)
* **PUT** - Update or replace existing data on the API
* **PATCH** - Partially update existing data on the API
* **DELETE** - Remove data from the API
* **HEAD** - Check if a resource exists or get metadata without downloading the full response

The method you choose should match what your API endpoint expects and what action you want to perform.