In HTTP methods, what is the purpose of the GET method?

The GET method is primarily designed for retrieving existing information from a server. When a client (such as a browser) sends a GET request to a server, it asks for data associated with a specific resource without making any changes to that resource. This method typically does not affect the state or content of the server and is meant purely for reading or accessing data.

GET requests are commonly used to fetch web pages, images, or data from APIs, allowing users or applications to view or utilize the information provided. Since GET requests are idempotent, they can be safely repeated without side effects, which is a key characteristic that differentiates it from other HTTP methods that modify data, such as POST or PUT.

In summary, the purpose of the GET method is to retrieve existing data from a server without altering it, which aligns perfectly with the correct answer.