When to use query parameters versus matrix parameters?

uri query-parameters
Gili picture Gili · Dec 31, 2008 · Viewed 31.1k times · Source

Query parameters: http://example.com/apples?order=random&color=blue

Matrix parameters: http://example.com/apples;order=random;color=blue

  1. When should one use query parameters versus matrix parameters?
  2. Why can matrix parameters be used in the middle of a URL but query parameters cannot? For example: http://example.com/apples;order=random;color=blue/2006/archive
  3. If matrix parameters are a superset of query parameters, why not use them all the time?

You can read more about matrix parameters here: http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/MatrixURIs.html

Answer

bdargan picture bdargan · Jan 19, 2009

The differences between Matrix parameters and Query Parameters are much more than just convention.

The main differences are:

  • urls with query params won't have their response cached by intermediaries/proxies (at present)
  • matrix parameters may appear anywhere in path
  • calculating the relative uri is different
  • query params are generally abused to add new verbs instead of using existing methods on resources
  • matrix parameters are not resources, they are aspects that help reference a resource in an information space that is difficult to represent within a hierarchy

    • I've written it up in more detail and with more references in Query vs. Matrix Parameters

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