How does the PATCH method work differently from PUT?

Short answer: PATCH → Updates only the specified fields (partial update). PUT → Replaces the entire resource representation. 👉

Example code

PATCH /users/1 { "email": "new@email.com" } → Updates only the email. PUT /users/1 { "name": "John" } → May overwrite other fields like email if not included.

Real-world example (ShopNest)

Creating an order is POST /api/orders → 201 with Location header. Fetching is GET /api/orders/{id} → 200 or 404.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.