Echoes back the received request so the client can see what proxies changed along the path. Disabled on most production servers for security.
Quick facts
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Safe (does not modify state) | Yes |
| Idempotent (repeatable) | Yes |
| Cacheable | No |
Description
Echoes back the received request so the client can see what proxies changed along the path. Disabled on most production servers for security.
Example
curl -X TRACE -i https://api.example.com/users/1
Request example
TRACE /api/users/1 HTTP/1.1 Host: example.com
TRACE vs GET
| TRACE | GET |
|---|---|
| Echo the request path for diagnostics | Return a representation |
| Diagnostic use only | General use |
All HTTP methods
Frequently asked questions
TRACE is a safe method — it does not change resource state on the server.
TRACE is idempotent — repeated requests have the same effect as a single request.
Sources & standards
Updated 2026-09-13
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