The HTTP FETCH-ONCE Method
draft-vijayvargiya-http-fetch-once-00

HTTP                                                     K. Vijayvargiya
Internet-Draft                                    Individual Contributor
Intended status: Standards Track                              1 May 2026
Expires: 2 November 2026

                       The HTTP FETCH-ONCE Method
                 draft-vijayvargiya-http-fetch-once-00

Abstract

   This document defines the HTTP FETCH-ONCE method.  It allows a client
   to retrieve a resource and ensures that the resource is immediately
   deleted or invalidated after retrieval.

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   This Internet-Draft will expire on 2 November 2026.

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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Method Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   3.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   4.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   5.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3

1.  Introduction

   Applications often require one-time access to sensitive data such as
   tokens or temporary links.  Existing HTTP methods require multiple
   requests.  FETCH-ONCE provides a single atomic operation that
   retrieves and invalidates a resource in one step.

2.  Method Definition

   The FETCH-ONCE method retrieves the target resource and then deletes
   or invalidates it immediately after access.  The server MUST ensure
   that the operation is atomic so that only one client can successfully
   retrieve any given resource.

3.  Security Considerations

   Servers MUST ensure atomic behavior to prevent multiple retrievals.
   Implementations should consider race conditions and ensure that
   concurrent FETCH-ONCE requests for the same resource result in only
   one successful retrieval.

4.  IANA Considerations

   This document requests that IANA register the FETCH-ONCE method in
   the "HTTP Method Registry" maintained at
   <https://www.iana.org/assignments/http-methods>.

5.  Normative References

   [RFC9110]  Fielding, R., Ed., Nottingham, M., Ed., and J. Reschke,
              Ed., "HTTP Semantics", STD 97, RFC 9110,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC9110, June 2022,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc9110>.

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

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   [RFC8174]  Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
              2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174,
              May 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8174>.

Author's Address

   Ketan Vijayvargiya
   Individual Contributor
   Email: Ketan.vijay1818@gmail.com

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