What does CRUD stand for in a web development context?

In the context of web development, CRUD stands for Create, Read, Update, and Delete. These four operations are fundamental to managing persistent data in a database or an application.

Creating refers to the action of adding new records or data entries, which is essential for populating a database. Reading is the operation that enables users to view existing data—this could involve retrieving single records or querying data based on specific criteria. Updating involves modifying existing records, which allows for data correction or enhancement. Finally, deleting is the process of removing data that is no longer needed.

This framework provides a structured approach to interacting with data in applications, especially in RESTful APIs, where each of these operations corresponds to standard HTTP methods: POST for Create, GET for Read, PUT or PATCH for Update, and DELETE for Delete. Understanding CRUD is crucial for developers as it lays the groundwork for building and maintaining applications that effectively handle user data.