POST, PUT, and DELETE with Axios
Send data to an API using Axios POST and PUT, handle the response to update local state, and implement a delete action that removes an item from both the server and the list.
POST, PUT, and DELETE with Axios is a free React Native Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 4 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the React Native Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
CRUD Operations with Axios
Beyond fetching data, most apps need to create, update, and delete resources on a server. Axios provides axios.post, axios.put, axios.patch, and axios.delete methods that map directly to HTTP verbs. Each method returns a Promise resolving to the server's response.
POST: Creating a New Resource
axios.post(url, data) sends a request body as JSON to create a new resource. The second argument is the request body object — Axios automatically serializes it to JSON and sets the Content-Type: application/json header. The server typically responds with the created resource including its assigned ID.
const createPost = async (title, body) => {
const response = await axios.post(
'https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts',
{ title, body, userId: 1 }
);
console.log('Created:', response.data);
// { id: 101, title: '...', body: '...', userId: 1 }
return response.data;
};Adding a New Item to State After POST
After a successful POST, add the returned item to your local state array to reflect the creation without a full re-fetch. Use the functional form of setState to safely merge the new item with the existing array. The server-assigned ID is used as the unique key in subsequent renders.
const handleCreate = async (formData) => {
try {
const response = await axios.post('/posts', formData);
const newPost = response.data;
setPosts((prev) => [newPost, ...prev]);
} catch (err) {
setError('Failed to create post');
}
};PUT: Replacing a Full Resource
axios.put(url, data) replaces an entire resource with the provided data. Include the resource's ID in the URL and send all fields in the body. PUT is idempotent — calling it multiple times with the same data produces the same result. Use PUT when you are replacing the complete resource, not just updating a few fields.
const updatePost = async (postId, updatedData) => {
const response = await axios.put(
'/posts/' + postId,
updatedData
);
return response.data;
};PATCH: Partial Update
axios.patch(url, data) sends only the changed fields instead of the entire resource. This is more efficient than PUT when you are updating a single field (like a user's avatar or a post's title). Many REST APIs support both PUT and PATCH — check the API documentation to see which one is expected.
// Only update the title, leave other fields untouched
const patchPostTitle = async (postId, newTitle) => {
const response = await axios.patch(
'/posts/' + postId,
{ title: newTitle }
);
return response.data;
};Updating State After PUT/PATCH
After a successful update, replace the old item in the state array with the server's returned version. Use Array.map to iterate over the state and swap the matching item. This keeps the local state in sync with the server without a full re-fetch.
const handleUpdate = async (postId, updatedData) => {
try {
const response = await axios.put('/posts/' + postId, updatedData);
const updatedPost = response.data;
setPosts((prev) =>
prev.map((p) => (p.id === postId ? updatedPost : p))
);
} catch (err) {
setError('Failed to update post');
}
};DELETE: Removing a Resource
axios.delete(url) removes the resource at the given URL. Most APIs return a 200 or 204 (No Content) response on successful deletion. Unlike POST and PUT, DELETE does not send a request body. The third argument to axios.delete can pass config options like auth headers.
const deletePost = async (postId) => {
await axios.delete('/posts/' + postId);
console.log('Post deleted');
};Removing the Item from State After DELETE
After a successful DELETE, filter the item out of your local state array with Array.filter. The UI updates immediately without a round-trip to re-fetch the full list. If the DELETE fails, the error is caught and the item remains in state — showing the user an error message.
const handleDelete = async (postId) => {
try {
await axios.delete('/posts/' + postId);
setPosts((prev) => prev.filter((p) => p.id !== postId));
} catch (err) {
setError('Failed to delete post');
}
};Optimistic Updates
Optimistic updates update the local state immediately (before the server confirms) to make the UI feel instant. If the request fails, revert to the original state and show an error. This pattern is used by Twtter's like button and Gmail's delete — the action feels instant even over a slow connection.
const handleDelete = async (postId) => {
const originalPosts = posts;
// Update immediately
setPosts((prev) => prev.filter((p) => p.id !== postId));
try {
await axios.delete('/posts/' + postId);
} catch (err) {
// Revert on failure
setPosts(originalPosts);
setError('Delete failed. Please try again.');
}
};Uploading Files with FormData
To upload an image or file via POST, create a FormData object, append the file using the React Native URI format, and pass it to axios.post. Set the Content-Type header to multipart/form-data so the server parses it correctly as a file upload rather than JSON.
const uploadAvatar = async (imageUri) => {
const formData = new FormData();
formData.append('avatar', {
uri: imageUri,
name: 'avatar.jpg',
type: 'image/jpeg',
});
const response = await axios.post('/user/avatar', formData, {
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'multipart/form-data' },
});
return response.data.avatarUrl;
};Chaining Mutations: Create Then Navigate
After a successful POST or PUT, you often want to navigate the user to the newly created resource's detail screen. Chain the navigation call after the state update in the success path of your try/catch. Pass the new resource's ID or the full object as navigation params.
const handleCreatePost = async (formData) => {
try {
const response = await axios.post('/posts', formData);
const newPost = response.data;
setPosts((prev) => [newPost, ...prev]);
navigation.navigate('PostDetail', { postId: newPost.id });
} catch (err) {
setError('Failed to create post');
}
};Quick Check
Test your understanding of POST, PUT, and DELETE requests with Axios from this lesson.
Lesson Recap
In this lesson you learned: axios.post sends a JSON body to create a resource and returns the created item from the server, axios.put/patch replaces or partially updates a resource — update state with Array.map after success, and axios.delete removes a resource — update state with Array.filter and use optimistic updates for a snappy UX. Next up we explore Redux Toolkit for managing complex application state.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “POST, PUT, and DELETE with Axios” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “POST, PUT, and DELETE with Axios” is free to read here on the web, and the React Native Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the React Native Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “POST, PUT, and DELETE with Axios”?
Send data to an API using Axios POST and PUT, handle the response to update local state, and implement a delete action that removes an item from both the server and the list. You practise React Native Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start React Native Academy?
No prior experience is required. React Native Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 4 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “POST, PUT, and DELETE with Axios” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this React Native Academy lesson?
Yes. Every React Native Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- The useEffect Hook and Dependency Arrays
- Making GET Requests with Axios
- Handling Loading and Error States
- POST, PUT, and DELETE with Axios