/logout route as POST?

[Epzillon]

How is the /logout route provided expected to be used? Using an <a> element with href="{{ url('/logout') }}" throws an error The GET method is not supported for route logout. Supported methods: POST..

Are you intended to create a new route and POST from there?

[JakyeRU]

Hello @Epzillon,

The reason why the /logout route doesn't support the GET method by default is because logging out of an application involves modifying the user's session data, which is considered a state-changing operation.

According to the HTTP specification, GET requests are intended to be used for retrieving resources without modifying their state, while POST requests are intended for state-changing operations.

As browsers can prefetch URLs, users may accidentally be logged out if the GET method is used.

By only supporting POST requests, the /logout route ensures that logging out of the application can only be performed through a state-changing operation, which helps to prevent accidental or malicious logout requests triggered by following a link or accessing a URL in the browser.

Additionally, by using the POST method, it is possible to include sensitive data (such as session tokens) in the request body, which is not possible with the GET method.

Here is an example of how you can log out a user with a link through the POST method:

<form method="POST" action="{{ route('logout') }}">
    @csrf

    <a href="{{ route('logout') }}" onclick="event.preventDefault(); this.closest('form').submit();">
        {{ __('Log Out') }}
    </a>
</form>

You can also check Logout: GET or POST? for more information on this topic.

[Epzillon]

Thanks for replying so quickly! I assumed it would be something along those lines. I just didn't know how to implement it. Thanks for the thorough explanation and examples. I will attempt to use this solution 👍