URL matrix parameters vs. query parameters

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The important difference is that matrix parameters apply to a particular path element while query parameters apply to the request as a whole. This comes into play when making a complex REST-style query to multiple levels of resources and sub-resources:

http://example.com/res/categories;name=foo/objects;name=green/?page=1

It really comes down to namespacing.

Note: The ‘levels’ of resources here are categories and objects.

If only query parameters were used for a multi-level URL, you would end up with

http://example.com/res?categories_name=foo&objects_name=green&page=1

This way you would also lose the clarity added by the locality of the parameters within the request. In addition, when using a framework like JAX-RS, all the query parameters would show up within each resource handler, leading to potential conflicts and confusion.

If your query has only one “level”, then the difference is not really important and the two types of parameters are effectively interchangeable, however, query parameters are generally better supported and more widely recognized. In general, I would recommend that you stick with query parameters for things like HTML forms and simple, single-level HTTP APIs.

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