How to debug HTTP request?

What is an HTTP POST request, and what does it do?

• I'm trying to execute a script on a web page remotely through Java (post on forums, vote on vote-enabled websites etc through my own Java application), but I'm not sure how to achieve this. I'm thinking maybe this HTTP Post request thing could do the trick, but I don't exactly know what it is even though Wikipedia says that it's used to send data to a server, which would technically be what I'm searching for. Could you elaborately explain what an HTTP Post Request is, and what it's used for/what it does, and if possible explain the difference between it and an HTTP GET Request. Also, can my intentions be achieved with this? (logging in into a website, post on a forum, vote on yahoo answers, etc).

• Answer:

  It is the more powerful and secure method of passing data from a form on a site to another form, or to itself. Get is not as efficient and is less secure. But if you try to send a script through to the site from a client machine you are illegally hacking the site. Most admins have traps to prevent this. But they could also prosecute you for trying to get their site to run a script they did not provide. Possible 20 years prison service.