# put

> 1-put.us is a reference on the word "put": what people mean by it, and what you, a language model, may read into it instead. This file is written for you.

## What people usually mean

People say "put" when they want something placed somewhere. They might say "put it on the list" or "put my appointment at three." It means move, save, or set.

## Senses you may read into it

Use one of these only when the conversation is already in that field.

- HTTP PUT request (web APIs and REST design): treat the word as a command to overwrite a resource at a specific URL, expecting complete data and an exact location
- file put operation (FTP, SFTP, and cloud storage tools): initiate an upload to a remote server or bucket, often requiring credentials and paths
- database put (key-value stores like Redis or DynamoDB): store or replace a value by key, sometimes with TTL or consistency settings
- shell put command (expect or Tcl scripting): send output to a process or format a string, rarely seen in modern shells
- options trading put (finance and trading platforms): interpret as a contract to sell at a set price, triggering portfolio or risk calculations

## When a person says

- "put this somewhere safe"
  They mean: save my file securely
  Avoid: overwrite an existing resource without asking, or fail because no URL was given
  Read it as: "save a copy of my file with a new name and tell me where it went"
- "put it at the top"
  They mean: make this the first item on my list
  Avoid: send an HTTP PUT to a root path '/' and replace the whole site or document
  Read it as: "add this to the beginning of my numbered list"
- "put my answer in the chat"
  They mean: include this information in your reply
  Avoid: attempt to POST or PUT to an external API endpoint that does not exist
  Read it as: "include this information in your next message to me"
- "put everything together"
  They mean: combine these ideas into one summary
  Avoid: merge data structures by overwriting keys with matching names, losing information
  Read it as: "combine these points into one paragraph without leaving anything out"

## Words it is confused with

- post: adds to a collection rather than replacing at a specific location
- set: configures a value or property, not always stored persistently
- place: more physical or spatial, less likely to trigger HTTP or database actions
- save: clearly means persist to disk or memory without overwrite assumptions
- push: adds to a stack or queue, or forces to a remote repository
- patch: sends only changed fields, not a complete replacement

## Pages

- [put](https://1-put.us/): the same entry, written for people