I am implementing partial updates over POST since I cannot use PATCH. Can I do it conditionally?

So the business requires us to implement Partial Updates. HTTP PUT only caters to the case where the client sends across a complete representation of the resource.

Hence I decided to use the catch-all HTTP POST to implement the same. Question is, can I still safely take care of Conditional Updates using ETags and Last-Modifieds? Or does the Htt开发者_运维问答p Spec prevent me from doing so in any way?

a) Why do you think you can't use PATCH?

b) From the HTTP point of view, the conditional headers apply to all methods. However, there may be existing servers not getting this right, so Id be careful with relying on them. (see, for instance, http://trac.tools.ietf.org/wg/httpbis/trac/ticket/96)