Query parameters adjust the results returned from a collection. A filter like ?status=active keeps only the rows that match a condition. A sort like ?sort=-created_at orders the results, where the leading - means descending. Choosing fields, like ?fields=id,name, selects only the fields returned for each row.

All three only adjust the results of a request to the same collection. They don't change the resource it targets. /users?status=active still targets the users collection, with its results narrowed.