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PHP Cookie
- Cookie is a small piece of information stored as a file in the user’s browser by the web server. Once created, cookie is sent to the web server as header information with every HTTP request.
- You can use cookie to save any data but it should not exceed 1K(1024 bytes) in size.
- Before we move on to how to create, update and delete a cookies, let’s learn a few real world use of cookies.
- PHP cookie is a small piece of information or file that is stored in user’s browser.
PHP setcookie() function
- In PHP, you can set cookies by using the setcookie() function or setrawcookie() function.
- PHP setcookie() function defines to set a cookie and cookies are part of the with HTTP headers, so setcookie() function must be called before any output is sent to the browser.
- Once the cookie is set, then you can access it by $_COOKIE superglobal variable. And the Cookie values can also exist in $_REQUEST.
The setcookie() function requires up to six arguments and should be appear before the <html> tag. For each cookie, setcookie() function has to be called separately:–
And it’s a setcookie (name, value, expire, path, domain, security);
Syntax:-
bool setcookie ( string $name [, string $value [, int $expire = 0 [, string $path [, string $domain [, bool $secure = false [, bool $httponly = false ]]]]]] )
Example:-
- setcookie(“CookieName”, “CookieValue”, time()+1*60*60, “/mypath/”, “mydomain.com”, 1);
- setcookie(“CookieName”, “CookieValue”, time()+1*60*60); //using expiry in 1 hour(1*60*60 seconds or 3600 seconds)
- setcookie(“CookieName”, “CookieValue”); /* defining name and value of cookie only*/
PHP $_COOKIE
The PHP $_COOKIE superglobal variable is used to get cookie.
Example:-
- $value = $_COOKIE[“CookieName”]; //returns the cookie value
PHP Cookie Example
File: cookie.php
Output:
Sorry, cookie is not found!
Firstly, the cookie is not set. But, when if you refresh the page,then you will see cookie is set now.
Second Output after refresh browser:-
Delete a Cookie in PHP
To delete/remove a cookie, we need to expire the cookie, which can be done by updating the cookie using the setcookie() function with expiration date in past.
Example:
Output:
PHP Session
- To store information accessible across web pages, we use sessions. Session is not stored on the user browser like cookie, hence it is a more secure option.
- As we know HTTP is a stateless protocol, if a user visits a webpage and perform some action, there is no way to remember what he did when the user navigates to the next webpage.
- Let’s take a practical example, when you log into your Facebook account, by providing your email address and password, until and unless you logout, the web application remembers who you are and display what your friends are posting and liking on your News Feed, you can update your profile, send someone message, join a group etc, this is accomplished by Session.
- Session is not limited by any size limit, you can store any information in the session, irrespective of its size.
PHP SESSION_START() function:
- A PHP session is easily started by making a call to the session_start()function.This function first checks if a session is already started and if none is started then it starts one. It is recommended to put the call to session_start() at the beginning of the page.
- Session variables are stored in associative array called $_SESSION[]. These variables can be accessed during lifetime of a session.
Syntax:-
bool session_start ( void )
Example: Store information
- $_SESSION[“user”] = “Tutorialpath”;
Example: Get information
- echo $_SESSION[“user”];
PHP Session Example
Let’s create a new page called “session.php”. In this page, you start a new PHP session and set some session variables.
Output:
PHP Session Counter Example
Example:
Output:
PHP Destroying Session – session_destroy()
After Creating the session, if you want to delete all the session variables completely, then in case SESSION_DESTROY() function will help you to achieve this goal.
Example:
Output:
