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PHP 5 Sessions: What Is A PHP Session?

Sessions allow servers to store user-specific data across multiple pages or visits. Session variables hold information about a single user and are available across all pages of an application. A session is started with session_start() and session variables are set and retrieved using the global $_SESSION variable. Session data is not stored on the user's computer but is associated with the user via a unique ID cookie.

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VINOD SANGIPAGI
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102 views

PHP 5 Sessions: What Is A PHP Session?

Sessions allow servers to store user-specific data across multiple pages or visits. Session variables hold information about a single user and are available across all pages of an application. A session is started with session_start() and session variables are set and retrieved using the global $_SESSION variable. Session data is not stored on the user's computer but is associated with the user via a unique ID cookie.

Uploaded by

VINOD SANGIPAGI
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PHP 5 Sessions

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A session is a way to store information (in variables) to be
used across multiple pages.

Unlike a cookie, the information is not stored on the users computer.

What is a PHP Session?


When you work with an application, you open it, do some changes, and then you close it. This
is much like a Session. The computer knows who you are. It knows when you start the
application and when you end. But on the internet there is one problem: the web server does
not know who you are or what you do, because the HTTP address doesn't maintain state.

Session variables solve this problem by storing user information to be used across multiple
pages (e.g. username, favorite color, etc). By default, session variables last until the user
closes the browser.

So; Session variables hold information about one single user, and are available to all pages in
one application.

Tip: If you need a permanent storage, you may want to store the data in a database.

Start a PHP Session


A session is started with the session_start() function.

Session variables are set with the PHP global variable: $_SESSION.

Now, let's create a new page called "demo_session1.php". In this page, we start a new PHP
session and set some session variables:

Example
<?php
// Start the session
session_start();
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<?php
// Set session variables
$_SESSION["favcolor"] = "green";
$_SESSION["favanimal"] = "cat";
echo "Session variables are set.";
?>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

Note: The session_start() function must be the very first thing in your document.
Before any HTML tags.

Get PHP Session Variable Values


Next, we create another page called "demo_session2.php". From this page, we will access the
session information we set on the first page ("demo_session1.php").

Notice that session variables are not passed individually to each new page, instead they are
retrieved from the session we open at the beginning of each page ( session_start() ).

Also notice that all session variable values are stored in the global $_SESSION variable:

Example
<?php
session_start();
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<?php
// Echo session variables that were set on previous page
echo "Favorite color is " . $_SESSION["favcolor"] . ".<br>";
echo "Favorite animal is " . $_SESSION["favanimal"] . ".";
?>

</body>
</html>
Run example »

Another way to show all the session variable values for a user session is to run the following
code:

Example
<?php
session_start();
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<?php
print_r($_SESSION);
?>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

How does it work? How does it know it's me?

Most sessions set a user-key on the user's computer that looks something like this:
765487cf34ert8dede5a562e4f3a7e12. Then, when a session is opened on another page, it
scans the computer for a user-key. If there is a match, it accesses that session, if not, it
starts a new session.

Modify a PHP Session Variable


To change a session variable, just overwrite it:

Example
<?php
session_start();
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<?php
// to change a session variable, just overwrite it
$_SESSION["favcolor"] = "yellow";
print_r($_SESSION);
?>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

Destroy a PHP Session


To remove all global session variables and destroy the session,
use session_unset() and session_destroy() :

Example
<?php
session_start();
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<?php
// remove all session variables
session_unset();

// destroy the session


session_destroy();
?>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

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