What Is Cookie?
Cookie is a small file embedded with server to the user’s browser. Its mainly used to Get or Identify the user details. Every time the same computer requesting a page with a browser, it will also send the cookie.
By locally we said, Its stored the pages and details in you browser History. you can check once the link in history. Until you cleared the history the webpage details are stored in you browser, you browser details are stored in the server with the help of cookie function.
Advantage of stored cookie is, If we browsing very large website or server in your browser its take large time to load for first time. But Second time its doesn’t take much time (send request to the server and get full website), it can easily access the website with the help of browser history which can previously stored using cookie.
How to Handle Cookie in Php and set Cookie time in browser
Using PHP you can create cookie function and set cookie and destroy cookie.
1. Create Cookies
A cookie is created with the setcookie() function.
Syntax
setcookie(name, value, expire, path, domain, secure, httponly);
parameters
name (* required) – user name
value (* required) – user value
expire (optional) – can set expire time
path (optional) – url path
domain (optional) – server domain name
all are optionals
Example Code
<?php
$name = "developerdesks"; // assign name to the cookie
$value = "Php"; // assign value to the cookie
setcookie($name,$value,time() + (86400 * 30)); // assign cookie expire time 86400 = 1 day
?>
<html>
<body>
<?php
if(!isset($_COOKIE[$name])) { // check cookie
echo "Cookie is not set set to the browser";
} else {
echo "Cookie '" . $name . "' is set!<br>"; //print cookie name
echo "Value is: " . $_COOKIE[$name]; //print cookie value
}
?>
</body>
</html>
Explaination
Set cookie name, value and expire time to the page using setcookie() function
The cookie “Developerdesks” and “php” is stored in you browser as cookie
Real Time Checking
1. Run this code in your browser for first time the output is
“Cookie is not set set to the browser”
2.Refresh the same page again the output is
“Cookie ‘developerdesks’ is set!
Value is: Php”
Cookie “developerdesks” and “php” are stored in you browser history.
3. Delete the histor us CTRL+H -> clear browsing data -> Check “Cookies and other sites and plug-in data” and clear browsing data with the past hour. now run the same page the output is
“Cookie is not set set to the browser”
Because the cookie is deleted or expired. once you cleared history the cookie is deleted or expired.
If you not cleared the history its automatically cleared once the cookie set time is expired.
HINT : The setcookie() function must appear BEFORE the HTML tag or top of the page.
2. Modify the cookie.
We just create another user name and another setcookie function to modify the cookie values.
<?php
$name = "developerdesks"; // assign name to the cookie
$value = "Php"; // assign value to the cookie
setcookie($name,$value,time() + (86400 * 30)); // assign cookie expire time 86400 = 1 day
$name = "user"; // updated cookie name
$value = "Alex Porter"; // updated cookie value
setcookie($name, $value, time() + (86400 * 30), "/");
setcookie("user", "Alex Porter", time() - 3600);
?>
<html>
<body>
<?php
if(!isset($_COOKIE[$name])) { // check cookie
echo "Cookie is not set set to the browser";
} else {
echo "Cookie '" . $name . "' is set!<br>"; //print cookie name
echo "Value is: " . $_COOKIE[$name]; //print cookie value
}
?>
</body>
</html>
Output :
Cookie ‘user’ is set! // Last Updated Cookie
Value is: Raja
3. Delete the Cookie
Just set expire time to delete the cookie
<?php
setcookie("user", "", time() - 3600); // set the expiration date to one hour ago
echo "Cookie 'user' is deleted.";
?>
After one hour you reload the page the cookie is unset or delete
Output
Cookie ‘user’ is deleted.
