HTTP being a stateless protocol means that each user request is handled in isolation, without any inherent memory of past requests. However, modern applications often require user-specific features, such as personalized content or user accounts. To achieve this, web developers use techniques like sessions and cookies.
Sessions allow the server to associate subsequent requests from the same user, maintaining state across multiple requests. Cookies, small pieces of data stored on the user's browser, are often used to identify and remember users between different sessions. These mechanisms enable websites to offer a more personalized and interactive experience despite the stateless nature of HTTP.
In PHP, server-side state management is crucial for maintaining information about users across multiple requests.
We store user-specific information on the server, it means that details like user ID or username are kept securely on the server side. This information is accessible across multiple web pages, allowing the server to identify the user consistently throughout their session. So, regardless of which page a user navigates to within the website or web application, the server can retrieve and use this stored information to provide a personalized and consistent experience for that specific user.
This is achieved by using Sessions which allows to trace users.
In PHP, client-side state management in PHP involves storing user-specific information on the user's browser using cookies. These cookies contain data and an expiration date, allowing them to persist across different pages of a web application. However, a drawback is that users can easily access and delete cookies, potentially impacting the stored information.
Despite this limitation, cookies remain a convenient way to maintain state on the client side, enabling a personalized experience for users as they navigate through various pages of a website.