Are there specific guidelines or principles to follow when deciding between using hidden fields or sessions for passing data in PHP forms?

When deciding between using hidden fields or sessions for passing data in PHP forms, consider the sensitivity and size of the data being passed. Hidden fields are suitable for small, non-sensitive data that needs to persist across form submissions, while sessions are more appropriate for larger or sensitive data that should not be visible to the user.

// Using hidden fields to pass data
<input type="hidden" name="user_id" value="<?php echo $user_id; ?>">
```

```php
// Using sessions to pass data
session_start();
$_SESSION['user_id'] = $user_id;