How can differences in PHP versions between a local development environment and an online server impact the behavior of session variables and cookies in PHP applications?

Differences in PHP versions between a local development environment and an online server can impact the behavior of session variables and cookies in PHP applications due to changes in the way sessions are handled or stored. To solve this issue, ensure that both environments are running the same PHP version and configurations. Additionally, use session_start() at the beginning of each PHP script to initialize the session before setting or getting session variables.

<?php
// Initialize the session
session_start();

// Set session variables
$_SESSION['example'] = 'value';

// Get session variables
$example = $_SESSION['example'];

// Destroy the session
session_destroy();
?>