How can PHP sessions be effectively utilized to store and manage user-specific data in a web application?
PHP sessions can be effectively utilized to store and manage user-specific data in a web application by starting a session when a user logs in or visits the site, storing relevant data in the session variables, and accessing this data throughout the user's session. This allows for personalized user experiences and data persistence across multiple pages.
// Start the session
session_start();
// Store user-specific data in session variables
$_SESSION['user_id'] = $user_id;
$_SESSION['username'] = $username;
// Access the stored data throughout the user's session
echo "Welcome back, " . $_SESSION['username'];