How can PHP sessions be used to track user activity and ensure that users remain logged in during processes such as long downloads?
To track user activity and ensure that users remain logged in during processes such as long downloads, PHP sessions can be utilized. Sessions store user data on the server and assign a unique session ID to each user, which can be used to track their activity. By setting session variables to indicate user login status and updating them periodically, users can remain logged in throughout their session, even during long processes like downloads.
// Start a session
session_start();
// Check if user is logged in
if(isset($_SESSION['logged_in']) && $_SESSION['logged_in'] === true){
// User is logged in, continue with the process
// For example, initiate a long download process
} else {
// Redirect user to the login page
header("Location: login.php");
exit();
}