How can sessions be utilized in PHP to improve the security and functionality of user authentication processes?

Using sessions in PHP can improve the security and functionality of user authentication processes by storing user information securely on the server-side. This prevents sensitive data such as passwords from being exposed to potential attackers. Sessions also allow for persistent login states, making it easier for users to navigate between pages without having to re-enter their credentials each time. 

// Start a session
session_start();

// Store user information in session variables
$_SESSION['user_id'] = $user_id;
$_SESSION['username'] = $username;

// Check if user is logged in on each page
if(isset($_SESSION['user_id'])) {
    // User is logged in, allow access to content
} else {
    // User is not logged in, redirect to login page
    header("Location: login.php");
    exit();
}

Keywords

sessions PHP user authentication security functionality

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