How can the use of session management functions in PHP impact user authentication and session stability in an application?

Using session management functions in PHP can greatly impact user authentication and session stability in an application by providing a secure way to store and manage user session data. These functions help prevent session hijacking and ensure that only authenticated users can access protected resources. By properly implementing session management functions, developers can create a more secure and stable application environment. 

// Start the session
session_start();

// Set session variables
$_SESSION['user_id'] = $user_id;
$_SESSION['username'] = $username;

// Check if user is authenticated
if(isset($_SESSION['user_id'])) {
    // User is authenticated, allow access to protected resources
} else {
    // Redirect user to login page
    header("Location: login.php");
}

Keywords

session management PHP functions user authentication session stability application security

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