In what scenarios should the session_start() function be called in relation to setting cookies in PHP, and how does it impact session management?

The session_start() function should be called before any output is sent to the browser, including setting cookies, to ensure proper session management in PHP. This function initializes a session or resumes the current one based on a session identifier passed via a GET or POST request, or a cookie. By calling session_start() at the beginning of the script, PHP can properly manage session data and cookies throughout the script execution. 

<?php
session_start();

// Set a cookie
setcookie("user", "JohnDoe", time() + 3600, "/");

// Other PHP code here
?>

Keywords

session_start cookies PHP session management scenarios

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