Is storing usernames, passwords, and login status in a MySQL database a recommended practice for managing user authentication in PHP?

It is not recommended to store passwords in plain text in a MySQL database for security reasons. Instead, it is best practice to securely hash passwords before storing them. One common method is to use the PHP password_hash() function to hash the password before saving it in the database. When authenticating users, you can use the password_verify() function to compare the hashed password with the user's input.

// Hash and store password
$password = "user_password";
$hashed_password = password_hash($password, PASSWORD_DEFAULT);
// Save $hashed_password in the database

// Verify password
$user_input_password = "user_input_password";
$stored_hashed_password = "retrieved_hashed_password_from_database";

if (password_verify($user_input_password, $stored_hashed_password)) {
    // Passwords match
    // Allow user to login
} else {
    // Passwords do not match
    // Deny login
}