What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a database to manage downloadable file access?

When managing downloadable file access, using a database can provide better security and organization compared to storing file paths directly in code. However, it may introduce some overhead in terms of database queries and maintenance. 

// Example PHP code snippet for managing downloadable file access using a database

// Connect to the database
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "files_db";
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check if user has access to download the file
$file_id = $_GET['file_id'];
$user_id = $_SESSION['user_id'];
$sql = "SELECT * FROM file_access WHERE file_id = $file_id AND user_id = $user_id";
$result = $conn->query($sql);

if ($result->num_rows > 0) {
    // User has access to download the file
    // Code to handle file download goes here
} else {
    // User does not have access to download the file
    echo "You do not have permission to download this file.";
}

// Close the database connection
$conn->close();

Keywords

database file access advantages disadvantages PHP

Related Questions