What are the advantages and disadvantages of using PHP sessions compared to JavaScript history.back() for retaining user input data in a multi-page form process?

When building a multi-page form process, using PHP sessions to retain user input data is advantageous as it allows for easy data persistence across pages. However, using JavaScript's history.back() function can lead to issues with data loss if the user navigates away from the page. It is recommended to use PHP sessions for a more reliable and consistent user experience.

// Start or resume a session
session_start();

// Store form data in session variables
$_SESSION['input_data'] = $_POST;

// Redirect to the next form page
header('Location: next_page.php');
exit();