What are the advantages of using $_COOKIE instead of $HTTP_COOKIE_VARS in PHP for handling cookie data?

Using $_COOKIE instead of $HTTP_COOKIE_VARS in PHP is advantageous because $_COOKIE is a superglobal array, which means it is accessible from any part of the script without needing to use the global keyword. Additionally, $_COOKIE is automatically populated with cookie data, making it more convenient to work with compared to $HTTP_COOKIE_VARS. Using $_COOKIE also ensures compatibility with newer versions of PHP.

// Accessing cookie data using $_COOKIE
$cookie_value = $_COOKIE['cookie_name'];
echo "Cookie Value: " . $cookie_value;