What are the best practices for handling user authentication in PHP without a database?

When handling user authentication in PHP without a database, one of the best practices is to use a secure hashing algorithm like bcrypt to store and verify passwords. Another approach is to use JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for session management and user authentication. Additionally, implementing role-based access control (RBAC) can help manage user permissions effectively.

// Example of user authentication using bcrypt for password hashing

// Register user
$password = password_hash('mypassword', PASSWORD_BCRYPT);
$user = [
    'username' => 'myusername',
    'password' => $password
];

// Verify user
$input_password = 'mypassword';
if (password_verify($input_password, $user['password'])) {
    echo 'User authenticated successfully';
} else {
    echo 'Invalid credentials';
}