What are the best practices for maintaining variable values across multiple PHP pages without using lengthy URLs or GET parameters?

When maintaining variable values across multiple PHP pages without using lengthy URLs or GET parameters, one common approach is to use sessions. By storing the variables in session variables, you can easily access them across different pages without exposing them in the URL. This helps maintain cleaner URLs and improves security by keeping sensitive data hidden from users.

<?php
// Start the session
session_start();

// Set the variable value
$_SESSION['variable_name'] = 'variable_value';

// Access the variable value on another page
echo $_SESSION['variable_name'];
?>