What is the function of a PHP file like "getfile.php" in handling file downloads?

When handling file downloads in PHP, a file like "getfile.php" can be used to facilitate the process. This PHP file typically reads the file from the server and sends it to the user's browser with the appropriate headers to trigger a download prompt. This allows for control over the file download process and ensures that files are not directly accessible via their URLs. 

<?php
// Get the file path from the query string
$file = $_GET['file'];

// Check if the file exists
if (file_exists($file)) {
    // Set the appropriate headers for a file download
    header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
    header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');
    header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=' . basename($file));
    header('Content-Length: ' . filesize($file));
    
    // Read the file and output it to the browser
    readfile($file);
    exit;
} else {
    // File not found, handle the error accordingly
    echo 'File not found.';
}
?>

Keywords

PHP file download getfile.php handling function

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