What’s the difference between $_POST and $_GET in PHP?
$_POST and $_GET are some of the predefined superglobal variables in PHP. Regardless of scope, a superglobal variable is accessible from anywhere in the PHP script.
The GET method is used for retrieving data not modify, whereas the post method is used to send data to a server to create or update a resource.
Some notes on POST Requests:
– more secure since data is not exposed in the URL
– no limit on data length, making it suitable for forms and file uploads
– data is included in the request body
– do not remain in the browser history and never cached
– cannot be bookmarked
Some notes on GET Requests:
– less secure, never use for sensitive information
– appends data to the URL and visible
– data length is limited by URL length (maximum URL length is 2048 characters)
– can be cached and remain in the browser history
– can be bookmarked
Some use cases when the POST method would be used include:
– submitting form data: login forms, registration forms, contact forms
– sending large amounts of data: uploading files
– modifying server-side data: updating user profiles, adding comments
Some use cases when the GET method would be used include:
– retrieving data based on user input: search queries, filtering options, pagination
– passing small amounts of data: passing IDs
– creating shareable URLs: bookmarking