A form is a structured way of collecting user input on a web page, typically consisting of elements like text fields, radio buttons, checkboxes, and submit buttons.
- They allow users to enter data that can be sent to the server for processing.
- They are an integral part of any web application, enabling actions like user registration, login, and data submission.
Form handling in PHP involves receiving and processing data sent from HTML forms.
• PHP can capture this data through superglobal arrays like $_POST and $_GET, depending on the method specified in the form.
• Form handling enables PHP applications to interact with users, validating and processing user input, storing it in databases, or performing specific actions based on the input.
Form Handling in PHP: Common Operations
PHP provides ways to handle form data through:
- Data Retrieval: Accessing form data using $_POST (for POST method forms) and $_GET (for GET method forms).
- Data Validation: Validating user input to ensure data integrity and prevent issues like SQL injection.
- Data Processing: Using the form data in various operations, such as storing it in a database or displaying it back to the user.
- File Upload Handling: If the form includes a file upload, $_FILES superglobal can be used to access the uploaded file and move it to a desired location on the server.
