PHP Cookies vs Sessions - The Breakdown

Submitted by Derick Ng on 27 March 2009 - 4:21pm

Knowing the basics of cookies and sessions is essential to any successful PHP programmer. It is useful to store pieces information on the users computer for later use. Things like when they laste visited, language of choice, age, etc. Cookies and Sessions are the perfect solution to our needs.

 
Browser needs Cookies Enabled?
Can User Edit Information?

Information Lasts Between Browser Sessions?
(Leaving site and coming back) 

Information Location 

Cookies
 Yes
 Yes, easily
 Yes
 User's Browser

Sessions
 No
 No*
 No
 Server, except for session ID