The difference between session and cookies

Cookies

• Stored: On the client-side (browser).
• Size limit: Around 4KB.
• Lifetime: Can be persistent (set to expire at a future time) or session-based (deleted when the browser is closed).
• Accessibility: Can be accessed by both server and client (JavaScript).
• Use case: Remembering user preferences, tracking, auto-login, etc.

setcookie("username", "tarikul", time() + (86400 * 30)); // Expires in 30 days

Session

• Stored: On the server-side.
• Size limit: Larger than cookies; limited by server memory.
• Lifetime: Typically lasts until the browser is closed or the session times out.
• Accessibility: Only accessible by the server.
• Use case: Storing sensitive data like login status, cart contents, etc.

session_start();
$_SESSION["username"] = "tarikul";

Summary Table