Difference between setcookie() and session_set_cookie_params() functions

Question

I am trying to understand the difference between PHP functions setcookie() and session_set_cookie_params().

Looks like both functions are doing the same kind of tasks but setcookie() can be used to create cookie with name & value.

I tried to understand PHP manuals but no clear differences pointed out in it.

Thanks

Answer 1

session_set_cookie_params(seconds)

session_start() does two things, it creates a temporary file on the server of which to store session data, and also sends a cookie to the user's browser. This cookie has a default expiration time, so calling session_set_cookie_params(seconds) will change the default expiration time of the cookie to what you define. The cookie basically points the client to their session so it is required to access the session.

Set Cookie()

where as setcookie() function defines a cookie to be sent along with the rest of the HTTP headers.

Answer 2

There are two types of cookies:

Session cookies : these are the session_set_cookie_params() and these are temporary cookie files, which are erased when you close your browser.

Persistent cookies : this is the setcookie() and these files stay in one of your browser's subfolders until you delete them manually or your browser deletes them based on the duration period contained within the persistent cookies.

For example if you want to have cookies to be saved for 1 week:

$remembering_timespan = time() + 7 * 24 * 60 * 60; 
setcookie('test','username', $remembering_timespan);