PHP: Effect of code after header("Location: abc.html")

Question

Lets say, the code looks something like this:

if(!$test) {
  header("Location: somefile.html");
  ...some PHP code....
  header("Location: anotherfile.html");
}

Is 'some PHP code' above executed? If yes, then what happens to further HTTP response(s) therein (eg.: the second 'header' statement in the code)?

Answer 1

Yes - the code will be executed.

The header() will configure the headers to be returned, not send them right away.

• If there is no output between the 2 calls, then only the last one will be taken into account.

• However, if you output anything before the second call, then the headers will be sent, and the second call will result in an error (headers already sent).

A classic mistake is : redirect and not exit() right after that, which can cause security problems.