$_POST vs. $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST'

Question

Well, they don't do the same thing, really.

$_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] contains the request method (surprise).

$_POST contains any post data.

It's possible for a POST request to contain no POST data.

I check the request method — I actually never thought about testing the $_POST array. I check the required post fields, though. So an empty post request would give the user a lot of error messages - which makes sense to me.

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') is the correct way, you can send a post request without any post data.

I used to check $_POST until I got into a trouble with larger POST data and uploaded files. There are configuration directives post_max_size and upload_max_filesize - if any of them is exceeded, $_POST array is not populated.

So the "safe way" is to check $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD']. You still have to use isset() on every $_POST variable though, and it does not matter, whether you check or don't check $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'].

If your application needs to react on request of type post, use this:

if(strtoupper($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD']) === 'POST') { // if form submitted with post method
    // validate request, 
    // manage post request differently, 
    // log or don't log request,
    // redirect to avoid resubmition on F5 etc
}

If your application needs to react on any data received through post request, use this:

if(!empty($_POST)) {  // if received any post data
   // process $_POST values, 
   // save data to DB,
   // ... 
}

if(!empty($_FILES)) { // if received any "post" files
   // validate uploaded FILES
   // move to uploaded dir
   // ...
}

It is implementation specific, but you a going to use both, + $_FILES superglobal.

You can submit a form by hitting the enter key (i.e. without clicking the submit button) in most browsers but this does not necessarily send submit as a variable - so it is possible to submit an empty form i.e. $_POST will be empty but the form will still have generated a http post request to the php page. In this case if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') is better.