How to make a PHP authorization system
Build secure PHP authentication system with an example - learn how to protect your website with passwords, sessions & encryption.
Creating a PHP Authorization System
An authorization system is a way to ensure that users can only access certain parts of a website or application if they have the correct privileges. This is a common practice for websites or applications that require users to log in to access content or perform certain actions. With a PHP authorization system, you can create a secure environment for users to access their accounts and the features of your website or application. In this tutorial, we will explain how to create a simple PHP authorization system.
Step 1: Create the Database
The first step in creating a PHP authorization system is to create a database to store user information. The database should include fields for a username, password, and any other information you want to store about your users. For our example, we will create a database called “auth_users” with the following fields:
- user_id (primary key)
- username
- password
- is_active
The “is_active” field is a boolean value indicating whether or not the user is active. This field can be used to easily disable certain users without having to delete their data from the database.
Step 2: Create the Registration Page
The next step is to create a registration page where users can enter their information. This page should include fields for the user’s username, password, and email address. You should also include a form validation script to make sure that the user enters valid data. For our example, we will use the following HTML and PHP code:
<form action="register.php" method="post">
<input type="text" name="username" placeholder="Username">
<input type="password" name="password" placeholder="Password">
<input type="email" name="email" placeholder="Email">
<input type="submit" value="Register">
</form>
<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
//Get the values from the form
$username = $_POST['username'];
$password = $_POST['password'];
$email = $_POST['email'];
//Validate the form
if(empty($username) || empty($password) || empty($email)){
//Display an error message
echo 'All fields are required!';
}else{
//Create a new user in the database
//Connect to the database
$conn = mysqli_connect('localhost', 'username', 'password', 'auth_users');
//Check the connection
if(!$conn){
die('Connection failed: ' . mysqli_connect_error());
}
//Create the query
$sql = "INSERT INTO users (username, password, email, is_active)
VALUES ('$username', '$password', '$email', 1)";
//Execute the query
if(mysqli_query($conn, $sql)){
echo 'User created successfully!';
}else{
echo 'Error: ' . mysqli_error($conn);
}
}
}
?>
The above code creates a simple registration form and validates the data entered by the user. If the form is valid, the code will create a new user in the database with the values entered by the user. If an error occurs, it will display an error message.
Step 3: Create the Login Page
The next step is to create a login page where users can enter their username and password to log in. This page should also include a form validation script to make sure that the user enters valid data. For our example, we will use the following HTML and PHP code:
<form action="login.php" method="post">
<input type="text" name="username" placeholder="Username">
<input type="password" name="password" placeholder="Password">
<input type="submit" value="Login">
</form>
<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
//Get the values from the form
$username = $_POST['username'];
$password = $_POST['password'];
//Validate the form
if(empty($username) || empty($password)){
//Display an error message
echo 'Username and password are required!';
}else{
//Check if the user exists in the database
//Connect to the database
$conn = mysqli_connect('localhost', 'username', 'password', 'auth_users');
//Check the connection
if(!$conn){
die('Connection failed: ' . mysqli_connect_error());
}
//Create the query
$sql = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = '$username' AND password = '$password'";
//Execute the query
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);
//Check the number of rows returned
if(mysqli_num_rows($result) > 0){
//User exists
echo 'Logged in successfully!';
}else{
//User does not exist
echo 'Wrong username or password!';
}
}
}
?>
The above code creates a simple login form and validates the data entered by the user. If the form is valid, the code will check if the user exists in the database. If the user exists, it will log them in. If the user does not exist, it will display an error message.
Step 4: Create the Authorization System
The final step is to create the actual authorization system. This will be a PHP script that will check if the user is logged in and has the correct privileges to access certain parts of the website or application. For our example, we will create a simple PHP script that checks if the user is logged in. If they are, it will display a message. If not, it will redirect them to the login page:
<?php
//Start the session
session_start();
//Check if the user is logged in
if(!isset($_SESSION['username'])){
//Redirect to the login page
header('Location: login.php');
exit;
}
//Display a message
echo 'Welcome ' . $_SESSION['username'] . '!';
?>
The above code checks if the user is logged in by checking if the “username” session variable is set. If the user is not logged in, it will redirect them to the login page. If the user is logged in, it will display a welcome message.
By following the steps outlined above, you can easily create a simple PHP authorization system for your website or application. This system can be customized to meet your specific needs and can be used to create a secure environment for your users.