How to make a PHP password change

How to change a php password, with an example: step-by-step guide to resetting your password quickly and easily.

Changing a Password in PHP

Changing a password in PHP is a relatively simple process. To begin, the user must first input their current and desired passwords. This is usually done with a form.

<form action = "changepassword.php" method = "post">
  <input type = "password" name = "currentPass" placeholder = "Current Password"/>
  <input type = "password" name = "newPass" placeholder = "New Password"/>
  <input type = "submit" value = "Change Password"/>
</form>

Once the form is submitted, the next step is to validate the passwords. This is usually done by comparing the current password input to the current user's password stored in the database. The new password should also be checked to ensure it meets the security requirements set by the application.

if(!password_verify($_POST['currentPass'], $userCurrentPassword)) {
  // Current Password is Incorrect
  // Return an error
}

if(!password_validate($_POST['newPass'])) {
  // New Password Does Not Meet Security Requirements
  // Return an error
}

Once the passwords have been validated, the user's current password can be updated. This is usually done by using the PHP function password_hash(). This function will generate a secure hash of the user's new password and store it in the database.

$newPasswordHash = password_hash($_POST['newPass'], PASSWORD_DEFAULT);

$sql = "UPDATE users SET password = ? WHERE id = ?";
$stmt = $conn->prepare($sql);
$stmt->bind_param('si', $newPasswordHash, $userId);
$stmt->execute();

Finally, once the user's password has been updated, a success message can be returned to the user. This is usually done by redirecting the user to a page with the success message.

header('Location: changepassword_success.php');
exit;

By following these steps, changing a password in PHP is relatively straightforward. It is important to keep in mind, however, that good security practices must be followed to ensure that user passwords remain secure.