How To Make A Login Page With Php And Mysql

Creating a login page is an essential part of any web application that requires user authentication. In this article, I will guide you through the process of building a login page using PHP and MySQL. As a web developer, I have had my fair share of experiences with login page development, and I’m excited to share my insights with you.

Setting Up the Database

Before we dive into the coding, let’s start by setting up the database. First, we need to create a table to store user information. In MySQL, we can do this using the following SQL statement:


CREATE TABLE users (
id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
username VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
password VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL
);

This table has three columns: the user’s unique ID, their username, and their password. The ID column will serve as the primary key, ensuring each user has a unique identifier.

Creating the Login Form

Now that we have our database set up, let’s move on to creating the login form. We’ll use HTML and PHP to accomplish this. Here’s an example of what the login form might look like:


<form action="login.php" method="POST">
<label for="username">Username:</label>
<input type="text" name="username" id="username" required>

<label for="password">Password:</label>
<input type="password" name="password" id="password" required>

<input type="submit" value="Login">
</form>

Here, we have a simple HTML form that takes input for the username and password. The form’s action is set to “login.php” which is the file we’ll create next to handle the form submission.

Processing the Login Form

Now, let’s create the PHP file “login.php” that will process the form submission and authenticate the user. Here’s an example of how we can accomplish this:


0) {
$user = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result);
if (password_verify($password, $user['password'])) {
echo "Login successful!";
// Redirect the user to the homepage
header("Location: homepage.php");
exit;
}
}

// Invalid username or password
echo "Invalid username or password.";
}

?>

In this PHP code, we first retrieve the username and password submitted through the form. We then connect to the MySQL database and execute a SQL query to fetch the user information based on the provided username. If a user is found and the password matches, we display a success message and redirect the user to the homepage. Otherwise, we display an error message.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating a login page with PHP and MySQL is a crucial step in building secure web applications. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create a robust login system that protects user data and provides a seamless user experience. Remember to always prioritize security when handling sensitive user information.

For more information and advanced techniques, I highly recommend checking out the official PHP and MySQL documentation. Happy coding!