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PHP Build a Simple PHP Application Adding a Contact Form Checking the Request Method

Hello World
Hello World
12,904 Points
Posted by Hello World
Hello World
12,904 Points

$_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] VS isset($_POST['submit'])

Can anyone explain why did Randy use if($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == POST) to check if the form has been submitted instead of using if(isset($_POST['submit']))? Isn't isset more direct and meaningful to the purpose of using the if statement here?

1 Answer

MUZ140710 Masimba Mapfurira
MUZ140710 Masimba Mapfurira
8,547 Points
MUZ140710 Masimba Mapfurira
MUZ140710 Masimba Mapfurira
8,547 Points

This is a good question. I think both will yield the same answer. The first method check if post is an element of the $_server array that is it checks if something has been posted to the server and the last method isset($_POST["submit"]) checks if a there is a element with the key "submit" in the post array. Make sure your submit buttons (ie. <input type="submit"> etc) have a "submit" value assigned to 'name' attribute. If they don't, the value won't appear in $_POST and so isset($_POST["submit"]) won't work either.

Example:

<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Next">

isset($_POST["submit"]) returns true.

<input type="submit" value="Next">

isset($_POST["submit"]) returns false

Ted Sumner
Ted Sumner
Courses Plus Student 17,967 Points

This answer explains why very well. The $_SERVER method is more robust, but not precise. The first method is good if you do not care what was posted to the server. The second method is great if there are multiple submissions and it matters what was picked.