File Upload in PHP

Is there a simple method to upload files in PHP? Well, you are in the right place. File upload in PHP is one of the very practical capabilities and, at the same time, it is simple, which is used in many user-related projects. This process provides you with the ability to send images, documents, and other types of files to the server and manage them. Here, we would like to take a look at the styles of file uploads in PHP and review this process step by step.

To begin with, the first step is to create an HTML form that allows users to select files. This form will help you select the desired file and send it to the server via POST.

In the next step, you must consider two important points: first, the HTML form must include the "enctype" attribute set to "multipart/form-data." Second, there must be an input of type "file" in your form so that the user can select their desired files.

Now it is time to write the PHP code that will accept the file and store it. By using the superglobal variable $_FILES, you can easily retrieve the data related to the uploaded file. This operation includes file validation, determining the upload path, and finally transferring the file to the desired location.

Example PHP File Upload Code

<form action="upload.php" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
  <label for="file">Select File:</label>
  <input type="file" name="file" id="file"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Upload File" name="submit">
</form>

if (isset($_POST['submit'])) {
  $target_dir = "uploads/";
  $target_file = $target_dir . basename($_FILES["file"]["name"]);
  if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES["file"]["tmp_name"], $target_file)) {
    echo "Your file has been uploaded successfully.";
  } else {
    echo "Sorry, there was an error uploading your file.";
  }
}

Line by Line Explanation of the PHP Code