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HTTP & Request/Response

Chapter 15: HTTP & Request/Response ​

Intermediate 90-120 min

Overview ​

Understanding HTTP request and response handling is fundamental to web development in PHP. If you're coming from Java, you're familiar with the Servlet API's HttpServletRequest and HttpServletResponse interfaces. PHP offers both traditional superglobals (similar to JSP's implicit objects) and modern PSR-7 interfaces (similar to Java's Servlet API) for HTTP handling.

This chapter bridges Java's Servlet API concepts to PHP's HTTP handling mechanisms. You'll learn how PHP's superglobals compare to Java's request/response objects, how to work with PSR-7 interfaces (the PHP standard for HTTP messages), and how to implement middleware patterns similar to Java servlet filters.

What You'll Learn:

  • PHP superglobals ($_GET, $_POST, $_SERVER, $_COOKIE, $_FILES) and their Java equivalents
  • PSR-7 Request and Response interfaces (similar to Servlet API)
  • Content negotiation (Accept headers, content types, languages)
  • Request body parsing (JSON, XML, form-urlencoded, multipart)
  • Working with HTTP headers and status codes
  • Cookie management and session handling
  • CORS preflight requests and OPTIONS method handling
  • Caching headers (ETag, Last-Modified, Cache-Control)
  • Content encoding (Gzip compression)
  • HTTP method override (PUT/DELETE via POST)
  • File upload handling and validation
  • Range requests for partial content delivery
  • Request size limits and validation
  • Middleware pattern implementation
  • Stream handling for large data
  • Security best practices for HTTP handling

Prerequisites ​

Time Estimate

⏱️ 90-120 minutes to complete this chapter

Before starting this chapter, you should be comfortable with:

  • PHP arrays and associative arrays (Chapter 2)
  • Object-oriented programming in PHP (Chapter 3)
  • Error handling and exceptions (Chapter 7)
  • Basic understanding of HTTP protocol (methods, headers, status codes)
  • Familiarity with Java's Servlet API (HttpServletRequest, HttpServletResponse)

What You'll Build ​

In this chapter, you'll create:

  • A request handler class using superglobals
  • A PSR-7 compatible request/response wrapper
  • A header management utility class
  • A file upload handler with validation
  • A middleware stack implementation
  • A complete example combining all concepts

Learning Objectives ​

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. Use PHP superglobals to access HTTP request data safely
  2. Work with PSR-7 interfaces for modern HTTP message handling
  3. Implement content negotiation for Accept headers, content types, and languages
  4. Parse request bodies in multiple formats (JSON, XML, form-urlencoded, multipart)
  5. Manage HTTP headers programmatically (set, get, remove)
  6. Handle cookies securely with proper options
  7. Handle CORS preflight requests and OPTIONS method
  8. Implement caching with ETag, Last-Modified, and Cache-Control headers
  9. Compress responses using Gzip content encoding
  10. Support HTTP method override for PUT/DELETE via POST
  11. Process file uploads with validation and security checks
  12. Handle range requests for partial content delivery
  13. Validate request size limits and handle large requests
  14. Implement middleware patterns similar to servlet filters
  15. Work with streams for handling large request/response bodies
  16. Use HTTP status codes appropriately
  17. Apply security best practices for HTTP handling

Section 1: PHP Superglobals vs Java Servlet API ​

Goal ​

Understand how PHP's superglobals compare to Java's HttpServletRequest and HttpServletResponse.

PHP Superglobals Overview ​

PHP provides several superglobals—predefined arrays that are automatically available in all scopes. These are similar to JSP's implicit objects but work differently from Java's servlet API.

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// $_GET - Query string parameters (like ?id=123)
$userId = $_GET['id'] ?? null;

// $_POST - POST request body data
$username = $_POST['username'] ?? '';

// $_SERVER - Server and request information
$method = $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'];
$uri = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];
$userAgent = $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'] ?? '';

// $_COOKIE - HTTP cookies
$sessionId = $_COOKIE['session_id'] ?? null;

// $_FILES - Uploaded files
$uploadedFile = $_FILES['document'] ?? null;

// $_REQUEST - Combined GET, POST, and COOKIE (avoid using this!)
java
// Java equivalent using HttpServletRequest
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) {
    // Query parameters
    String userId = request.getParameter("id");
    
    // POST data (same method for GET/POST)
    String username = request.getParameter("username");
    
    // Request metadata
    String method = request.getMethod();
    String uri = request.getRequestURI();
    String userAgent = request.getHeader("User-Agent");
    
    // Cookies
    Cookie[] cookies = request.getCookies();
    String sessionId = null;
    if (cookies != null) {
        for (Cookie cookie : cookies) {
            if ("session_id".equals(cookie.getName())) {
                sessionId = cookie.getValue();
                break;
            }
        }
    }
    
    // File uploads (requires multipart/form-data)
    Part filePart = request.getPart("document");
}

Key Differences ​

FeaturePHP SuperglobalsJava Servlet API
AccessGlobal arrays ($_GET['id'])Object methods (request.getParameter("id"))
Type SafetyNo type hints (returns mixed)Type-safe methods
ImmutabilityMutable (can be modified)Request is immutable
ScopeAvailable everywhereMust be passed as parameters
ValidationManual filtering requiredBuilt-in parameter methods

Safe Access Patterns ​

PHP superglobals can contain any data, so always validate and sanitize:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// ❌ BAD: Direct access without validation
$id = $_GET['id'];
$email = $_POST['email'];

// ✅ GOOD: Use null coalescing and filtering
$id = filter_input(INPUT_GET, 'id', FILTER_VALIDATE_INT);
if ($id === false || $id === null) {
    throw new InvalidArgumentException('Invalid ID');
}

$email = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'email', FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL);
if ($email === false) {
    throw new InvalidArgumentException('Invalid email');
}

// ✅ GOOD: Use null coalescing operator
$page = $_GET['page'] ?? 1;
$sort = $_GET['sort'] ?? 'asc';

Common $_SERVER Variables ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// Request information
$method = $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'];           // GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
$uri = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];                  // /users?id=123
$path = parse_url($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], PHP_URL_PATH); // /users
$query = $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] ?? '';         // id=123

// Server information
$serverName = $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'];           // example.com
$serverPort = (int)$_SERVER['SERVER_PORT'];      // 80 or 443
$protocol = $_SERVER['SERVER_PROTOCOL'];         // HTTP/1.1

// Client information
$remoteAddr = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] ?? '';     // Client IP
$userAgent = $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'] ?? ''; // Browser info

// Headers (prefixed with HTTP_)
$contentType = $_SERVER['HTTP_CONTENT_TYPE'] ?? '';
$accept = $_SERVER['HTTP_ACCEPT'] ?? '';

Why It Works ​

  • Superglobals are automatically populated by PHP before your script runs
  • filter_input() provides built-in validation and sanitization
  • Null coalescing operator (??) safely handles missing values
  • parse_url() extracts specific parts of URIs safely

Complete Example: Request Handler Class ​

Here's a complete example combining superglobals with validation:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

class RequestHandler
{
    /**
     * Safely get query parameter with validation
     */
    public function getQueryParam(string $key, ?string $default = null): ?string
    {
        $value = filter_input(INPUT_GET, $key, FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
        return $value !== false && $value !== null ? $value : $default;
    }

    /**
     * Get integer query parameter
     */
    public function getIntParam(string $key, ?int $default = null): ?int
    {
        $value = filter_input(INPUT_GET, $key, FILTER_VALIDATE_INT);
        return $value !== false ? $value : $default;
    }

    /**
     * Get POST data with validation
     */
    public function getPostData(string $key, ?string $default = null): ?string
    {
        $value = filter_input(INPUT_POST, $key, FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
        return $value !== false && $value !== null ? $value : $default;
    }

    /**
     * Get request method
     */
    public function getMethod(): string
    {
        return $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] ?? 'GET';
    }

    /**
     * Get request URI path
     */
    public function getPath(): string
    {
        $uri = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ?? '/';
        return parse_url($uri, PHP_URL_PATH) ?? '/';
    }

    /**
     * Check if request is AJAX
     */
    public function isAjax(): bool
    {
        return isset($_SERVER['HTTP_X_REQUESTED_WITH']) &&
               strtolower($_SERVER['HTTP_X_REQUESTED_WITH']) === 'xmlhttprequest';
    }
}

// Usage
$handler = new RequestHandler();
$userId = $handler->getIntParam('id');
$method = $handler->getMethod();
$path = $handler->getPath();

Troubleshooting ​

  • Error: "Undefined array key" — Use null coalescing (??) or isset() checks
  • Type errors — Always validate with filter_input() or type casting
  • Security warnings — Never trust superglobal data; always validate

Section 2: PSR-7 Interfaces ​

Goal ​

Learn how to use PSR-7 interfaces for modern, object-oriented HTTP message handling.

What is PSR-7? ​

PSR-7 (PHP Standard Recommendation 7) defines interfaces for HTTP messages. It's similar to Java's Servlet API but designed specifically for PHP. PSR-7 messages are immutable—methods return new instances rather than modifying existing ones.

Installing PSR-7 ​

bash
# Install PSR-7 interfaces
composer require psr/http-message

# Install a PSR-7 implementation (Guzzle HTTP)
composer require guzzlehttp/psr7

Basic PSR-7 Usage ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

require_once __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\{Request, Response, ServerRequest};

// Create a request
$request = new Request(
    'GET',
    'https://api.example.com/users',
    ['Authorization' => 'Bearer token123'],
    '{"name": "John"}'
);

// Access request properties
$method = $request->getMethod();              // GET
$uri = $request->getUri();                     // UriInterface
$headers = $request->getHeaders();             // ['Authorization' => ['Bearer token123']]
$body = $request->getBody();                   // StreamInterface

// Immutability: methods return new instances
$newRequest = $request->withMethod('POST');
$newRequest = $request->withHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');

// Create a response
$response = new Response(
    200,
    ['Content-Type' => 'application/json'],
    json_encode(['status' => 'success'])
);

$statusCode = $response->getStatusCode();      // 200
$headers = $response->getHeaders();            // ['Content-Type' => ['application/json']]
java
// Java equivalent
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) {
    // Request properties
    String method = request.getMethod();
    String uri = request.getRequestURI();
    Enumeration<String> headerNames = request.getHeaderNames();
    
    // Response
    response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_OK);
    response.setContentType("application/json");
    response.getWriter().write("{\"status\":\"success\"}");
}

ServerRequest: Handling Incoming Requests ​

For handling incoming HTTP requests, use ServerRequest which extends Request:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;

// Create ServerRequest from superglobals
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();

// Access parsed body (for JSON, form data, etc.)
$parsedBody = $request->getParsedBody();  // Array or object

// Access query parameters
$queryParams = $request->getQueryParams(); // ['id' => '123']

// Access uploaded files
$uploadedFiles = $request->getUploadedFiles(); // ['file' => UploadedFileInterface]

// Access server parameters (like $_SERVER)
$serverParams = $request->getServerParams();

// Access attributes (custom data)
$request = $request->withAttribute('userId', 123);
$userId = $request->getAttribute('userId');

Working with URIs ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Uri;

// Create URI
$uri = new Uri('https://example.com:8080/users?id=123#section');

// Access URI components
$scheme = $uri->getScheme();        // https
$host = $uri->getHost();            // example.com
$port = $uri->getPort();            // 8080
$path = $uri->getPath();            // /users
$query = $uri->getQuery();          // id=123
$fragment = $uri->getFragment();    // section

// Modify URI (returns new instance)
$newUri = $uri->withPath('/posts')
              ->withQuery('page=2');

Working with Streams ​

PSR-7 uses streams for request/response bodies:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Stream;
use Psr\Http\Message\StreamInterface;

// Create stream from string
$body = \GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Utils::streamFor('Hello, World!');

// Create stream from file
$fileStream = \GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Utils::streamFor(
    fopen('/path/to/file.txt', 'r')
);

// Read from stream
$content = $body->getContents();  // Reads entire stream
$body->rewind();                   // Reset pointer
$chunk = $body->read(5);          // Read 5 bytes

// Write to stream
$writableStream = \GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Utils::streamFor(
    fopen('/path/to/output.txt', 'w')
);
$writableStream->write('Data to write');

Why It Works ​

  • Immutability prevents accidental modifications and enables safe sharing
  • Interfaces allow different implementations (Guzzle, Zend, Symfony)
  • Streams handle large data efficiently without loading everything into memory
  • Type safety through interfaces provides better IDE support and error detection

Complete Example: PSR-7 Request Handler ​

Here's a complete example using PSR-7 for handling requests:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\{ServerRequest, Response};
use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};

class ApiHandler
{
    public function handle(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
    {
        // Get method and path
        $method = $request->getMethod();
        $path = $request->getUri()->getPath();

        // Get query parameters
        $queryParams = $request->getQueryParams();
        $userId = $queryParams['id'] ?? null;

        // Get parsed body (for JSON POST requests)
        $body = $request->getParsedBody();
        $data = is_array($body) ? $body : [];

        // Get headers
        $contentType = $request->getHeaderLine('Content-Type');
        $authorization = $request->getHeaderLine('Authorization');

        // Process request based on method
        return match ($method) {
            'GET' => $this->handleGet($request, $userId),
            'POST' => $this->handlePost($request, $data),
            'PUT' => $this->handlePut($request, $userId, $data),
            'DELETE' => $this->handleDelete($request, $userId),
            default => new Response(405, [], 'Method Not Allowed')
        };
    }

    private function handleGet(RequestInterface $request, ?string $userId): ResponseInterface
    {
        if ($userId === null) {
            // Return list
            $data = ['users' => [/* ... */]];
        } else {
            // Return single user
            $data = ['user' => ['id' => $userId, /* ... */]];
        }

        return new Response(
            200,
            ['Content-Type' => 'application/json'],
            json_encode($data)
        );
    }

    private function handlePost(RequestInterface $request, array $data): ResponseInterface
    {
        // Create resource
        $newId = 123; // Create logic here

        return new Response(
            201,
            [
                'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
                'Location' => '/api/users/' . $newId
            ],
            json_encode(['id' => $newId, 'data' => $data])
        );
    }

    private function handlePut(RequestInterface $request, ?string $userId, array $data): ResponseInterface
    {
        if ($userId === null) {
            return new Response(400, [], 'Missing user ID');
        }

        // Update logic here
        return new Response(
            200,
            ['Content-Type' => 'application/json'],
            json_encode(['id' => $userId, 'updated' => true])
        );
    }

    private function handleDelete(RequestInterface $request, ?string $userId): ResponseInterface
    {
        if ($userId === null) {
            return new Response(400, [], 'Missing user ID');
        }

        // Delete logic here
        return new Response(204); // No Content
    }
}

// Usage
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();
$handler = new ApiHandler();
$response = $handler->handle($request);

// Send response
http_response_code($response->getStatusCode());
foreach ($response->getHeaders() as $name => $values) {
    foreach ($values as $value) {
        header("$name: $value", false);
    }
}
echo $response->getBody();

Troubleshooting ​

  • Error: "Class not found" — Install PSR-7 implementation (composer require guzzlehttp/psr7)
  • Stream already read — Call rewind() before reading again, or use getContents() once
  • Memory issues — Use streams for large files instead of loading entire content

Section 2.5: Content Negotiation and Request Body Parsing ​

Goal ​

Learn how to handle content negotiation (Accept headers) and parse different request body formats.

Content Negotiation ​

Content negotiation allows clients to specify what content types, languages, and encodings they prefer. PHP doesn't have built-in content negotiation, but you can implement it easily.

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;
use Psr\Http\Message\RequestInterface;

class ContentNegotiation
{
    /**
     * Parse Accept header and return preferred content type
     */
    public static function negotiateContentType(
        RequestInterface $request,
        array $supportedTypes = ['application/json', 'application/xml', 'text/html']
    ): ?string {
        $acceptHeader = $request->getHeaderLine('Accept');
        
        if (empty($acceptHeader)) {
            return $supportedTypes[0]; // Default to first supported type
        }

        // Parse Accept header with quality values
        // Accept: application/json, application/xml;q=0.9, text/html;q=0.8
        $acceptedTypes = [];
        foreach (explode(',', $acceptHeader) as $type) {
            $parts = explode(';', trim($type));
            $mimeType = trim($parts[0]);
            $quality = 1.0;

            if (isset($parts[1]) && str_starts_with($parts[1], 'q=')) {
                $quality = (float)substr($parts[1], 2);
            }

            $acceptedTypes[$mimeType] = $quality;
        }

        // Sort by quality (descending)
        arsort($acceptedTypes);

        // Find best match
        foreach ($acceptedTypes as $mimeType => $quality) {
            // Exact match
            if (in_array($mimeType, $supportedTypes, true)) {
                return $mimeType;
            }

            // Wildcard match (application/*)
            if (str_ends_with($mimeType, '/*')) {
                $baseType = substr($mimeType, 0, -2);
                foreach ($supportedTypes as $supported) {
                    if (str_starts_with($supported, $baseType . '/')) {
                        return $supported;
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        // Check for */* wildcard
        if (isset($acceptedTypes['*/*'])) {
            return $supportedTypes[0];
        }

        return null; // No acceptable type found
    }

    /**
     * Negotiate language from Accept-Language header
     */
    public static function negotiateLanguage(
        RequestInterface $request,
        array $supportedLanguages = ['en', 'es', 'fr']
    ): string {
        $acceptLanguage = $request->getHeaderLine('Accept-Language');
        
        if (empty($acceptLanguage)) {
            return $supportedLanguages[0];
        }

        $acceptedLanguages = [];
        foreach (explode(',', $acceptLanguage) as $lang) {
            $parts = explode(';', trim($lang));
            $language = trim($parts[0]);
            $quality = 1.0;

            if (isset($parts[1]) && str_starts_with($parts[1], 'q=')) {
                $quality = (float)substr($parts[1], 2);
            }

            // Extract base language (en-US -> en)
            $baseLang = explode('-', $language)[0];
            $acceptedLanguages[$baseLang] = max($acceptedLanguages[$baseLang] ?? 0, $quality);
        }

        arsort($acceptedLanguages);

        foreach ($acceptedLanguages as $lang => $quality) {
            if (in_array($lang, $supportedLanguages, true)) {
                return $lang;
            }
        }

        return $supportedLanguages[0];
    }
}

// Usage
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();
$contentType = ContentNegotiation::negotiateContentType(
    $request,
    ['application/json', 'application/xml']
);
$language = ContentNegotiation::negotiateLanguage($request, ['en', 'es']);

Request Body Parsing ​

Different content types require different parsing approaches:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;
use Psr\Http\Message\RequestInterface;

class RequestBodyParser
{
    /**
     * Parse request body based on Content-Type
     */
    public static function parse(RequestInterface $request): mixed
    {
        $contentType = $request->getHeaderLine('Content-Type');
        
        // Remove charset and other parameters
        $contentType = explode(';', $contentType)[0];
        $contentType = trim($contentType);

        $body = $request->getBody()->getContents();

        return match ($contentType) {
            'application/json' => self::parseJson($body),
            'application/xml', 'text/xml' => self::parseXml($body),
            'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' => self::parseFormUrlencoded($body),
            'multipart/form-data' => self::parseMultipart($request),
            default => $body // Return raw body
        };
    }

    private static function parseJson(string $body): array
    {
        $data = json_decode($body, true);
        
        if (json_last_error() !== JSON_ERROR_NONE) {
            throw new \InvalidArgumentException(
                'Invalid JSON: ' . json_last_error_msg()
            );
        }

        return $data ?? [];
    }

    private static function parseXml(string $body): \SimpleXMLElement
    {
        libxml_use_internal_errors(true);
        $xml = simplexml_load_string($body);
        
        if ($xml === false) {
            $errors = libxml_get_errors();
            libxml_clear_errors();
            throw new \InvalidArgumentException(
                'Invalid XML: ' . ($errors[0]->message ?? 'Unknown error')
            );
        }

        return $xml;
    }

    private static function parseFormUrlencoded(string $body): array
    {
        parse_str($body, $data);
        return $data;
    }

    private static function parseMultipart(RequestInterface $request): array
    {
        // For multipart, use getParsedBody() which PSR-7 handles
        $parsed = $request->getParsedBody();
        return is_array($parsed) ? $parsed : [];
    }
}

// Usage
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();
$data = RequestBodyParser::parse($request);

Why It Works ​

  • Content negotiation allows clients to specify preferences, improving API flexibility
  • Quality values (q-values) let clients prioritize content types (e.g., application/json;q=0.9)
  • Wildcard matching (*/*, application/*) provides fallback options
  • Body parsing handles different content types appropriately (JSON, XML, form data)

Section 3: Headers and Cookies ​

Goal ​

Learn how to manage HTTP headers and cookies in PHP, comparing to Java's servlet API.

Setting HTTP Headers ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// Set response headers (must be called before any output)
header('Content-Type: application/json');
header('X-Custom-Header: value');
header('Location: /redirect', true, 302);  // Redirect with status code

// Set multiple headers at once
header('Content-Type: application/json', false);
header('Cache-Control: no-cache, must-revalidate', false);

// Check if headers already sent
if (!headers_sent()) {
    header('X-Custom: value');
} else {
    error_log('Cannot set headers - output already started');
}

// Get response headers (using PSR-7)
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Response;

$response = new Response(200, [
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
    'X-Custom' => 'value'
]);

// Modify headers (immutable)
$newResponse = $response->withHeader('X-New-Header', 'new-value');
$newResponse = $response->withAddedHeader('X-Custom', 'another-value');
java
// Java Servlet API equivalent
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) {
    // Set headers
    response.setContentType("application/json");
    response.setHeader("X-Custom-Header", "value");
    response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_FOUND);
    response.setHeader("Location", "/redirect");
    
    // Add header (allows multiple values)
    response.addHeader("X-Custom", "value1");
    response.addHeader("X-Custom", "value2");
    
    // Check if response committed
    if (!response.isCommitted()) {
        response.setHeader("X-Custom", "value");
    }
}

Reading Request Headers ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// Using superglobals (headers prefixed with HTTP_)
$userAgent = $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'] ?? '';
$accept = $_SERVER['HTTP_ACCEPT'] ?? '';
$contentType = $_SERVER['HTTP_CONTENT_TYPE'] ?? '';

// Using PSR-7
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;

$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();

// Get single header (returns array of values)
$userAgent = $request->getHeader('User-Agent');
$firstValue = $request->getHeaderLine('User-Agent');  // Comma-separated string

// Check if header exists
if ($request->hasHeader('Authorization')) {
    $authHeader = $request->getHeaderLine('Authorization');
}

Working with Cookies ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// Set cookie (basic)
setcookie('username', 'john', time() + 3600);

// Set cookie with options
setcookie(
    'session_id',
    'abc123',
    [
        'expires' => time() + 3600,      // Expiration time
        'path' => '/',                    // Available path
        'domain' => '.example.com',      // Domain
        'secure' => true,                 // HTTPS only
        'httponly' => true,               // JavaScript cannot access
        'samesite' => 'Strict'           // CSRF protection
    ]
);

// Read cookies
$username = $_COOKIE['username'] ?? null;
$sessionId = $_COOKIE['session_id'] ?? null;

// Delete cookie (set expiration in past)
setcookie('username', '', time() - 3600, '/');

// Using PSR-7 for cookies
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;

$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();
$cookies = $request->getCookieParams();  // ['username' => 'john']
java
// Java Servlet API equivalent
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) {
    // Set cookie
    Cookie cookie = new Cookie("username", "john");
    cookie.setMaxAge(3600);
    cookie.setPath("/");
    cookie.setSecure(true);
    cookie.setHttpOnly(true);
    response.addCookie(cookie);
    
    // Read cookies
    Cookie[] cookies = request.getCookies();
    if (cookies != null) {
        for (Cookie c : cookies) {
            if ("username".equals(c.getName())) {
                String value = c.getValue();
                break;
            }
        }
    }
    
    // Delete cookie
    Cookie deleteCookie = new Cookie("username", "");
    deleteCookie.setMaxAge(0);
    response.addCookie(deleteCookie);
}

Security Best Practices for Cookies ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

/**
 * Set a secure session cookie
 */
function setSecureCookie(
    string $name,
    string $value,
    int $expiresIn = 3600
): bool {
    return setcookie(
        $name,
        $value,
        [
            'expires' => time() + $expiresIn,
            'path' => '/',
            'domain' => '',  // Current domain only
            'secure' => true,  // HTTPS only
            'httponly' => true,  // Prevent XSS
            'samesite' => 'Strict'  // CSRF protection
        ]
    );
}

// Usage
setSecureCookie('session_id', bin2hex(random_bytes(32)));

Why It Works ​

  • header() function sends raw HTTP headers before content
  • setcookie() sets the Set-Cookie header with proper formatting
  • PSR-7 interfaces provide object-oriented, immutable header management
  • Cookie options control security, scope, and expiration

Complete Example: Response Builder ​

Here's a utility class for building responses:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Response;

class ResponseBuilder
{
    /**
     * Create JSON response
     */
    public static function json(
        mixed $data,
        int $statusCode = 200,
        array $headers = []
    ): Response {
        $headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json';
        
        return new Response(
            $statusCode,
            $headers,
            json_encode($data, JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR | JSON_PRETTY_PRINT)
        );
    }

    /**
     * Create redirect response
     */
    public static function redirect(string $url, int $statusCode = 302): Response
    {
        return new Response(
            $statusCode,
            ['Location' => $url],
            ''
        );
    }

    /**
     * Create error response
     */
    public static function error(
        string $message,
        int $statusCode = 400,
        ?array $errors = null
    ): Response {
        $data = ['error' => $message];
        
        if ($errors !== null) {
            $data['errors'] = $errors;
        }

        return self::json($data, $statusCode);
    }

    /**
     * Create success response
     */
    public static function success(
        mixed $data,
        string $message = 'Success',
        int $statusCode = 200
    ): Response {
        return self::json([
            'success' => true,
            'message' => $message,
            'data' => $data
        ], $statusCode);
    }
}

// Usage
$response = ResponseBuilder::json(['users' => []], 200);
$response = ResponseBuilder::redirect('/login', 302);
$response = ResponseBuilder::error('Validation failed', 422, ['email' => 'Invalid']);

CORS Preflight Requests ​

CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) preflight requests use the OPTIONS method to check if a cross-origin request is allowed:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Response;

class CorsPreflightMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
{
    private array $allowedOrigins;
    private array $allowedMethods;
    private array $allowedHeaders;
    private int $maxAge;

    public function __construct(
        array $allowedOrigins = ['*'],
        array $allowedMethods = ['GET', 'POST', 'PUT', 'DELETE', 'OPTIONS'],
        array $allowedHeaders = ['Content-Type', 'Authorization'],
        int $maxAge = 3600
    ) {
        $this->allowedOrigins = $allowedOrigins;
        $this->allowedMethods = $allowedMethods;
        $this->allowedHeaders = $allowedHeaders;
        $this->maxAge = $maxAge;
    }

    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface {
        // Handle preflight OPTIONS request
        if ($request->getMethod() === 'OPTIONS') {
            return $this->handlePreflight($request);
        }

        // Handle actual request - add CORS headers to response
        $response = $handler->handle($request);
        return $this->addCorsHeaders($request, $response);
    }

    private function handlePreflight(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
    {
        $origin = $request->getHeaderLine('Origin');
        $requestMethod = $request->getHeaderLine('Access-Control-Request-Method');
        $requestHeaders = $request->getHeaderLine('Access-Control-Request-Headers');

        // Check if origin is allowed
        if (!$this->isOriginAllowed($origin)) {
            return new Response(403, [], 'Origin not allowed');
        }

        // Build CORS headers
        $headers = [
            'Access-Control-Allow-Origin' => $this->getAllowedOrigin($origin),
            'Access-Control-Allow-Methods' => implode(', ', $this->allowedMethods),
            'Access-Control-Allow-Headers' => $requestHeaders ?: implode(', ', $this->allowedHeaders),
            'Access-Control-Max-Age' => (string)$this->maxAge,
        ];

        // Add credentials if needed
        if (in_array($origin, $this->allowedOrigins, true)) {
            $headers['Access-Control-Allow-Credentials'] = 'true';
        }

        return new Response(204, $headers, '');
    }

    private function addCorsHeaders(
        RequestInterface $request,
        ResponseInterface $response
    ): ResponseInterface {
        $origin = $request->getHeaderLine('Origin');
        
        if (!$this->isOriginAllowed($origin)) {
            return $response;
        }

        return $response
            ->withHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', $this->getAllowedOrigin($origin))
            ->withHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Credentials', 'true')
            ->withHeader('Access-Control-Expose-Headers', 'X-Total-Count, X-Page-Count');
    }

    private function isOriginAllowed(string $origin): bool
    {
        if (empty($origin)) {
            return false;
        }

        if (in_array('*', $this->allowedOrigins, true)) {
            return true;
        }

        return in_array($origin, $this->allowedOrigins, true);
    }

    private function getAllowedOrigin(string $origin): string
    {
        return in_array('*', $this->allowedOrigins, true) ? '*' : $origin;
    }
}

Caching Headers ​

HTTP caching headers help reduce server load and improve performance:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Response;
use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};

class CacheControl
{
    /**
     * Add ETag and caching headers to response
     */
    public static function withEtag(
        ResponseInterface $response,
        string $content,
        int $maxAge = 3600
    ): ResponseInterface {
        // Generate ETag from content
        $etag = '"' . md5($content) . '"';
        
        return $response
            ->withHeader('ETag', $etag)
            ->withHeader('Cache-Control', "public, max-age=$maxAge")
            ->withHeader('Last-Modified', gmdate('D, d M Y H:i:s') . ' GMT');
    }

    /**
     * Check if request has valid cached version (304 Not Modified)
     */
    public static function checkNotModified(
        RequestInterface $request,
        ResponseInterface $response
    ): ?ResponseInterface {
        // Check If-None-Match (ETag)
        $ifNoneMatch = $request->getHeaderLine('If-None-Match');
        $etag = $response->getHeaderLine('ETag');
        
        if ($ifNoneMatch && $etag && $ifNoneMatch === $etag) {
            return $response->withStatus(304)->withBody(
                \GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Utils::streamFor('')
            );
        }

        // Check If-Modified-Since
        $ifModifiedSince = $request->getHeaderLine('If-Modified-Since');
        $lastModified = $response->getHeaderLine('Last-Modified');
        
        if ($ifModifiedSince && $lastModified) {
            $ifModifiedSinceTime = strtotime($ifModifiedSince);
            $lastModifiedTime = strtotime($lastModified);
            
            if ($ifModifiedSinceTime >= $lastModifiedTime) {
                return $response->withStatus(304)->withBody(
                    \GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Utils::streamFor('')
                );
            }
        }

        return null; // Not modified check failed, return original response
    }

    /**
     * Set no-cache headers
     */
    public static function noCache(ResponseInterface $response): ResponseInterface
    {
        return $response
            ->withHeader('Cache-Control', 'no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate')
            ->withHeader('Pragma', 'no-cache')
            ->withHeader('Expires', '0');
    }
}

// Usage
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();
$content = json_encode(['data' => 'value']);
$response = new Response(200, ['Content-Type' => 'application/json'], $content);

// Add caching
$response = CacheControl::withEtag($response, $content, 3600);

// Check if client has cached version
$notModified = CacheControl::checkNotModified($request, $response);
if ($notModified !== null) {
    // Send 304 Not Modified
    $response = $notModified;
}

Content Encoding (Gzip Compression) ​

Compress responses to reduce bandwidth:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};

class CompressionMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
{
    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface {
        $response = $handler->handle($request);

        // Check if client accepts gzip
        $acceptEncoding = $request->getHeaderLine('Accept-Encoding');
        
        if (str_contains($acceptEncoding, 'gzip')) {
            $body = $response->getBody()->getContents();
            $compressed = gzencode($body, 6); // Compression level 1-9

            if ($compressed !== false) {
                return $response
                    ->withHeader('Content-Encoding', 'gzip')
                    ->withHeader('Content-Length', (string)strlen($compressed))
                    ->withBody(\GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Utils::streamFor($compressed));
            }
        }

        return $response;
    }
}

HTTP Method Override ​

Support PUT/DELETE methods via POST (useful for HTML forms):

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};

class MethodOverrideMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
{
    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface {
        // Check X-HTTP-Method-Override header
        $overrideMethod = $request->getHeaderLine('X-HTTP-Method-Override');
        
        if (!empty($overrideMethod)) {
            $request = $request->withMethod(strtoupper($overrideMethod));
        }
        // Check _method parameter in POST body
        elseif ($request->getMethod() === 'POST') {
            $parsedBody = $request->getParsedBody();
            
            if (is_array($parsedBody) && isset($parsedBody['_method'])) {
                $method = strtoupper($parsedBody['_method']);
                
                if (in_array($method, ['PUT', 'DELETE', 'PATCH'], true)) {
                    $request = $request->withMethod($method);
                    // Remove _method from parsed body
                    unset($parsedBody['_method']);
                    $request = $request->withParsedBody($parsedBody);
                }
            }
        }

        return $handler->handle($request);
    }
}

// Usage in HTML form
// <form method="POST">
//     <input type="hidden" name="_method" value="PUT">
//     <!-- form fields -->
// </form>

Troubleshooting ​

  • Error: "Cannot modify header information" — Headers already sent; check for output before header() calls
  • Cookies not working — Check secure flag (must be false for HTTP), path, and domain settings
  • SameSite warnings — Use 'Strict' or 'Lax' for CSRF protection
  • CORS preflight failing — Ensure OPTIONS method is handled and all required headers are returned
  • 304 Not Modified not working — Verify ETag or Last-Modified headers are set correctly

Section 4: File Uploads ​

Goal ​

Learn how to handle file uploads securely in PHP, comparing to Java's multipart handling.

Basic File Upload Handling ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// Check if file was uploaded
if (isset($_FILES['document']) && $_FILES['document']['error'] === UPLOAD_ERR_OK) {
    $file = $_FILES['document'];
    
    // File information
    $fileName = $file['name'];
    $fileType = $file['type'];
    $fileSize = $file['size'];
    $tmpName = $file['tmp_name'];
    $error = $file['error'];
    
    // Validate file
    $allowedTypes = ['image/jpeg', 'image/png', 'application/pdf'];
    $maxSize = 5 * 1024 * 1024;  // 5MB
    
    if (!in_array($fileType, $allowedTypes)) {
        throw new InvalidArgumentException('Invalid file type');
    }
    
    if ($fileSize > $maxSize) {
        throw new InvalidArgumentException('File too large');
    }
    
    // Move uploaded file to destination
    $destination = __DIR__ . '/uploads/' . basename($fileName);
    if (move_uploaded_file($tmpName, $destination)) {
        echo "File uploaded successfully";
    } else {
        throw new RuntimeException('Failed to move uploaded file');
    }
}
java
// Java Servlet API equivalent
@MultipartConfig
public class FileUploadServlet extends HttpServlet {
    
    protected void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) {
        try {
            Part filePart = request.getPart("document");
            String fileName = getFileName(filePart);
            String contentType = filePart.getContentType();
            long fileSize = filePart.getSize();
            
            // Validate
            List<String> allowedTypes = Arrays.asList("image/jpeg", "image/png", "application/pdf");
            long maxSize = 5 * 1024 * 1024;
            
            if (!allowedTypes.contains(contentType)) {
                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid file type");
            }
            
            if (fileSize > maxSize) {
                throw new IllegalArgumentException("File too large");
            }
            
            // Save file
            String destination = getServletContext().getRealPath("/uploads/") + fileName;
            filePart.write(destination);
            
        } catch (Exception e) {
            response.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
        }
    }
    
    private String getFileName(Part part) {
        String contentDisposition = part.getHeader("content-disposition");
        // Parse filename from content-disposition header
        return /* parsed filename */;
    }
}

Upload Error Codes ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

function handleUploadError(int $errorCode): string
{
    return match ($errorCode) {
        UPLOAD_ERR_OK => 'No error',
        UPLOAD_ERR_INI_SIZE => 'File exceeds upload_max_filesize',
        UPLOAD_ERR_FORM_SIZE => 'File exceeds MAX_FILE_SIZE',
        UPLOAD_ERR_PARTIAL => 'File partially uploaded',
        UPLOAD_ERR_NO_FILE => 'No file uploaded',
        UPLOAD_ERR_NO_TMP_DIR => 'Missing temporary folder',
        UPLOAD_ERR_CANT_WRITE => 'Failed to write file to disk',
        UPLOAD_ERR_EXTENSION => 'PHP extension stopped upload',
        default => 'Unknown error'
    };
}

// Usage
if ($_FILES['file']['error'] !== UPLOAD_ERR_OK) {
    $errorMessage = handleUploadError($_FILES['file']['error']);
    throw new RuntimeException("Upload failed: $errorMessage");
}

Secure File Upload Class ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

class SecureFileUpload
{
    private array $allowedTypes;
    private int $maxSize;
    private string $uploadDir;

    public function __construct(
        array $allowedTypes,
        int $maxSize,
        string $uploadDir
    ) {
        $this->allowedTypes = $allowedTypes;
        $this->maxSize = $maxSize;
        $this->uploadDir = rtrim($uploadDir, '/') . '/';
        
        // Create upload directory if it doesn't exist
        if (!is_dir($this->uploadDir)) {
            mkdir($this->uploadDir, 0755, true);
        }
    }

    public function upload(string $fieldName): string
    {
        if (!isset($_FILES[$fieldName])) {
            throw new InvalidArgumentException("No file uploaded for field: $fieldName");
        }

        $file = $_FILES[$fieldName];

        // Check for upload errors
        if ($file['error'] !== UPLOAD_ERR_OK) {
            throw new RuntimeException("Upload error: " . $file['error']);
        }

        // Validate file type
        $finfo = finfo_open(FILEINFO_MIME_TYPE);
        $mimeType = finfo_file($finfo, $file['tmp_name']);
        finfo_close($finfo);

        if (!in_array($mimeType, $this->allowedTypes, true)) {
            throw new InvalidArgumentException("Invalid file type: $mimeType");
        }

        // Validate file size
        if ($file['size'] > $this->maxSize) {
            throw new InvalidArgumentException("File too large: {$file['size']} bytes");
        }

        // Generate secure filename
        $extension = pathinfo($file['name'], PATHINFO_EXTENSION);
        $safeFileName = bin2hex(random_bytes(16)) . '.' . $extension;
        $destination = $this->uploadDir . $safeFileName;

        // Move uploaded file
        if (!move_uploaded_file($file['tmp_name'], $destination)) {
            throw new RuntimeException("Failed to move uploaded file");
        }

        return $safeFileName;
    }
}

// Usage
$uploader = new SecureFileUpload(
    ['image/jpeg', 'image/png', 'application/pdf'],
    5 * 1024 * 1024,  // 5MB
    __DIR__ . '/uploads'
);

try {
    $fileName = $uploader->upload('document');
    echo "File uploaded: $fileName";
} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo "Error: " . $e->getMessage();
}

Using PSR-7 for File Uploads ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;
use Psr\Http\Message\UploadedFileInterface;

$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();
$uploadedFiles = $request->getUploadedFiles();

if (isset($uploadedFiles['document'])) {
    $file = $uploadedFiles['document'];
    
    if ($file->getError() === UPLOAD_ERR_OK) {
        $stream = $file->getStream();
        $destination = __DIR__ . '/uploads/' . $file->getClientFilename();
        
        // Write stream to file
        $handle = fopen($destination, 'wb');
        while (!$stream->eof()) {
            fwrite($handle, $stream->read(8192));
        }
        fclose($handle);
    }
}

Why It Works ​

  • $_FILES superglobal contains uploaded file information
  • move_uploaded_file() safely moves files from temporary location
  • finfo_file() detects actual MIME type (more secure than trusting client)
  • Random filenames prevent overwriting and directory traversal attacks
  • PSR-7 UploadedFileInterface provides object-oriented file handling

Complete Example: File Upload Endpoint ​

Here's a complete file upload endpoint using PSR-7:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;
use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Message\UploadedFileInterface;
use App\Http\ResponseBuilder;

class FileUploadController
{
    private const ALLOWED_TYPES = ['image/jpeg', 'image/png', 'image/gif'];
    private const MAX_SIZE = 2 * 1024 * 1024; // 2MB
    private const UPLOAD_DIR = __DIR__ . '/../../uploads/';

    public function upload(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
    {
        $uploadedFiles = $request->getUploadedFiles();

        if (!isset($uploadedFiles['file'])) {
            return ResponseBuilder::error('No file uploaded', 400);
        }

        $file = $uploadedFiles['file'];

        // Check upload error
        if ($file->getError() !== UPLOAD_ERR_OK) {
            return ResponseBuilder::error(
                'Upload failed: ' . $this->getUploadErrorMessage($file->getError()),
                400
            );
        }

        // Validate file type
        $mimeType = $this->detectMimeType($file);
        if (!in_array($mimeType, self::ALLOWED_TYPES, true)) {
            return ResponseBuilder::error("Invalid file type: $mimeType", 400);
        }

        // Validate file size
        if ($file->getSize() > self::MAX_SIZE) {
            return ResponseBuilder::error('File too large', 400);
        }

        // Generate secure filename
        $extension = $this->getExtensionFromMimeType($mimeType);
        $filename = bin2hex(random_bytes(16)) . '.' . $extension;
        $destination = self::UPLOAD_DIR . $filename;

        // Ensure upload directory exists
        if (!is_dir(self::UPLOAD_DIR)) {
            mkdir(self::UPLOAD_DIR, 0755, true);
        }

        // Move uploaded file
        try {
            $file->moveTo($destination);
        } catch (\RuntimeException $e) {
            return ResponseBuilder::error('Failed to save file', 500);
        }

        return ResponseBuilder::success([
            'filename' => $filename,
            'size' => $file->getSize(),
            'type' => $mimeType,
            'url' => '/uploads/' . $filename
        ], 'File uploaded successfully', 201);
    }

    private function detectMimeType(UploadedFileInterface $file): string
    {
        // Use finfo for accurate MIME type detection
        $finfo = finfo_open(FILEINFO_MIME_TYPE);
        $stream = $file->getStream();
        $stream->rewind();
        $chunk = $stream->read(8192);
        $mimeType = finfo_buffer($finfo, $chunk);
        finfo_close($finfo);
        
        return $mimeType ?: 'application/octet-stream';
    }

    private function getExtensionFromMimeType(string $mimeType): string
    {
        return match ($mimeType) {
            'image/jpeg' => 'jpg',
            'image/png' => 'png',
            'image/gif' => 'gif',
            default => 'bin'
        };
    }

    private function getUploadErrorMessage(int $errorCode): string
    {
        return match ($errorCode) {
            UPLOAD_ERR_INI_SIZE => 'File exceeds upload_max_filesize',
            UPLOAD_ERR_FORM_SIZE => 'File exceeds MAX_FILE_SIZE',
            UPLOAD_ERR_PARTIAL => 'File partially uploaded',
            UPLOAD_ERR_NO_FILE => 'No file uploaded',
            UPLOAD_ERR_NO_TMP_DIR => 'Missing temporary folder',
            UPLOAD_ERR_CANT_WRITE => 'Failed to write file to disk',
            UPLOAD_ERR_EXTENSION => 'PHP extension stopped upload',
            default => 'Unknown upload error'
        };
    }
}

// Usage
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();
$controller = new FileUploadController();
$response = $controller->upload($request);

Request Size Limits ​

PHP has several configuration limits for request handling:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

class RequestLimits
{
    /**
     * Check if request exceeds size limits
     */
    public static function checkLimits(): array
    {
        $limits = [
            'post_max_size' => self::parseSize(ini_get('post_max_size')),
            'upload_max_filesize' => self::parseSize(ini_get('upload_max_filesize')),
            'max_file_uploads' => (int)ini_get('max_file_uploads'),
            'memory_limit' => self::parseSize(ini_get('memory_limit')),
        ];

        // Check Content-Length header
        $contentLength = $_SERVER['CONTENT_LENGTH'] ?? 0;
        $limits['request_size'] = (int)$contentLength;
        $limits['exceeds_post_max'] = $contentLength > $limits['post_max_size'];

        return $limits;
    }

    /**
     * Parse PHP size string (e.g., "8M", "128K") to bytes
     */
    private static function parseSize(string $size): int
    {
        $size = trim($size);
        $last = strtolower($size[strlen($size) - 1]);
        $size = (int)$size;

        return match ($last) {
            'g' => $size * 1024 * 1024 * 1024,
            'm' => $size * 1024 * 1024,
            'k' => $size * 1024,
            default => $size
        };
    }

    /**
     * Validate request size before processing
     */
    public static function validateRequestSize(int $maxSize = 0): void
    {
        if ($maxSize === 0) {
            $maxSize = self::parseSize(ini_get('post_max_size'));
        }

        $contentLength = (int)($_SERVER['CONTENT_LENGTH'] ?? 0);

        if ($contentLength > $maxSize) {
            throw new \RuntimeException(
                "Request size ($contentLength bytes) exceeds maximum ($maxSize bytes)"
            );
        }
    }
}

// Usage
try {
    RequestLimits::validateRequestSize();
    // Process request
} catch (\RuntimeException $e) {
    http_response_code(413); // Payload Too Large
    echo json_encode(['error' => $e->getMessage()]);
}

Range Requests (Partial Content) ​

Support HTTP Range requests for file downloads and streaming:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\{Response, ServerRequest};
use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};

class RangeRequestHandler
{
    /**
     * Handle Range request and return 206 Partial Content or full file
     */
    public static function handle(
        RequestInterface $request,
        string $filePath,
        string $contentType = 'application/octet-stream'
    ): ResponseInterface {
        if (!file_exists($filePath)) {
            return new Response(404, [], 'File not found');
        }

        $fileSize = filesize($filePath);
        $rangeHeader = $request->getHeaderLine('Range');

        // No Range header - return full file
        if (empty($rangeHeader)) {
            return self::sendFullFile($filePath, $fileSize, $contentType);
        }

        // Parse Range header: bytes=0-499, 500-999, etc.
        if (!preg_match('/bytes=(\d+)-(\d*)/', $rangeHeader, $matches)) {
            return new Response(416, ['Content-Range' => "bytes */$fileSize"], 'Range Not Satisfiable');
        }

        $start = (int)$matches[1];
        $end = !empty($matches[2]) ? (int)$matches[2] : $fileSize - 1;

        // Validate range
        if ($start > $end || $start >= $fileSize || $end >= $fileSize) {
            return new Response(416, ['Content-Range' => "bytes */$fileSize"], 'Range Not Satisfiable');
        }

        $length = $end - $start + 1;

        // Read file chunk
        $handle = fopen($filePath, 'rb');
        fseek($handle, $start);
        $content = fread($handle, $length);
        fclose($handle);

        $headers = [
            'Content-Range' => "bytes $start-$end/$fileSize",
            'Content-Length' => (string)$length,
            'Content-Type' => $contentType,
            'Accept-Ranges' => 'bytes',
        ];

        return new Response(206, $headers, $content);
    }

    private static function sendFullFile(
        string $filePath,
        int $fileSize,
        string $contentType
    ): ResponseInterface {
        $headers = [
            'Content-Length' => (string)$fileSize,
            'Content-Type' => $contentType,
            'Accept-Ranges' => 'bytes',
        ];

        $stream = \GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Utils::streamFor(fopen($filePath, 'rb'));
        
        return new Response(200, $headers, $stream);
    }
}

// Usage
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();
$response = RangeRequestHandler::handle(
    $request,
    '/path/to/video.mp4',
    'video/mp4'
);

Troubleshooting ​

  • Error: "File exceeds upload_max_filesize" — Increase upload_max_filesize in php.ini
  • Error: "No file uploaded" — Check form has enctype="multipart/form-data"
  • Permission errors — Ensure upload directory is writable (chmod 755)
  • Security warnings — Always validate file type and size; never trust client-provided names
  • Request too large — Check post_max_size and memory_limit in php.ini
  • Range request failing — Verify file exists and Range header is properly formatted

Section 5: Middleware Pattern ​

Goal ​

Implement middleware patterns in PHP, similar to Java servlet filters.

What is Middleware? ​

Middleware is code that executes before and/or after your main request handler. It's similar to Java's servlet filters and allows you to add cross-cutting concerns like authentication, logging, and CORS handling.

Basic Middleware Interface ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};

/**
 * Middleware interface (PSR-15 style)
 */
interface MiddlewareInterface
{
    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface;
}

Simple Middleware Examples ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Response;

/**
 * Logging middleware
 */
class LoggingMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
{
    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface {
        // Before: Log request
        error_log(sprintf(
            '%s %s - %s',
            $request->getMethod(),
            $request->getUri()->getPath(),
            date('Y-m-d H:i:s')
        ));

        // Call next middleware/handler
        $response = $handler->handle($request);

        // After: Log response
        error_log(sprintf(
            'Response: %d - %s',
            $response->getStatusCode(),
            date('Y-m-d H:i:s')
        ));

        return $response;
    }
}

/**
 * Authentication middleware
 */
class AuthMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
{
    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface {
        // Check authentication
        $authHeader = $request->getHeaderLine('Authorization');
        
        if (empty($authHeader) || !$this->isValidToken($authHeader)) {
            return new Response(401, [], 'Unauthorized');
        }

        // Add user info to request attributes
        $user = $this->getUserFromToken($authHeader);
        $request = $request->withAttribute('user', $user);

        // Continue to next handler
        return $handler->handle($request);
    }

    private function isValidToken(string $authHeader): bool
    {
        // Token validation logic
        return str_starts_with($authHeader, 'Bearer ') && 
               strlen($authHeader) > 20;
    }

    private function getUserFromToken(string $authHeader): array
    {
        // Extract and decode token
        $token = str_replace('Bearer ', '', $authHeader);
        // Decode JWT or lookup user
        return ['id' => 123, 'username' => 'john'];
    }
}

/**
 * CORS middleware
 */
class CorsMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
{
    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface {
        $response = $handler->handle($request);

        // Add CORS headers
        return $response
            ->withHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', '*')
            ->withHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Methods', 'GET, POST, PUT, DELETE')
            ->withHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Headers', 'Content-Type, Authorization');
    }
}

Middleware Stack ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};

/**
 * Middleware stack (similar to Java FilterChain)
 */
class MiddlewareStack implements RequestHandlerInterface
{
    private array $middlewares = [];
    private RequestHandlerInterface $fallbackHandler;

    public function __construct(RequestHandlerInterface $fallbackHandler)
    {
        $this->fallbackHandler = $fallbackHandler;
    }

    public function add(MiddlewareInterface $middleware): void
    {
        $this->middlewares[] = $middleware;
    }

    public function handle(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
    {
        if (empty($this->middlewares)) {
            return $this->fallbackHandler->handle($request);
        }

        // Create handler chain
        $handler = $this->fallbackHandler;
        
        // Build chain in reverse order
        for ($i = count($this->middlewares) - 1; $i >= 0; $i--) {
            $middleware = $this->middlewares[$i];
            $handler = new MiddlewareHandler($middleware, $handler);
        }

        return $handler->handle($request);
    }
}

/**
 * Wrapper to execute middleware
 */
class MiddlewareHandler implements RequestHandlerInterface
{
    public function __construct(
        private MiddlewareInterface $middleware,
        private RequestHandlerInterface $next
    ) {}

    public function handle(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
    {
        return $this->middleware->process($request, $this->next);
    }
}

// Usage
$stack = new MiddlewareStack($finalHandler);
$stack->add(new CorsMiddleware());
$stack->add(new LoggingMiddleware());
$stack->add(new AuthMiddleware());

$response = $stack->handle($request);

Simple Middleware (Without PSR-15) ​

If you're not using PSR-15, you can create a simpler middleware pattern:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

/**
 * Simple middleware interface
 */
interface Middleware
{
    public function handle(RequestInterface $request, callable $next): ResponseInterface;
}

/**
 * Simple middleware stack
 */
class MiddlewarePipeline
{
    private array $middlewares = [];

    public function add(Middleware $middleware): void
    {
        $this->middlewares[] = $middleware;
    }

    public function process(RequestInterface $request, callable $finalHandler): ResponseInterface
    {
        $handler = $finalHandler;

        // Build chain in reverse
        foreach (array_reverse($this->middlewares) as $middleware) {
            $handler = function ($request) use ($middleware, $handler) {
                return $middleware->handle($request, $handler);
            };
        }

        return $handler($request);
    }
}

// Usage
$pipeline = new MiddlewarePipeline();
$pipeline->add(new LoggingMiddleware());
$pipeline->add(new AuthMiddleware());

$response = $pipeline->process($request, function ($request) {
    // Final handler
    return new Response(200, [], 'Hello, World!');
});

Why It Works ​

  • Middleware pattern allows cross-cutting concerns without modifying core logic
  • Chain of responsibility passes request through middleware stack
  • PSR-15 standard provides interoperability between frameworks
  • Immutability ensures middleware doesn't accidentally modify shared state

Complete Example: Middleware Application ​

Here's a complete example showing middleware in action:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\{ServerRequest, Response};
use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};

/**
 * Complete middleware application example
 */
class Application
{
    private array $middlewares = [];
    private RequestHandlerInterface $fallbackHandler;

    public function __construct(?RequestHandlerInterface $fallbackHandler = null)
    {
        $this->fallbackHandler = $fallbackHandler ?? new class implements RequestHandlerInterface {
            public function handle(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
            {
                return new Response(404, [], 'Not Found');
            }
        };
    }

    public function add(MiddlewareInterface $middleware): self
    {
        $this->middlewares[] = $middleware;
        return $this;
    }

    public function run(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
    {
        $handler = $this->fallbackHandler;

        // Build middleware chain in reverse order
        foreach (array_reverse($this->middlewares) as $middleware) {
            $handler = new MiddlewareHandler($middleware, $handler);
        }

        return $handler->handle($request);
    }
}

/**
 * Wrapper for middleware execution
 */
class MiddlewareHandler implements RequestHandlerInterface
{
    public function __construct(
        private MiddlewareInterface $middleware,
        private RequestHandlerInterface $next
    ) {}

    public function handle(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
    {
        return $this->middleware->process($request, $this->next);
    }
}

// Usage example
$app = new Application();

// Add middleware in order (executes first to last)
$app->add(new CorsMiddleware())
    ->add(new LoggingMiddleware())
    ->add(new AuthMiddleware())
    ->add(new RateLimitMiddleware());

// Create request from superglobals
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();

// Run application
$response = $app->run($request);

// Send response
http_response_code($response->getStatusCode());
foreach ($response->getHeaders() as $name => $values) {
    foreach ($values as $value) {
        header("$name: $value", false);
    }
}
echo $response->getBody();

Middleware Execution Order

Middleware executes in the order it's added:

  1. CORS - Adds headers (runs first, last to modify response)
  2. Logging - Logs request/response
  3. Auth - Validates authentication
  4. Rate Limit - Checks rate limits (runs last before handler)

The response flows back through middleware in reverse order, allowing CORS to modify headers last.

Troubleshooting ​

  • Middleware not executing — Check order in stack (executes in order added)
  • Response not returned — Ensure middleware calls $handler->handle($request)
  • Headers already sent — Use PSR-7 responses instead of header() function

Exercises ​

Exercise 1: Request Validator Middleware ​

Goal: Create a request validation middleware that checks required parameters.

Create a RequestValidatorMiddleware class that:

  • Validates required query parameters exist
  • Validates required POST body fields exist
  • Returns 400 Bad Request if validation fails
  • Adds validated data to request attributes if successful

Starter Code:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Response;

class RequestValidatorMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
{
    public function __construct(
        private array $requiredQueryParams = [],
        private array $requiredBodyFields = []
    ) {}

    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface {
        // TODO: Validate query parameters
        // TODO: Validate body fields
        // TODO: Return 400 if validation fails
        // TODO: Add validated data to request attributes
        // TODO: Call next handler if validation passes
    }
}

Validation: Test with valid and invalid requests:

php
// Valid request
GET /api/users?id=123

// Invalid request
GET /api/users
// Should return 400 with error message: {"error": "Missing required parameter: id"}

Hint: Use $request->getQueryParams() and $request->getParsedBody() to access data.

Exercise 2: Rate Limiting Middleware ​

Goal: Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse.

Create a RateLimitMiddleware class that:

  • Tracks requests per IP address
  • Limits to 100 requests per hour per IP
  • Returns 429 Too Many Requests if limit exceeded
  • Adds X-RateLimit-Remaining header to responses

Starter Code:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use Psr\Http\Server\{MiddlewareInterface, RequestHandlerInterface};

class RateLimitMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
{
    private array $requestCounts = [];
    private const MAX_REQUESTS = 100;
    private const TIME_WINDOW = 3600; // 1 hour

    public function process(
        RequestInterface $request,
        RequestHandlerInterface $handler
    ): ResponseInterface {
        // TODO: Get client IP from request
        // TODO: Check request count for this IP
        // TODO: Increment count if within time window
        // TODO: Return 429 if limit exceeded
        // TODO: Add X-RateLimit-Remaining header
        // TODO: Call next handler if within limit
    }

    private function getClientIp(RequestInterface $request): string
    {
        // Get IP from X-Forwarded-For header or REMOTE_ADDR
        $serverParams = $request->getServerParams();
        return $serverParams['REMOTE_ADDR'] ?? '0.0.0.0';
    }
}

Validation: Make 101 requests quickly and verify 429 response on the 101st request.

Hint: Store request timestamps in an array keyed by IP address. Clean up old entries periodically.

Exercise 3: File Upload Handler ​

Goal: Create a secure file upload endpoint.

Create a file upload handler that:

  • Accepts only image files (JPEG, PNG, GIF)
  • Limits file size to 2MB
  • Generates secure random filenames
  • Stores files in uploads/ directory
  • Returns JSON response with file information

Starter Code:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;
use Psr\Http\Message\{RequestInterface, ResponseInterface};
use App\Http\ResponseBuilder;

class FileUploadController
{
    public function upload(RequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
    {
        // TODO: Get uploaded file from request
        // TODO: Validate file type (use finfo)
        // TODO: Validate file size
        // TODO: Generate secure filename
        // TODO: Move file to uploads directory
        // TODO: Return success response with file info
    }
}

Validation: Upload valid and invalid files and verify proper handling:

bash
# Valid upload
curl -X POST -F "file=@image.jpg" http://localhost:8000/upload

# Invalid upload (too large)
curl -X POST -F "file=@large-file.jpg" http://localhost:8000/upload
# Should return: {"error": "File too large"}

# Invalid upload (wrong type)
curl -X POST -F "file=@document.pdf" http://localhost:8000/upload
# Should return: {"error": "Invalid file type"}

Complete Example: HTTP Application ​

Let's combine everything into a complete HTTP application example:

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// public/index.php - Entry point
require_once __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';

use App\Http\{Application, RequestHandler};
use App\Http\Middleware\{CorsMiddleware, LoggingMiddleware, AuthMiddleware};
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\ServerRequest;

// Create application (uses default 404 handler)
$app = new Application();

// Add middleware
$app->add(new CorsMiddleware())
    ->add(new LoggingMiddleware())
    ->add(new AuthMiddleware());

// Create request from superglobals
$request = ServerRequest::fromGlobals();

// Run application
$response = $app->run($request);

// Send response
http_response_code($response->getStatusCode());
foreach ($response->getHeaders() as $name => $values) {
    foreach ($values as $value) {
        header("$name: $value", false);
    }
}
echo $response->getBody();

This example demonstrates:

  • ✅ Using PSR-7 for request/response handling
  • ✅ Middleware stack for cross-cutting concerns
  • ✅ Proper header management
  • ✅ Complete request lifecycle

HTTP Status Codes Reference ​

Here's a comprehensive reference for HTTP status codes commonly used in PHP applications:

Success Codes (2xx) ​

CodeConstantMeaningUse Case
200200OKStandard successful response
201201CreatedResource created successfully
202202AcceptedRequest accepted for async processing
204204No ContentSuccess with no response body
206206Partial ContentRange request response

Redirection Codes (3xx) ​

CodeConstantMeaningUse Case
301301Moved PermanentlyPermanent URL redirect
302302FoundTemporary redirect
304304Not ModifiedCached content is valid

Client Error Codes (4xx) ​

CodeConstantMeaningUse Case
400400Bad RequestInvalid request syntax
401401UnauthorizedAuthentication required
403403ForbiddenAuthenticated but not authorized
404404Not FoundResource doesn't exist
405405Method Not AllowedHTTP method not supported
409409ConflictResource conflict (e.g., duplicate)
413413Payload Too LargeRequest body too large
415415Unsupported Media TypeContent-Type not supported
422422Unprocessable EntityValidation failed
429429Too Many RequestsRate limit exceeded

Server Error Codes (5xx) ​

CodeConstantMeaningUse Case
500500Internal Server ErrorGeneric server error
501501Not ImplementedFeature not implemented
503503Service UnavailableTemporarily unavailable

Using Status Codes in PHP ​

php
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

// Using header() function
http_response_code(404);
header('Location: /new-url', true, 301);

// Using PSR-7
use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Response;

$response = new Response(201, ['Location' => '/api/users/123'], '');
$response = new Response(404, [], 'Not Found');
$response = new Response(204); // No Content

// Common status code constants
class HttpStatus
{
    public const OK = 200;
    public const CREATED = 201;
    public const NO_CONTENT = 204;
    public const MOVED_PERMANENTLY = 301;
    public const FOUND = 302;
    public const NOT_MODIFIED = 304;
    public const BAD_REQUEST = 400;
    public const UNAUTHORIZED = 401;
    public const FORBIDDEN = 403;
    public const NOT_FOUND = 404;
    public const METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED = 405;
    public const CONFLICT = 409;
    public const PAYLOAD_TOO_LARGE = 413;
    public const UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY = 422;
    public const TOO_MANY_REQUESTS = 429;
    public const INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR = 500;
    public const SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE = 503;
}

Wrap-up ​

In this chapter, you've learned:

✓ PHP superglobals ($_GET, $_POST, $_SERVER, $_COOKIE, $_FILES) and how they compare to Java's Servlet API

✓ PSR-7 interfaces for modern, object-oriented HTTP message handling

✓ Content negotiation for Accept headers, content types, and languages

✓ Request body parsing for JSON, XML, form-urlencoded, and multipart data

✓ Header management using both header() function and PSR-7 methods

✓ Cookie handling with security best practices (secure, httponly, samesite)

✓ CORS preflight requests and OPTIONS method handling

✓ Caching headers (ETag, Last-Modified, Cache-Control) for performance

✓ Content encoding (Gzip compression) to reduce bandwidth

✓ HTTP method override for PUT/DELETE via POST

✓ File upload processing with validation and security checks

✓ Range requests for partial content delivery

✓ Request size limits and validation

✓ Middleware patterns similar to Java servlet filters

✓ HTTP status codes comprehensive reference

✓ Security best practices for HTTP handling (validation, sanitization, CSRF protection)

Key Takeaways ​

  • Superglobals are convenient but require validation — Always use filter_input() or type checking
  • PSR-7 provides modern, testable HTTP handling — Use for new projects or when integrating with frameworks
  • Middleware enables cross-cutting concerns — Similar to Java filters, perfect for auth, logging, CORS
  • Security is critical — Never trust user input; always validate and sanitize
  • Choose the right tool — Use superglobals for simple scripts, PSR-7 for applications and frameworks

Comparison Summary: PHP vs Java ​

FeaturePHPJava
Request AccessSuperglobals ($_GET) or PSR-7HttpServletRequest
Response Handlingheader() function or PSR-7HttpServletResponse
MiddlewarePSR-15 middlewareServlet Filters
File Uploads$_FILES or PSR-7 UploadedFileInterfacePart interface
Cookiessetcookie() or PSR-7Cookie class
Headersheader() or PSR-7 methodssetHeader() / addHeader()
Content NegotiationManual implementationBuilt-in via @Produces annotation
CORSManual middlewareBuilt-in via @CrossOrigin annotation
CachingManual ETag/Last-ModifiedBuilt-in via @CacheControl annotation
CompressionManual gzip middlewareBuilt-in via server configuration
Range RequestsManual implementationBuilt-in via @Range annotation

Next Steps ​

In the next chapter, you'll learn about Sessions and Authentication, building on the HTTP concepts covered here. You'll implement session management, authentication strategies, and authorization patterns.

Further Reading ​