Full Stack Web Development Learnings

Taken from TutorialRepublic.

User Authentication Mechanism

The Registration System

This section will demonstrate how to build a registration system that allows users to create a new account.

Step 1: Creating the Database Table

First build a users table by executing the following SQL code:

CREATE TABLE users (
 id INT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
 username VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
 password VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
 created_at DATETIME DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

Step 2: Creating the Config File

Create this Object Orientated PHP include file that will be called when a connection to the MySQL database is required.

<?php /* Database credentials. Assuming you are running MySQL server with default setting (user 'root' with no password) */

define('DB_SERVER', 'localhost'); 

define('DB_USERNAME', 'root'); 

define('DB_PASSWORD', '');

 define('DB_NAME', 'demo'); 

/* Attempt to connect to MySQL database */

$mysqli = new mysqli(DB_SERVER, DB_USERNAME, DB_PASSWORD, DB_NAME);
 
// Check connection
if($mysqli === false){
die("ERROR: Could not connect. " . $mysqli->connect_error);
}
?>

Step 3: Creating the Registration Form

Create a new include file in the root called register.php to create new users and their password hash

<?php
// Include config file
require_once "config.php";
 
// Define variables and initialize with empty values
$username = $password = $confirm_password = "";
$username_err = $password_err = $confirm_password_err = "";
 
// Processing form data when form is submitted
if($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST"){
 
    // Validate username
    if(empty(trim($_POST["username"]))){
        $username_err = "Please enter a username.";
    } else{
        // Prepare a select statement
        $sql = "SELECT id FROM users WHERE username = ?";
        
        if($stmt = $mysqli->prepare($sql)){
            // Bind variables to the prepared statement as parameters
            $stmt->bind_param("s", $param_username);
            
            // Set parameters
            $param_username = trim($_POST["username"]);
            
            // Attempt to execute the prepared statement
            if($stmt->execute()){
                // store result
                $stmt->store_result();
                
                if($stmt->num_rows == 1){
                    $username_err = "This username is already taken.";
                } else{
                    $username = trim($_POST["username"]);
                }
            } else{
                echo "Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later.";
            }
        }
         
        // Close statement
        $stmt->close();
    }
    
    // Validate password
    if(empty(trim($_POST["password"]))){
        $password_err = "Please enter a password.";     
    } elseif(strlen(trim($_POST["password"])) < 6){
        $password_err = "Password must have atleast 6 characters.";
    } else{
        $password = trim($_POST["password"]);
    }
    
    // Validate confirm password
    if(empty(trim($_POST["confirm_password"]))){
        $confirm_password_err = "Please confirm password.";     
    } else{
        $confirm_password = trim($_POST["confirm_password"]);
        if(empty($password_err) && ($password != $confirm_password)){
            $confirm_password_err = "Password did not match.";
        }
    }
    
    // Check input errors before inserting in database
    if(empty($username_err) && empty($password_err) && empty($confirm_password_err)){
        
        // Prepare an insert statement
        $sql = "INSERT INTO users (username, password) VALUES (?, ?)";
         
        if($stmt = $mysqli->prepare($sql)){
            // Bind variables to the prepared statement as parameters
            $stmt->bind_param("ss", $param_username, $param_password);
            
            // Set parameters
            $param_username = $username;
            $param_password = password_hash($password, PASSWORD_DEFAULT); // Creates a password hash
            
            // Attempt to execute the prepared statement
            if($stmt->execute()){
                // Redirect to login page
                header("location: login.php");
            } else{
                echo "Something went wrong. Please try again later.";
            }
        }
         
        // Close statement
        $stmt->close();
    }
    
    // Close connection
    $mysqli->close();
}
?>
 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <title>Sign Up</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.7/css/bootstrap.css">
    <style type="text/css">
        body{ font: 14px sans-serif; }
        .wrapper{ width: 350px; padding: 20px; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="wrapper">
        <h2>Sign Up</h2>
        <p>Please fill this form to create an account.</p>
        <form action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]); ?>" method="post">
            <div class="form-group <?php echo (!empty($username_err)) ? 'has-error' : ''; ?>">
                <label>Username</label>
                <input type="text" name="username" class="form-control" value="<?php echo $username; ?>">
                <span class="help-block"><?php echo $username_err; ?></span>
            </div>    
            <div class="form-group <?php echo (!empty($password_err)) ? 'has-error' : ''; ?>">
                <label>Password</label>
                <input type="password" name="password" class="form-control" value="<?php echo $password; ?>">
                <span class="help-block"><?php echo $password_err; ?></span>
            </div>
            <div class="form-group <?php echo (!empty($confirm_password_err)) ? 'has-error' : ''; ?>">
                <label>Confirm Password</label>
                <input type="password" name="confirm_password" class="form-control" value="<?php echo $confirm_password; ?>">
                <span class="help-block"><?php echo $confirm_password_err; ?></span>
            </div>
            <div class="form-group">
                <input type="submit" class="btn btn-primary" value="Submit">
                <input type="reset" class="btn btn-default" value="Reset">
            </div>
            <p>Already have an account? <a href="login.php">Login here</a>.</p>
        </form>
    </div>    
</body>
</html>