# Cookies
[**Cookies**](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-a-cookie) are small files downloaded by web browsers onto a user's computer. One of the ways to create cookies is to use PHP.

# Creating a Cookie
PHP has a function called, `setcookie(name, value, expiry, path, domain, security)`. **`name`** is the name of the cookie, **`value`** is the value stored in the cookie, **`expire`** is the timestamp after which the cookie cannot be accessed, **`path`** sets the path on the server for which the cookie is available, **`domain`** specifies which website can use the cookie, and **`security`** sets whether  or not the cookie requires [**HTTPS**](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-https) connections to be used.

<?php 
setcookie("Accessed_Shot", "How to Create Cookies in PHP", time() + 7 * 24 * 60 * 60);
?>

This example script sets a cookie called `Accessed_Shot` to store the value, *How to Create a Cookie in PHP*. The `time()` function returns the current time; so, the resulting calculation in the function call returns the time seven days from when the cookie was set. This means that the cookie has an expiration date of seven days from when it is set.

<?php
// Checking whether cookie has been set
if(isset($_COOKIE["Accessed_Shot"])){
    // Using cookie data
    echo "Previously viewed shot: " . $_COOKIE["Accessed_Shot"];
} else{
    // Cookie not set
    echo "No previously viewed shot";
}
?>

This example demonstrates how a cookie is accessed. The `$_COOKIE[]` variable is a superglobal in PHP used to access cookies. As an associative array, the name (`Accessed_Shot`, in this example) of the cookie is used in square brackets to access the value. The `isset()` function checks if the cookie being accessed has been set. Once the presence of the cookie has been established, the program can act accordingly inside the if or else statements.

This example demonstrates how a cookie is accessed. The `＄_COOKIE[]` variable is a superglobal in PHP used to access cookies. As an associative array, the name (`Accessed_Shot`, in this example) of the cookie is used in square brackets to access the value. The `isset()` function checks if the cookie being accessed has been set. Once the presence of the cookie has been established, the program can act accordingly inside the if or else statements.

How to create cookies in PHP

PHP's setcookie() function creates cookies which store data like the name, value, expiration, path, domain, and security settings. Cookies are accessed using $_COOKIE[].