Cookies

An HTTP cookie (web cookie, browser cookie) is a small piece of data that a server sends to the user’s web browser. The browser may store it and send it back with later requests to the same server. Typically, it’s used to tell if two requests came from the same browser - keeping a user logged-in, for example. It remembers stateful information for the stateless HTTP protocol.

Cookies are mainly used for three purposes:

• Session management: Logins, shopping carts, game scores, or anything else the server should remember

• Personalization: User preferences, themes, and other settings

• Tracking: Recording and analyzing user behavior

To help you efficiently use cookies across browsers with your request and response, CodeIgniter provides the CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie class to abstract the cookie interaction.

Creating Cookies

There are currently four (4) ways to create a new Cookie value object.

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use DateTime;

// Using the constructor
$cookie = new Cookie(
    'remember_token',
    'f699c7fd18a8e082d0228932f3acd40e1ef5ef92efcedda32842a211d62f0aa6',
    [
        'expires'  => new DateTime('+2 hours'),
        'prefix'   => '__Secure-',
        'path'     => '/',
        'domain'   => '',
        'secure'   => true,
        'httponly' => true,
        'raw'      => false,
        'samesite' => Cookie::SAMESITE_LAX,
    ]
);

// Supplying a Set-Cookie header string
$cookie = Cookie::fromHeaderString(
    'remember_token=f699c7fd18a8e082d0228932f3acd40e1ef5ef92efcedda32842a211d62f0aa6; Path=/; Secure; HttpOnly; SameSite=Lax',
    false, // raw
);

// Using the fluent builder interface
$cookie = (new Cookie('remember_token'))
    ->withValue('f699c7fd18a8e082d0228932f3acd40e1ef5ef92efcedda32842a211d62f0aa6')
    ->withPrefix('__Secure-')
    ->withExpires(new DateTime('+2 hours'))
    ->withPath('/')
    ->withDomain('')
    ->withSecure(true)
    ->withHTTPOnly(true)
    ->withSameSite(Cookie::SAMESITE_LAX);

// Using the global function `cookie` which implicitly calls `new Cookie()`
$cookie = cookie('remember_token', 'f699c7fd18a8e082d0228932f3acd40e1ef5ef92efcedda32842a211d62f0aa6');

When constructing the Cookie object, only the name attribute is required. All other else are optional. If the optional attributes are not modified, their values will be filled up by the default values saved in the Cookie class. To override the defaults currently stored in the class, you can pass a Config\Cookie instance or an array of defaults to the static Cookie::setDefaults() method.

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use Config\Cookie as CookieConfig;

// pass in a Config\Cookie instance before constructing a Cookie class
Cookie::setDefaults(new CookieConfig());
$cookie = new Cookie('login_token');

// pass in an array of defaults
$myDefaults = [
    'expires'  => 0,
    'samesite' => Cookie::SAMESITE_STRICT,
];
Cookie::setDefaults($myDefaults);
$cookie = new Cookie('login_token');

Passing the Config\Cookie instance or an array to Cookie::setDefaults() will effectively overwrite your defaults and will persist until new defaults are passed. If you do not want this behavior but only want to change defaults for a limited time, you can take advantage of Cookie::setDefaults() return which returns the old defaults array.

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use Config\Cookie as CookieConfig;

$oldDefaults = Cookie::setDefaults(new CookieConfig());
$cookie      = new Cookie('my_token', 'muffins');

// return the old defaults
Cookie::setDefaults($oldDefaults);

Accessing Cookie’s Attributes

Once instantiated, you can easily access a Cookie’s attribute by using one of its getter methods.

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use DateTime;
use DateTimeZone;

$cookie = new Cookie(
    'remember_token',
    'f699c7fd18a8e082d0228932f3acd40e1ef5ef92efcedda32842a211d62f0aa6',
    [
        'expires'  => new DateTime('2025-02-14 00:00:00', new DateTimeZone('UTC')),
        'prefix'   => '__Secure-',
        'path'     => '/',
        'domain'   => '',
        'secure'   => true,
        'httponly' => true,
        'raw'      => false,
        'samesite' => Cookie::SAMESITE_LAX,
    ]
);

$cookie->getName(); // 'remember_token'
$cookie->getPrefix(); // '__Secure-'
$cookie->getPrefixedName(); // '__Secure-remember_token'
$cookie->getExpiresTimestamp(); // Unix timestamp
$cookie->getExpiresString(); // 'Fri, 14-Feb-2025 00:00:00 GMT'
$cookie->isExpired(); // false
$cookie->getMaxAge(); // the difference from time() to expires
$cookie->isRaw(); // false
$cookie->isSecure(); // true
$cookie->getPath(); // '/'
$cookie->getDomain(); // ''
$cookie->isHTTPOnly(); // true
$cookie->getSameSite(); // 'Lax'

// additional getter
$cookie->getId(); // '__Secure-remember_token;;/'

// when using `setcookie()`'s alternative signature on PHP 7.3+
// you can easily use the `getOptions()` method to supply the
// $options parameter
$cookie->getOptions();

Immutable Cookies

A new Cookie instance is an immutable value object representation of an HTTP cookie. Being immutable, modifying any of the instance’s attributes will not affect the original instance. The modification always returns a new instance. You need to retain this new instance in order to use it.

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;

$cookie = new Cookie('login_token', 'admin');
$cookie->getName(); // 'login_token'

$cookie->withName('remember_token');
$cookie->getName(); // 'login_token'

$new = $cookie->withName('remember_token');
$new->getName(); // 'remember_token'

Validating a Cookie’s Attributes

An HTTP cookie is regulated by several specifications that need to be followed in order to be accepted by browsers. Thus, when creating or modifying certain attributes of the Cookie, these are validated in order to check if these follow the specifications.

A CookieException is thrown if violations were reported.

Validating the Name Attribute

A cookie name can be any US-ASCII character, except for the following:

• control characters;

• spaces or tabs;

• separator characters, such as ( ) < > @ , ; : \ " / [ ] ? = { }

If setting the $raw parameter to true this validation will be strictly made. This is because PHP’s setcookie and setrawcookie will reject cookies with invalid names. Additionally, cookie names cannot be an empty string.

Validating the Prefix Attribute

When using the __Secure- prefix, cookies must be set with the $secure flag set to true. If using the __Host- prefix, cookies must exhibit the following:

• $secure flag set to true

• $domain is empty

• $path must be /

Validating the SameSite Attribute

The SameSite attribute only accepts three (3) values:

• Lax: Cookies are not sent on normal cross-site subrequests (for example to load images or frames into a third party site), but are sent when a user is navigating to the origin site (i.e. when following a link).

• Strict: Cookies will only be sent in a first-party context and not be sent along with requests initiated by third party websites.

• None: Cookies will be sent in all contexts, i.e. in responses to both first-party and cross-origin requests.

CodeIgniter, however, allows you to set the SameSite attribute to an empty string. When an empty string is provided, the default SameSite setting saved in the Cookie class is used. You can change the default SameSite by using the Cookie::setDefaults() as discussed above.

Recent cookie specifications have changed such that modern browsers are being required to give a default SameSite if nothing was provided. This default is Lax. If you have set the SameSite to be an empty string and your default SameSite is also an empty string, your cookie will be given the Lax value.

If the SameSite is set to None you need to make sure that Secure is also set to true.

When writing the SameSite attribute, the Cookie class accepts any of the values case-insensitively. You can also take advantage of the class’s constants to make it not a hassle.

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;

Cookie::SAMESITE_LAX; // 'lax'
Cookie::SAMESITE_STRICT; // 'strict'
Cookie::SAMESITE_NONE; // 'none'

Using the Cookie Store

The CookieStore class represents an immutable collection of Cookie objects. The CookieStore instance can be accessed from the current Response object.

<?php

use Config\Services;

$cookieStore = Services::response()->getCookieStore();

CodeIgniter provides three (3) other ways to create a new instance of the CookieStore.

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use CodeIgniter\Cookie\CookieStore;

// Passing an array of `Cookie` objects in the constructor
$store = new CookieStore([
    new Cookie('login_token'),
    new Cookie('remember_token'),
]);

// Passing an array of `Set-Cookie` header strings
$store = CookieStore::fromCookieHeaders([
    'remember_token=me; Path=/; SameSite=Lax',
    'login_token=admin; Path=/; SameSite=Lax',
]);

// using the global `cookies` function
$store = cookies([new Cookie('login_token')], false);

// retrieving the `CookieStore` instance saved in our current `Response` object
$store = cookies();

Note

When using the global cookies() function, the passed Cookie array will only be considered if the second argument, $getGlobal, is set to false.

Checking Cookies in Store

To check whether a Cookie object exists in the CookieStore instance, you can use several ways:

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use CodeIgniter\Cookie\CookieStore;
use Config\Services;

// check if cookie is in the current cookie collection
$store = new CookieStore([
    new Cookie('login_token'),
    new Cookie('remember_token'),
]);
$store->has('login_token');

// check if cookie is in the current Response's cookie collection
cookies()->has('login_token');
Services::response()->hasCookie('remember_token');

// using the cookie helper to check the current Response
// not available to v4.1.1 and lower
helper('cookie');
has_cookie('login_token');

Getting Cookies in Store

Retrieving a Cookie instance in a cookie collection is very easy:

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use CodeIgniter\Cookie\CookieStore;
use Config\Services;

// getting cookie in the current cookie collection
$store = new CookieStore([
    new Cookie('login_token'),
    new Cookie('remember_token'),
]);
$store->get('login_token');

// getting cookie in the current Response's cookie collection
cookies()->get('login_token');
Services::response()->getCookie('remember_token');

// using the cookie helper to get cookie from the Response's cookie collection
helper('cookie');
get_cookie('remember_token');

When getting a Cookie instance directly from a CookieStore, an invalid name will throw a CookieException.

<?php

// throws CookieException
$store->get('unknown_cookie');

When getting a Cookie instance from the current Response’s cookie collection, an invalid name will just return null.

<?php

cookies()->get('unknown_cookie'); // null

If no arguments are supplied in when getting cookies from the Response, all Cookie objects in store will be displayed.

<?php

cookies()->get(); // array of Cookie objects

// alternatively, you can use the display method
cookies()->display();

// or even from the Response
Services::response()->getCookies();

Note

The helper function get_cookie() gets the cookie from the current Request object, not from Response. This function checks the $_COOKIE array if that cookie is set and fetches it right away.

Adding/Removing Cookies in Store

As previously mentioned, CookieStore objects are immutable. You need to save the modified instance in order to work on it. The original instance is left unchanged.

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use CodeIgniter\Cookie\CookieStore;
use Config\Services;

$store = new CookieStore([
    new Cookie('login_token'),
    new Cookie('remember_token'),
]);

// adding a new Cookie instance
$new = $store->put(new Cookie('admin_token', 'yes'));

// removing a Cookie instance
$new = $store->remove('login_token');

Note

Removing a cookie from the store DOES NOT delete it from the browser. If you intend to delete a cookie from the browser, you must put an empty value cookie with the same name to the store.

When interacting with the cookies in store in the current Response object, you can safely add or delete cookies without worrying the immutable nature of the cookie collection. The Response object will replace the instance with the modified instance.

<?php

use Config\Services;

Services::response()->setCookie('admin_token', 'yes');
Services::response()->deleteCookie('login_token');

// using the cookie helper
helper('cookie');
set_cookie('admin_token', 'yes');
delete_cookie('login_token');

Dispatching Cookies in Store

More often than not, you do not need to concern yourself in manually sending cookies. CodeIgniter will do this for you. However, if you really need to manually send cookies, you can use the dispatch method. Just like in sending other headers, you need to make sure the headers are not yet sent by checking the value of headers_sent().

<?php

use CodeIgniter\Cookie\Cookie;
use CodeIgniter\Cookie\CookieStore;

$store = new CookieStore([
    new Cookie('login_token'),
    new Cookie('remember_token'),
]);

$store->dispatch(); // After dispatch, the collection is now empty.

Cookie Personalization

Sane defaults are already in place inside the Cookie class to ensure the smooth creation of cookie objects. However, you may wish to define your own settings by changing the following settings in the Config\Cookie class in app/Config/Cookie.php file.

Setting	Options/ Types	Default	Description
$prefix	string	''	Prefix to prepend to the cookie name.
$expires	DateTimeInterface|string|int	0	The expires timestamp.
$path	string	/	The path property of the cookie.
$domain	string	''	The domain property of the cookie.with trailing slash.
$secure	true/false	false	If to be sent over secure HTTPS.
$httponly	true/false	true	If not accessible to JavaScript.
$samesite	Lax|None|Strict|lax|none|strict''	Lax	The SameSite attribute.
$raw	true/false	false	If to be dispatched using setrawcookie().

In runtime, you can manually supply a new default using the Cookie::setDefaults() method.

Class Reference

CodeIgniter\\HTTP\\Cookie\\Cookie

static setDefaults([$config = []])

Parameters

• $config (ConfigCookie|array) – The configuration array or instance

Return type

array

Returns

The old defaults

Set the default attributes to a Cookie instance by injecting the values from the \Config\Cookie config or an array.

static fromHeaderString(string $header[, bool $raw = false])

Parameters

• $header (string) – The Set-Cookie header string

• $raw (bool) – Whether this cookie is not to be URL encoded and sent via setrawcookie()

Return type

Cookie

Returns

Cookie instance

Throws

CookieException

Create a new Cookie instance from a Set-Cookie header.

__construct(string $name[, string $value = ''[, array $options = []]])

Parameters

• $name (string) – The cookie name

• $value (string) – The cookie value

• $options (array) – The cookie options

Return type

Cookie

Returns

Cookie instance

Throws

CookieException

Construct a new Cookie instance.

getId()

Return type

string

Returns

The ID used in indexing in the cookie collection.

getPrefix(): string

getName(): string

getPrefixedName(): string

getValue(): string

getExpiresTimestamp(): int

getExpiresString(): string

isExpired(): bool

getMaxAge(): int

getDomain(): string

getPath(): string

isSecure(): bool

isHTTPOnly(): bool

getSameSite(): string

isRaw(): bool

getOptions(): array

withRaw([bool $raw = true])

Parameters

• $raw (bool) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with URL encoding option updated.

withPrefix([string $prefix = ''])

Parameters

• $prefix (string) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new prefix.

withName(string $name)

Parameters

• $name (string) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new name.

withValue(string $value)

Parameters

• $value (string) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new value.

withExpires($expires)

Parameters

• $expires (DateTimeInterface|string|int) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new cookie expires time.

withExpired()

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie that will expire from the browser.

withNeverExpiring()

Parameters

• $name (string) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie that will virtually never expire.

withDomain(?string $domain)

Parameters

• $domain (string|null) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new domain.

withPath(?string $path)

Parameters

• $path (string|null) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new path.

withSecure([bool $secure = true])

Parameters

• $secure (bool) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new “Secure” attribute.

withHTTPOnly([bool $httponly = true])

Parameters

• $httponly (bool) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new “HttpOnly” attribute.

withSameSite(string $samesite)

Parameters

• $samesite (string) –

Return type

Cookie

Returns

new Cookie instance

Creates a new Cookie with new “SameSite” attribute.

toHeaderString()

Return type

string

Returns

Returns the string representation that can be passed as a header string.

toArray()

Return type

array

Returns

Returns the array representation of the Cookie instance.

CodeIgniter\\HTTP\\Cookie\\CookieStore

static fromCookieHeaders(array $headers[, bool $raw = false])

Parameters

• $header (array) – Array of Set-Cookie headers

• $raw (bool) – Whether not to use URL encoding

Return type

CookieStore

Returns

CookieStore instance

Throws

CookieException

Creates a CookieStore from an array of Set-Cookie headers.

__construct(array $cookies)

Parameters

• $cookies (array) – Array of Cookie objects

Return type

CookieStore

Returns

CookieStore instance

Throws

CookieException

has(string $name[, string $prefix = ''[, ?string $value = null]]): bool

Parameters

• $name (string) – Cookie name

• $prefix (string) – Cookie prefix

• $value (string|null) – Cookie value

Return type

bool

Returns

Checks if a Cookie object identified by name and prefix is present in the collection.

get(string $name[, string $prefix = '']): Cookie

Parameters

• $name (string) – Cookie name

• $prefix (string) – Cookie prefix

Return type

Cookie

Returns

Retrieves an instance of Cookie identified by a name and prefix.

Throws

CookieException

put(Cookie $cookie): CookieStore

Parameters

• $cookie (Cookie) – A Cookie object

Return type

CookieStore

Returns

new CookieStore instance

Store a new cookie and return a new collection. The original collection is left unchanged.

remove(string $name[, string $prefix = '']): CookieStore

Parameters

• $name (string) – Cookie name

• $prefix (string) – Cookie prefix

Return type

CookieStore

Returns

new CookieStore instance

Removes a cookie from a collection and returns an updated collection. The original collection is left unchanged.

dispatch(): void

Return type

void

Dispatches all cookies in store.

display(): array

Return type

array

Returns

Returns all cookie instances in store.

clear(): void

Return type

void

Clears the cookie collection.