$_REQUEST behavior in PHP - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Understanding $_REQUEST Behavior in PHP

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple PHP script that collects user input from different sources: URL parameters, form data sent via POST, and cookies. You want to understand how PHP's $_REQUEST superglobal works by combining these inputs.

🎯 Goal: Create a PHP script that sets up sample $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE data, then uses $_REQUEST to access all these values together. Finally, display the combined results.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create arrays for $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE with exact keys and values

Create a variable request_order that defines the order of $_REQUEST variables

Use $_REQUEST to combine all inputs according to request_order

Print the combined $_REQUEST array

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Web developers often need to handle user input from multiple sources like URL parameters, form submissions, and cookies. Understanding $_REQUEST helps manage these inputs safely and predictably.

💼 Career

Knowing how to work with PHP superglobals like $_REQUEST is essential for backend web development, especially when building forms, handling sessions, and processing user data.

1

Setup $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE arrays

Create the PHP arrays $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE with these exact entries:
$_GET = ['color' => 'red', 'size' => 'large'];
$_POST = ['color' => 'blue', 'shape' => 'circle'];
$_COOKIE = ['size' => 'medium', 'texture' => 'smooth'];

PHP

<?php

// Create the $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE arrays with exact entries
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use PHP array syntax to assign the exact keys and values to $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE.

2

Define request_order variable

Create a variable called request_order and set it to the string 'GP' to specify that $_REQUEST should prioritize $_GET then $_POST variables.

PHP

 'red', 'size' => 'large'];
$_POST = ['color' => 'blue', 'shape' => 'circle'];
$_COOKIE = ['size' => 'medium', 'texture' => 'smooth'];

// Create the variable $request_order with value 'GP'
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Assign the string 'GP' to the variable $request_order.

3

Combine arrays into $_REQUEST according to request_order

Create the $_REQUEST array by combining $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE according to the order in $request_order. Use array_merge in the order of $_GET then $_POST then $_COOKIE.

PHP

 'red', 'size' => 'large'];
$_POST = ['color' => 'blue', 'shape' => 'circle'];
$_COOKIE = ['size' => 'medium', 'texture' => 'smooth'];

$request_order = 'GP';

// Combine $_GET, $_POST, and $_COOKIE into $_REQUEST according to $request_order
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use array_merge($_COOKIE, $_POST, $_GET) to combine the arrays in the order specified by $request_order.

4

Print the combined $_REQUEST array

Use print_r to display the contents of the $_REQUEST array.

PHP

 'red', 'size' => 'large'];
$_POST = ['color' => 'blue', 'shape' => 'circle'];
$_COOKIE = ['size' => 'medium', 'texture' => 'smooth'];

$request_order = 'GP';

$_REQUEST = array_merge($_COOKIE, $_POST, $_GET);

// Print the $_REQUEST array
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use print_r($_REQUEST); to show the combined array.