How Can I Use `file_get_contents()` to POST Data in PHP?

Posting Data Using File_get_contents() in PHP

In PHP, the file_get_contents() function is commonly used to retrieve the contents of a URL. However, for situations where posting data to a URL is necessary, such as logging into a page, the standard usage of file_get_contents() may not suffice.

Using Stream Context for HTTP POST Requests

The solution lies in utilizing stream context with the file_get_contents() function. By configuring the stream context with the appropriate HTTP options, we can specify data to be posted to the URL.

$postdata = http_build_query(
    array(
        'var1' => 'some content',
        'var2' => 'doh'
    )
);

$opts = array('http' =>
    array(
        'method'  => 'POST',
        'header'  => 'Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
        'content' => $postdata
    )
);

$context  = stream_context_create($opts);

$result = file_get_contents('http://example.com/submit.php', false, $context);

In this example:

• We construct the POST data using http_build_query().
• We define the stream options, including the HTTP method ('POST'), headers ('Content-Type'), and data ('content').
• We create the stream context using stream_context_create().
• Finally, we send the POST request and store the result in the $result variable.

Advantages of Using Streams

While other methods like curl exist for handling HTTP POST requests, using streams with file_get_contents() offers certain advantages:

• It's a simple approach with straightforward configuration.
• Streams provide a versatile way to handle HTTP requests and manipulate various stream protocols.
• It allows for easy integration with PHP's built-in functions like file_get_contents().

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