Should I Use `exit()` or `return` After a PHP `header()` Redirect?

Handling Script Termination after Header Redirection

In PHP, the header() function is used to send HTTP headers to the client. When used for redirection, a common question arises: should you call exit() or return after calling header()?

Consider the following scenario:

<?php
$urlFailToGoTo = '/formerror.php';

if (sth) {
    header(sprintf("Location: %s", $urlFailToGoTo));
    exit(); // Should I call exit() here?
}
?>

After sending the redirect header, the script execution continues unless explicitly terminated. To ensure immediate redirection, it is recommended to call exit() after header(). This prevents the execution of any последующий code that could potentially interfere with the redirect.

Why exit() is Preferable

While both exit() and return can terminate script execution, exit() has a few advantages:

• Immediate Termination: exit() instantly stops script execution, regardless of the current script context (such as being inside a function or loop).
• Clear Code Intent: Using exit() explicitly signifies the intent to terminate script execution after redirection.
• Avoids Unexpected Behavior: Continuing script execution after header() could lead to unintended outputs or errors.

Therefore, the best practice is to call exit() immediately after calling header() to ensure a clean and immediate redirection.

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