How to Force File Downloads in PHP Without Redirecting to the Browser?

Generating Download Links in PHP

Introduction

Providing users with the ability to download files is a common feature in web applications. This article will guide you through creating download links for images and preventing navigation to the browser.

Solution

To force a file download, you can utilize the following code:

<code class="php"><?php
    // File path on disk
    $filePath = '/path/to/file/on/disk.jpg';

    // Check if file exists
    if(file_exists($filePath)) {
        $fileName = basename($filePath);
        $fileSize = filesize($filePath);

        // Output headers
        header("Cache-Control: private");
        header("Content-Type: application/stream");
        header("Content-Length: ".$fileSize);
        header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".$fileName);
        
        // Output file
        readfile ($filePath);
        exit();
    } else {
        die('Invalid file path');
    }
?></code>

By using this code snippet at the beginning of a PHP page, users will be able to download a file by clicking a normal link.

Security Considerations

When creating a function for downloading arbitrary files, it's crucial to safeguard against malicious input. Employ measures such as realpath to prevent directory traversal and restrict downloads to predetermined locations to maintain website security.

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