How to Implement Page Return Function in PHP | Complete Code Example

How to Implement Page Return Function in PHP

In web development, page return functionality is a common need, especially when users need to quickly navigate back to the previous page. By using PHP's header function in combination with JavaScript, we can easily implement this feature and improve the user experience.

Using the header Function to Implement Page Return

The header function in PHP is used to send HTTP headers, and we can leverage it to perform page redirection. Here's how to do it:

Implementation Steps:

First, add the following code in the PHP page where you want to implement the page return feature:

<?php
// Get the URL of the previous page
$referer = $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'];

// Check if referer is empty, if so, redirect to homepage, otherwise return to the previous page
if (empty($referer)) {
    header('Location: index.php');
} else {
    header('Location: ' . $referer);
}
?>

Next, in the HTML part where you want to place the return button, add the following code:

<input type="button" value="Return" onclick="goBack()">

Then, include the following JavaScript code in your HTML file:

<script>
function goBack() {
    window.history.back();
}
</script>

Example Demonstration

Assume we have two pages, index.php and page1.php. In page1.php, add the PHP code mentioned above and place the return button's HTML code where appropriate. When a user clicks a link from index.php to page1.php, clicking the return button will automatically bring them back to index.php.

Conclusion

Through this article's code examples, you can see how to implement a page return function in PHP by combining the header function with JavaScript. This approach is simple and effective, and it helps to enhance user experience, especially in web applications, providing users with a smoother navigation experience.

We hope the content of this article has been helpful to you!