Question

In Codeigniter and other PHP applications, what’s generally considered the more efficient practice:

1.) Submitting a form to the same function using a hidden ‘submitted’ input:

public function standard_form()
{
   if($this->input->post('submitted'))
   {
      // Process data
   }
   else
   {
      // Render form view
   }
}

2.) Submitting a form to a different function as follows:

public function standard_form()
{
    // Render form view
}

public function standard_form_process()
{
    // Process data
}

I know some people will frown upon the ‘subjective’ nature of this question, but I want to know any strategic (i.e. relatively objective) benefits of using one instead of the other.

Answer 1

You use the same one so if it fails validation, and you reload the page, it’s the same URL, same bookmark, etc.