All 7 File Upload Handling questions
More in File Upload Handling
How does PHP handle file uploads submitted through an HTML form, and what information does the $_FILES superglobal provide? How should you validate an uploaded file's type and size before accepting it, and why is checking only the file extension considered insufficient for security? How do you handle multiple file uploads submitted from a single form field, and what does the resulting $_FILES array structure look like? How should uploaded file names be sanitized and randomized to avoid security risks and naming conflicts when storing files on the server? What security risks arise from allowing file uploads into a publicly accessible directory, and how do you prevent uploaded files from being executed as scripts? How should a large scale application design its file upload architecture to handle high volumes of uploads reliably, including virus scanning and offloading storage to a dedicated service?
Advertisement
PHP › File Upload Handling

How do you move an uploaded file from its temporary location to a permanent storage location using move_uploaded_file?

Beginner

Answer

The move_uploaded_file function safely moves a file that was uploaded through an HTTP POST request from its temporary server location to a permanent destination you specify, and it specifically verifies that the file was genuinely uploaded through PHP's upload mechanism rather than being an arbitrary file path, providing an important security check compared to using a generic file move function for this specific purpose.
$destination = 'uploads/' . basename($_FILES['document']['name']);
if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['document']['tmp_name'], $destination)) {
    echo 'Upload successful';
}
Real-world example A file upload handler moves a successfully validated upload from its temporary location into a permanent uploads folder using move_uploaded_file, taking advantage of its built in verification that the file genuinely came from a legitimate upload.

Common follow-ups: Why is move_uploaded_file preferred over a generic rename or copy function for this purpose?;What happens if move_uploaded_file fails, such as due to a permissions issue on the destination folder?

Security;File Handling & File System Functions
All 7 File Upload Handling questions