What is output buffering in PHP , why should we use it ?

[dinesh1440]

What is the advantage of using output buffering? Why do we need to hold the output from printing in the browser?
Thank you.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Headers can't be sent if anything has been output to the browser, using output buffering allows you to get around this. Your output goes to the buffer and you can send your headers even after something has been printed.

[Markus]

Once output has been sent to the browser, no more headers can be sent. This is sometimes a problem. So, with output-buffering, you can defer the output into a buffer until such time that you deem it OK to send to the browser.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

That's what I said, if my answer was right you could have just agreed with it.

[Markus]

Sorry, HaLo. I had opened this thread before you replied, but then got distracted. By the time I'd posted my reply, you'd already done so, too, though I wasn't aware.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Ah, my apologies, I didn't mean to sound like a jerk, just thought you were trying to steal mah thunda ;)