How to Ensure Reliable Large-Scale File Downloads in PHP?

Supplying Large-Scale Downloads with PHP Reliability

When sending sizable files to recipients through PHP scripts, the integrity of the transfer can be a concern. To address this, PHP provides methods such as http_send_file and http_send_data, but their effectiveness in specific scenarios remains uncertain.

A Superior Solution: Chunking Files

The most efficient and straightforward approach in PHP involves chunking the files. This process divides the file into smaller segments, ensuring a consistent and reliable download process. The following code exemplifies this method:

$chunksize = 5 * (1024 * 1024); //5 MB per chunk

$handle = fopen($filename, 'rb'); 

while (!feof($handle))
{ 
  print(@fread($handle, $chunksize));

  ob_flush();
  flush();
} 

fclose($handle); 

By segmenting the file, PHP avoids overloading the memory and enables a smoother transfer even for large files exceeding 2GB. However, it's crucial to ensure that the file is encoded in UTF-8 to prevent file corruption during download.

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