tadasajon

tadasajon

Here are the docs for Plug.Conn.get_session: Plug.Conn.html#get_session/1

And here is the key line from the docs:

Returns the whole session.

And here are the docs for Plug.Conn.fetch_session: Plug.Conn.html#fetch_session/2

And here is the key line:

Fetches the session from the session store. Will also fetch cookies.

Can anyone explain to me why there are two functions that appear to do almost the same thing? Why would I use one vs the other? What is the session store – why doesn’t get_session also get the session from the “session store”? Or does it?

Also, in a nutshell, what is the difference between a connection and a session? It seems to me like I should just be able to do something like conn.session – in fact, I don’t understand why there is something called a session if I already have a connection – why can’t any information stored in the session just be stored in the connection instead?

I don’t understand why there need to be these backflips between connections and sessions.

Showing Posts 1 to 5

LostKobrakai

LostKobrakai

Session store is the place the session data is stored in between separate http requests. This by default is a cookie, but could also be some server-side database.

fetch_session does retrieve the session data from the session store to put it onto the conn of your current web request.

get_session is the API to fetch session values from the set present on conn while handling a request

After you’re done handling a certain http request the session data on conn is put back into the session storage for persistance until the next http request.

tadasajon

tadasajon OP

Thanks! Maybe I’ll submit a PR to the Plug.Conn docs to make it clear that fetch_session does not return the session but rather returns the connection.

hauleth

hauleth

Well, it says exactly that in “Specs” section of the documentation of that function.

tadasajon

tadasajon OP

Yes, but not everyone reads specs fluently – a lot of people prefer plain English. So rather than sending people off to do a tutorial on how to read specs, it is better just to be clear, in my opinion.

derek-zhou

derek-zhou

The fact that fetch_session/2 is sparsely documented is also in part due to the fact that it is a plug and not a function you normally call yourself.

— All posts loaded —

Where Next? Top

Trending in Questions Top

stjefim
Hello! Suppose you are building workflow (order / task / payment) processing system with the following requirements: Each workflow con...
New
Blokh
Hey guys, I’ve got a huge CSV ( around 10 GB ) that needs to be processed hourly Do you guys have any suggestions what is the best prac...
New
kszambelanczyk
Hello! Could someone please give me a help/sample code, how to delete a file from s3 using waffle/waffle_ecto from Phoenix app. I creat...
New
Onor.io
I have what I’ve heard referred to as a “lookup table” in my database. This is a way of assigning codes to common values. One common lo...
New
jaybe78
Hello, I’m developing a online persistent chat system (what’s app) like using elixir/dynamodb/aws for a mobile app(flutter). The diffic...
New
Trolleger
What approach to take when sending live updates to “random” users Hi! I have a question, I have a little chat app, and when I create a DM...
New
widianto
I think I’ve found a small improvement I could contribute to <%= web_namespace %>.CoreComponents (installer/templates/phx_web/compo...
New

Other Trending Topics Top

garrison
Hobbes is a low-level distributed database for the Elixir programming language. Hobbes provides a simple, safe, and scalable storage lay...
New
mcass19
ExRatatui lets you cook up rich terminal UIs in Elixir, powered by Rust’s ratatui via Rustler NIFs. Build interactive terminal applicatio...
New
Damirados
Hello everyone. After busy few months I am happy to announce v0.1.0 of Emerge & Solve. They are GUI (Emerge) and State management (S...
New
netoum
Corex is an accessible, unstyled UI component library for Phoenix that integrates Zag.js state machines using Vanilla JavaScript and Live...
New
wintermeyer
There are three potential reasons for members of this forum to have a look at https://vutuv.de You are tired or annoyed of LinkedIn. Yo...
New
aseigo
ICal is a library for interacting with iCalendar data. It parses iCalendars into typed Elixir structs via ICal.from_ics, and can prepare ...
New

We're in Beta

About us Mission Statement

Options

Thread Display Mode




Thread Preview

Skip Thread Previews