prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = :username"); //looking in the database for "usernane" $result = $statement->execute(array('username' => $username)); $user = $statement->fetch(); if ($user !== false && password_verify($password, $user['password'])) { //if user exist & posted hash of password = saved password hash do the following: $_SESSION['userid'] = $user['id']; //adding some user infos in the session $_SESSION['email'] = $user['email']; $_SESSION['username'] = $user['username']; $_SESSION['givenName'] = $user['givenName']; $_SESSION['lastName'] = $user['lastName']; $_SESSION['activated'] = $user['activated']; $_SESSION['updated_at'] = $user['updated_at']; $_SESSION['isadmin'] = $user['isadmin']; die('