What is the main purpose of session management in web applications?

The main purpose of session management in web applications is to control user sessions and prevent unauthorized access during user interactions. This process is crucial for maintaining the security and integrity of the application, as it allows the system to keep track of individual user sessions and their states.

Session management involves creating, maintaining, and terminating user sessions, which typically includes actions like authenticating users, issuing session tokens or cookies, and tracking user activity throughout their visit. By effectively managing sessions, a web application can ensure that only authenticated users have access to particular resources and functionalities, thus safeguarding sensitive information and preventing unauthorized access.

In contrast, while generating user activity reports, improving database interactions, and optimizing loading times might be valuable for web applications, they do not encapsulate the primary security-focused intent of session management. The crux of effective session management lies in its ability to manage user interactions securely and monitor their access to ensure that the application remains safe from unauthorized users.