Cookies are small text files that are stored on a user’s computer when they visit certain websites. They are used to keep track of activities and preferences, such as logins, shopping cart items, website language preference, and more. Cookies are also used to remember user preferences from page to page.
The same concept applies to web cookies as it does for other edible versions; it’s a way of keeping track of information about a user — like their favorite type of cookie — without having to store the whole recipe in its entirety in the user’s browser. In web terms, the recipe is typically just an ID number or string that’s stored in the cookie and then linked back to a database on the server side.
Cookies can be compared to another form of data-collection known as “local storage” which is similar but distinct; it stores larger chunks of data on a user’s device rather than just an ID number or string like cookies do. Local storage has more room for data than cookies do, but still falls short when dealing with large amounts of data because most browsers limit its capacity significantly (typically around 5mb). Additionally while local storage is sent along with requests made by the browser it isn’t shared with servers like cookies are.
Overall cookies offer a simple yet effective way for websites to track user behavior over time and keep record of user preferences from page-to-page without taking up too much space on the users device or overwhelming them with constant requests for input. Additionally this approach ensures that users remain anonymous as there is no personally identifiable information ever stored in the cookie itself – only an ID code which links back to a database on the server side and helps personalize content for individual users.
