How Browser Cookies Work
Most Internet users are familiar with the term “Cookie”
but only a few know what exactly it is and the purpose it serves. This
article will help you understand the working of different types of
browser cookies in a simple and easy to follow manner.
To begin with, a cookie (also known as browser cookie, Internet cookie, web cookieor HTTP cookie)
is a small piece of data that websites store on your hard disk in the
form of a text file. Cookies allow websites to store specific
information helpful to remember each visitor uniquely. A cookie is set
when the user visits a particular website for the first time.
Thereafter, each time the user loads the website the browser sends the
cookie back to the web server so that it can keep track of the user’s
previous activity.
Purpose of Browser Cookies:
The following are some of the common purposes served by cookies:
- Enable automatic user log-in thereby eliminating the need for a password input
- Enhance user experience by storing user preferences so that the site can look different for each visitor
- Keep track of items in the shopping cart
- Record user’s activity such as browsing history, click patterns, page visits and so on
Types of Browser Cookies:
Session Cookie
Since
web pages have no memories, a visitor navigating to a different page on
the same website is treated as an entirely new visitor. This is where session cookies come
in handy. It makes it possible for the website to keep track of the
user from page to page so that user specific information such as
shopping cart data, account details and other preferences are not lost
during navigation.
A
session cookie is stored in the temporary memory while the user is on
the website. If no expiry date is specified during its creation, session
cookies are normally deleted by the browsers upon closure.
Persistent Cookie
A persistent cookie facilitates
websites to track user settings and information when they visit the
same website in the future. Unlike most session cookies, a persistent
cookie does not get deleted upon browser closure. This makes it possible
for the websites to easily authenticate users upon revisits without
having to login again. In addition, persistent cookies help enhance user
experience by storing their previous inputs such as language selection,
themes and menu preferences.
Secure Cookie
A secure cookie has
a secure attribute enabled so that its content gets encrypted every
time it moves between the web server and the browser. This cookie is
used only in the HTTPS mode and thus offers protection against cookie
theft.
Third-Party Cookie
Third-party cookies are those that originate from a website other than the one that you are currently using. For example, when you visit a website www.abc.com, all the cookies that come from this website are called first-party cookies. Suppose, if this website (www.abc.com) is running an advertisement on its page from a third party website www.xyz.com, then the cookie that originates from this website (www.xyz.com) is referred to as a third-party cookie.
Structure of a Cookie
A cookie is comprised of the following seven components:
- Name of the cookie
- Value/Content of the cookie
- Domain associated with the cookie
- Path for which the cookie is valid
- Attribute to specify whether the cookie requires a secure connection
- Attribute specifying whether the cookie can be accessed by a script
- Expiry information of the cookie
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