What are computer cookies?
Computer cookie also known as browser cookie, web cookie, HTTP cookie or simply cookie is a piece of data that a computer receives, stores and then sends back without changing or altering.
The cookie is created once a web browser loads a website that uses cookies. The website’s web server sends the data it wants to save to the user’s browser and the browser takes it and stores it into a text file as a cookie. Once the cookie is created each time a user goes back to that same website that created the cookie or just loads another page of that website the browser will read all the data from the cookie and send it back to the website’s web server when making any new requests.
There are two types of cookies: session cookies that expire immediately after the user closes the web browser and persistent cookies that may remain stored in a browser for a longer period of time (months or even years). Closing the browser does not affect the cookie and it will remain stored until it expires or until a user decides to remove cookies. Once the persistent cookie expires, the browser will remove it automatically.
Cookies are created not just by the website the user visits but also by embedded elements on that website such as ads, web traffic analytic scripts, widgets, video embeds or other embedded elements. These cookies regulate how ads or these elements appear or function.
Cookies are essential for functioning or enhancing usability on most of the websites, so disabling cookies may prevent many websites from functioning normally. So entirely disabling cookies in your browser is not advisable.
What are cookies used for?
The main purpose of the cookie is to help streamline the users web experience. Cookies help websites keep track of users activity on a given website and personalize the experience. This isn’t always a bad thing. Without cookies, you would have to login again after you leave a website or add all the items again into your shopping cart if you accidentally close the page. Even keeping track of items in a shopping cart while the user is exploring other products on a website is often done using a cookie. Therefore, cookies are an important part of the online experience.
The cookie is created once a web browser visits a website that uses cookies. The website’s web server sends the data it wants to save at the users browser and the browser takes it and stores it as a cookie into a text file. Once the cookie is created each time a user goes back to that same website that created the cookie or just loads another page of that website the browser will read all the data from the cookie and send it back to the website’s web server when making any new requests.
There are two types of cookies: session cookies that expire immediately after the user closes the web browser and persistent cookies that may remain stored in a browser for a longer period of time (months or even years). Once the persistent cookie expires, the browser will remove it automatically.