Have you ever wondered how websites remember your preferences and login information even after you close your browser? Well, the answer is computer cookies. In this article, we will explain what computer cookies are and how they are used.
What is a computer cookie?
A computer cookie, also known as an HTTP cookie, web cookie, or browser cookie, is a small piece of data stored on your computer by a website you visit. The cookie can contain any information that the website owners decide to store, such as your browsing behavior, login credentials, preferences, and/or browsing history.
Cookies are created by websites and stored on your computer's hard drive. When you revisit a website, your browser sends the cookie back to the website's server, allowing the website to recognize you and remember your preferences.
Some purposes for cookies can be required for the website to fuction properly, whilst other cookies can be optional. An example of a required cookie could be to store information to allow logging into a website, or making a purchase through a shopping cart. Other purposes, such as tracking what pages are visited can be optional.