Cookies may not sound new to you because you encounter them almost every day when you browse web pages. But do you know what exactly cookies are? This guide on MiniTool Website will show you detailed information about them.
What Are Cookies on the Internet?
Cookies on the internet are text files that can improve your browsing experience. They store fragments of your user data and are exchanged between your computer and network server so that the server reads the ID and provides you with a personalized experience.
Do you know what differences among cache, cookies and sessions are? This guide may give you satisfying answers - Cache vs Cookies vs Session: What’s the Difference.
Types of Cookies
Not all cookies have the same functions and different cookies perform corresponding tasks. In this part, we have presented several typical cookies for you.
Magic Cookies
Magic cookies refer to packets of information that are sent and received without changes and they are an old computing term. This type of cookies is used for a login to computer database systems.
HTTP Cookies
HTTP cookies are modified on the basis of magic cookies. Commonly, it is used to manage your online experiences. However, hackers can exploit them to steal your personal information and monitor your online activities.
Session Cookies
Session cookies are stored in your browser temporarily and they will be expired when you close your browser. They are the safest forms of cookies.
Persistent Cookies
As the name suggests, persistent cookies can be saved in your browser for a longer time. They are used to verify a specific computer so you can stay logged in when navigating between pages. They only disappear when they reach the expiration date or when you clear them from your browser.
This type of cookies usually is divided into necessary cookies and non-necessary cookies. Necessary cookies are important to your browser while cookies that track your purchasing habits are usually considered non-necessary.
Are Cookies Bad for You?
Are cookies bad? It is hard to define. It all depends on your preference for privacy. If you intend to buy a product, how will you feel when the website provides you with personalized content? Will you feel angry or satisfied? Now, let me show you the merits and demerits of cookies for you instead of asking whether cookies are good or bad.
Merits
- The website will store your information and make your browsing experience better.
- The website owner can benefit from the cookies getting from you and make your online experience more efficient.
Demerits
- When other people use your device, they can see what websites you visit unless you delete your cookies.
- Cookies are related to your device. If you save cookies on your work computer, it will not recognize you when logging in with your personal laptop.
- If you have deleted cookies, you may not be able to log into this website.
What Happens If You Don’t Accept Cookies?
If you don’t accept cookies, you may have to re-enter information and may not receive the personalized experience. If you are cautious about your privacy, disabling cookies will prevent you from unauthorized data collection.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Aurelie is a passionate soul who always enjoys researching & writing articles and solutions to help others. Her posts mainly cover topics related to games, data backup & recovery, file sync and so on. Apart from writing, her primary interests include reading novels and poems, travelling and listening to country music.