Cookies on the Web

What is running on your mind when you heard about cookies? Yes of course 🍪, But what is when its comes to web, A cookie is the small piece of data which stores the information in the web, Which helps to remember information about you, Like login information, Shopping cart, Themes,

Example when you using , Once you logged, Next when you try to login it will show as Open Discord

When its newly logged in you will see it as Login

• Now you might have question🧐 What is Cookies vs Storage ?, In the web both do the different jobs, A cookies are small text files stored in your browser by a website They were originally designed for server communication — so that a site can “remember” you between visits.

Reason behing naming cookie

Before cookies became something you click “Accept” on every website, they started as a clever idea from the early days of the internet.

The name “cookie” doesn’t actually come from the baked treat — it comes from an old programming concept called a “magic cookie.”

In the 1970s, programmers used “magic cookies” as small data tokens that helped computers recognize returning users or maintain sessions between programs. When you handed the token (or cookie) back, the system instantly knew who you were — just like claiming your coat with a ticket at a coat check.

Fast forward to 1994, when Lou Montulli, a programmer at Netscape, brought that idea to the web. He invented HTTP cookies to let websites “remember” whether someone had visited before — without requiring users to log in repeatedly or overload servers with data.

That simple innovation changed the internet forever. Today, cookies are used everywhere — for logins, personalization, and even ads — though their friendly name hides the complex tracking systems behind them.

The term “cookie” stuck because it sounded friendly, harmless, and familiar — much better than calling it something cold like “user session identifier.” Ironically, what started as a “sweet” concept is now one of the internet’s biggest privacy topics!

Why cookies needed in website?

When you browse a website, each page request is stateless — meaning the server doesn’t remember who you are or what you did on the last page.

That’s where cookies come in. They act as a memory system for the web, helping websites recognize you and provide a smoother, more personalized experience

To Store Preferences and Personalization Cookies help websites remember user preferences, such as: Dark or light mode Language selection Items added to your shopping cart Recently viewed products This makes your experience more personal and convenient the next time you visit.

Types of cookies

• Session Cookies
• Persistent Cookies
• First-Party Cookies
• Secure & HttpOnly Cookies

What will happen when you don't use cookies in website

Cookies act as a website’s memory. If a site doesn’t use cookies (or any other storage method like sessions or local storage), it becomes completely stateless — meaning it forgets everything about the user after each page load or visit.

Here’s what that means in practice , You’d Have to Log In Every Time Without cookies, websites can’t remember your login session. You log in → go to another page → boom, you’re logged out again. That’s because there’s no session ID stored to identify you. Example: Imagine using Gmail, Facebook, or Amazon where you must re-enter your credentials every time you click a link. Frustrating, right?

Final Thoughts

Without cookies, the web would feel like Groundhog Day — every page load would be a fresh start, with no memory of who you are or what you did.

On the next blog post will be like my learnings on Sept end of month brought Josh So will share my learnings in the weekly