Cookie

A cookie is a small piece of data a website stores in a visitor's browser, which the browser sends back with later requests. Cookies keep people signed in, remember preferences, and track behavior. Attributes set alongside a cookie control how long it lasts and when the browser is allowed to send it.

Cookies set by the site a visitor is actually on are called first-party cookies; cookies set by an embedded third party, such as an ad network or analytics provider, are third-party cookies. Because cookies can carry personal data or track behavior across sites, using them for anything beyond strictly necessary functionality typically requires informed consent under laws such as the GDPR.

Learn more

• RFC 6265: HTTP State Management Mechanism - the cookie specification
• Personal data
• GDPR