You’ve probably noticed that a lot of the websites you visit “remember” things about you. The information they store can be anything from your login credentials to items you’ve browsed, articles you’ve liked, and more.
To do that, websites use what are called “cookies.” Cookies on the web enable sites to store key information safely within visitors’ browsers. That way, they can provide a more personalized experience without putting user data at risk.
Session cookies and comment cookies. Both are categorized as “strictly necessary” as they are needed for the website to function properly. They do not require user consent, though they do collect personal information to work.
Simply put, cookies are files that your website stores in visitors’ browsers, which contain information about them. Here are some common examples of cookie use throughout the web:
- Storing login credentials so users don’t have to re-enter them each time they visit your site
- Remembering specific pages that visitors have been looking at lately (i.e., “Recent products” on eCommerce sites)
- Noting specific user behavior, such as when they last visited your site
Cookies are everywhere on the web, to the extent that there’s even specific legislation that governs how you can use them in some parts of the world.
Overall, browsing the web would be a slower and less personal experience without cookies. Websites wouldn’t be able to remember any of the information that makes your life easier. That’s why WordPress is set up to use cookies out of the box.
Two types of cookies unless you tell it to do otherwise. Those include:
- Session cookies. These are the ones that tell your browser: “Hey, we just logged into this site a while ago, so let’s not close the session just yet”. That saves you from having to log in over and over again on the same sites.
- Comments cookies. Whenever you comment on a WordPress website, it will save some of your details so you don’t have to re-enter them later on. That can include your username, email address, and more.
It’s important to reiterate that cookies reside within each user’s browser. That means they’re safe even if someone breaches the website’s security, which is exactly why they’re often used to handle sensitive information.