What is cookie?

" Cookie is a small file and an efficient way in order to store your information on your browser to reduce server's overheads. Every time you request for a website or web page, a stored cookie of that site is also sent with request to recognize you. Technically it is used to store your information and to recognize you as a returning user."

Cookie is a small file which stores your information on your browser. Cookies are the efficient way of storing information on to the user's or client's system, so that a user could recognize itself as a returning user. A cookie might be design in different ways or for various purposes according to the website programmer requirements, like if a website only require your browser information and your IP address to count your visit on their site then through programming that website will store a cookie on your browser, which will tell the server every time you visit the site, that you're a returning user.

Another one is, which is very common in your day to day Internet surfing , when you login facebook and other website which requires credentials like your user name and password, gives you an option or a check box with statement that stay signed in or keep me logged in. When you check the box that website stores a cookie on your browser which stores your user name and password to keep you logged in every time you came back to the site again even after you have logged out. When you visit the same site again you might be noticed that you're directly leads towards the main page of the site without troubling you to fill login information again, that is actually happening just because of cookie.

Lastly I want to give you another most common example to clear a very confusing thing among people. OK, When you click on an Advertisement like you were surfing net and haphazardly you watch a mobile phone Ad sponsored by Amazon, you clicked on it in order to have a close look, thereafter you leave the site, meanwhile you were watching Ad on Amazon, a cookie is stored in your browser and this cookie is also passed to Google because the entire Ad system is running by Google, it (Google) then start to display Ads related to mobile phone every where in your browsing just because you took interest in mobile phone Ad. I am not digging deep about Google Advertisement strategy. So the above mention phenomenon is also happening just because of cookie.

These were the basic and more common examples of cookies to let you know about cookies.

So we have learned now, What is cookie? And what role they play in your day to day life on the Internet, keep learning from computerflicks. Please leave comments.