Cookie

A message given to a Web browser by a Web server. The browser stores the message in a text file. The message is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. The main purpose of cookies is to identify users and possibly prepare customized Web pages for them.

Small data files written to a user's hard drive by a Web server. These files contain specific information that identifies users (i.e., passwords and lists of pages visited).

Small data file written to a user's local machine to track them. Cookies are used to help websites customize your user experience and help affiliate program managers track conversions.

information placed on a visitor's computer by a web server. While the web site is being accessed, data in the visitor's cookie file can be stored or retrieved. Mostly cookies are used as unique identifiers (i.e. user IDs or session IDs) to isolate a visitor's movements from others' during that visit and subsequent visits. Other data that may get stored in a cookie include an order number, email address, referring advertiser, etc.

A piece of information supplied by a web server to a browser, along with requested resource, for the browser to store temporarily and return to the server on any subsequent visits or requests.

Information sent by a Web server to a client about a particular Web page. This information is generally used to maintain user-specific information and to adjust the appearance of a particular page accordingly, allowing for more personalized content. However, a Web page with a cookie attached to it requires special attention and might be uncacheable.

A small piece of information that is automatically stored on a client computer by a Web browser and referenced to identify repeat visitors to a Web site and to tailor information in anticipation of the visitor's interests. Note: Some privacy advocates have objected to the use of cookies without a user's consent. [After Bahorsky] 2. A general mechanism that server side connections (such as CGI scripts) can use both to store and to retrieve information on the client side of the connection. Note 1: A server, when returning an HTTP object to a client, may also send a piece of state information that the client will store. Included in that state object is a description of the range of URLs for which that state is valid. Any future HTTP requests made by the client that fall in that range will include a transmittal of the current value of the state object from the client back to the server. The state object is called a cookie. This simple mechanism provides a tool that enables new types of applications to be written for Web-based environments. Shopping applications can now store information about the currently selected items, for-fee services can send back registration information and free the client from retyping a user ID on subsequent connections, sites can store per-user preferences on the client, and have the client supply those preferences every time that site is accessed. Note 2: Session cookies are volatile in that they disappear at the end of a session, whereas persistent cookies are retained from one session to the next. Synonym magic cookie.