What are cookies?

Cookies, also known as internet cookies, are small text files created by websites and stored in a user’s web browser. When you visit a website, it sends a cookie to your browser, which stores the file on your device—whether it’s a computer, smartphone, or tablet. These cookies contain data about your interactions with the website, such as your preferences or login details. The next time you visit the same website, your browser sends the stored cookie back to the web server, allowing the site to deliver a tailored experience, such as remembering your username or the items in your shopping cart.

Cookies are designed to improve the user experience by saving information locally, reducing the need for websites to request the same data repeatedly. They also enable features like personalization, seamless navigation, and faster load times.

Cookies are often referred to by other names, including web cookies, browser cookies, or HTTP cookies. The term itself originates from the concept of “magic cookies,” which were small packets of data passed between programs in early computing. The analogy to a fortune cookie—a cookie containing a hidden message—aptly describes their function.

The invention of cookies dates back to 1994, when computer programmer Lou Montulli created them while working at Netscape Communications. Netscape sought to make websites more functional and commercially viable, and cookies provided a way for sites to remember user data. Montulli’s invention has since become a foundational technology for the internet.