Difference between cookie, sessionStorage, and localStorage
Cookie, sessionStorage, and localStorage are all methods used to store data on the client side, but they have different characteristics and use cases:
Cookies
- Capacity: 4KB
- Accessibility: All windows
- Expiration: Manually set
- Passed in HTTP request: Yes
- Storage: Browser and Server
- Use cases: session management, personalization, tracking, and analytics
Session Storage
- Capacity: 5MB
- Accessibility: Private for tab
- Expiration: On tab close
- Passed in HTTP request: No
- Storage: Only browser
- Use cases: similar to localStorage with a limitation of data expiration on tab close
LocalStorage
- Capacity: 5/10 MB, depending on the browser
- Accessibility: All windows
- Expiration: Never
- Passed in HTTP request: No
- Storage: Browser only
- Use cases: save user preferences and settings, cache date to reduce server requests, shopping cart state
Summary
Cookieis a small text file that is stored on the user's computer by the web browser. It is used to store information about the user and their preferences.sessionStorageis a storage for a single tab in a browser. It is used to store data that is only available for the current tab.localStorageis a storage for a browser. It is used to store data that is available for all tabs and windows.
| Feature | Cookie | sessionStorage | localStorage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4KB | 5MB | 5-10MB (browser dependent) |
| Accessibility | All windows | Private for tab | All windows |
| Expiration | Manually set | On tab close | Never |
| Passed in HTTP request | Yes | No | No |
| Storage Location | Browser and Server | Browser only | Browser only |
| Use Cases | Session management, personalization, tracking, analytics | Temporary data for single tab, form data during navigation | User preferences, settings, cache data, shopping cart state |