Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science · Syllabus 0478 · The Internet and Its Uses
Session Cookie
What is Session Cookie?
A session cookie is a cookie that has no expiry date set and is normally held only while the browsing session lasts, being deleted when the browser or session is closed; it is used for tasks such as keeping a user logged in during a visit or holding items in an online shopping cart.
This definition is part of the The Internet and Its Uses chapter in Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science.
Session Cookie in context
A cookie is a small piece of data that a website sends to the browser, which the browser stores and then sends back to that same website on later requests. Cookies let a site recognise the same browser again, which is how it can keep a user logged in, remember a shopping cart, save personal details, and store preferences. A session cookie is normally kept only until the browsing session ends; a persistent cookie is stored on the device until its expiry date is reached or the user deletes it. A cookie is data, not a program — it cannot run and it is not a virus — but because it can carry an identifier that follows a user around, it raises real privacy concerns.