The Perl Cookie Library handled HTTP cookies. Today, browsers offer multiple storage APIs and frameworks provide built-in session management.
Browser Storage
Persistent key-value storage. Data survives browser restarts. ~5MB capacity. Perfect for user preferences and settings.
localStorage.setItem('theme', 'dark');
const theme = localStorage.getItem('theme');Session-only storage. Cleared when tab closes. Same API as localStorage. Good for temporary form data.
Client-side database for large amounts of structured data. Supports indexes, transactions, and complex queries. Async API.
Traditional cookie API, still needed for server-side session management. HttpOnly and Secure flags for security.
Simple, lightweight JavaScript API for cookies. Works with all browsers, no dependencies. Encoding handled automatically.
Universal cookies for JavaScript. Works on server and client. React integration available. TypeScript support.
Industry standard for secure authentication. Stateless, self-contained tokens. Used by OAuth 2.0 and modern APIs.
Modern frameworks (Express, Laravel, Django, Rails) include solid session handling with security features built-in.
Cookie consent solution for GDPR, CCPA, LGPD compliance. Auto-detects cookies, blocks before consent, generates policy.
Lightweight, GDPR-compliant cookie consent manager. No dependencies, customizable, self-hosted.
| Feature | Cookies | localStorage | sessionStorage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | ~4KB | ~5MB | ~5MB |
| Expiration | Configurable | Never | Tab close |
| Server access | Yes | No | No |
| Sent with requests | Yes | No | No |
| API simplicity | Complex | Simple | Simple |
| Privacy laws | Regulated | Less regulated | Less regulated |
Simple preferences: localStorage
Server sessions: Framework built-in
API auth: JWT tokens
Cookie helper: js-cookie