Cookies, but grown-up: when you actually need them
A quick guide to using cookies only when they truly help (login, cart, preferences), avoiding unnecessary tracking, and setting the right security flags.
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Everyone’s heard of cookies; not everyone knows why they exist. Cookies are small browser records your site sets to remember things. The more you set “just because,” the more traces and risk you create.
When cookies are needed
- ✅ Staying logged in. Remember the session so users don’t re-enter passwords.
- ✅ Keeping the shopping cart. Items don’t vanish on refresh.
- ✅ Remembering preferences. Language, theme, font size.
That’s it. If your site works fine without cookies, you probably don’t need them.
When cookies are unnecessary
- ❌ Ad/tracking cookies. Follow users and fuel creepy retargeting.
- ❌ “Reporting” analytics. If you can avoid personal IDs, skip them.
Fewer cookies = fewer banners, less risk, faster pages.
Store them safely
If you must set cookies, add the security flags:
- 🔒 Secure — send only over HTTPS.
- 🚫 HttpOnly — not readable from JS (mitigates XSS theft).
- 🧭 SameSite=Lax — don’t send to third-party sites (CSRF default protection).
- 🕒 Shorter lifetimes. Think days/weeks, not a year.
Quick check
- Do cookies truly power a user feature?
- Does the site still work without them?
- Sensitive cookies have Secure + HttpOnly?
- No third-party pixels dropping their own cookies?
Bottom line
Cookies aren’t evil. Excess is. Keep only what’s needed, set safe flags — your users will thank you 💙