What is the primary purpose of cookies in web browsers?

• A. Small data files stored by websites to track sessions.
• B. Programs installed on your computer.
• C. A type of malware that steals data.
• D. A browser extension for blocking ads.

Answer: (A)

Cookies are small data files that websites place on your device to let the site remember information between visits. Because the web is stateless, each request wouldn’t know who you are or what you were doing unless the site stores something locally. By saving a tiny bit of data—like a session identifier, login status, language preference, or items in a shopping cart—cookies let the site recognize you on subsequent requests and restore your state. This is why their main role is to track sessions and maintain continuity across pages and visits.

They aren’t programs installed on your computer, so they aren’t software. They aren’t malware that steals data, and they aren’t a browser extension for blocking ads.