jQuery Set/Get Browser Session Cookies

jQuery Code Snippet to set/get browser cookies for a users session. This could be used to store view states when a user clicks something. The example below shows the cookie being saved to store the visibility of an element.

//event to hide element
...
$("#element").hide();
$.cookie('cookie_name', 'not_in_view');

//event to show element
...
$("#element").show();
$.cookie('cookie_name', 'in_view');

//cookie
var cookie_name = $.cookie('cookie_name');

//initialise
if (cookie_name == 'in_view') {
	$("#element").hide();
};

Frequently Asked Questions about jQuery Set/Get Browser Session Cookies

How can I set a session cookie using jQuery?

Setting a session cookie using jQuery is quite straightforward. You can use the jQuery cookie plugin to accomplish this. First, you need to include the jQuery cookie plugin in your HTML file. Then, you can use the following code to set a session cookie:

$.cookie('cookie_name', 'cookie_value');
In this code, ‘cookie_name’ is the name of your cookie and ‘cookie_value’ is the value you want to store in the cookie. This cookie will be deleted when the browser is closed.

How can I retrieve a session cookie using jQuery?

To retrieve a session cookie using jQuery, you can use the same jQuery cookie plugin. Here is the code to get the value of a cookie:

$.cookie('cookie_name');
This code will return the value of the ‘cookie_name’ cookie. If the cookie does not exist, it will return undefined.

What is the difference between session cookies and persistent cookies?

Session cookies are temporary cookies that are erased when you close your browser, while persistent cookies remain in your browser until they are manually deleted or deleted by your browser based on the duration period contained within the persistent cookie’s file.

Can I set a cookie that expires after a certain time?

Yes, you can set a cookie that expires after a certain time. This is called a persistent cookie. Here is how you can set a persistent cookie that expires after 7 days:

$.cookie('cookie_name', 'cookie_value', { expires: 7 });
In this code, the ‘expires’ option sets the expiry date of the cookie in days.

How can I delete a cookie using jQuery?

To delete a cookie using jQuery, you can use the following code:

$.removeCookie('cookie_name');
This code will remove the ‘cookie_name’ cookie.

Can I set a secure cookie using jQuery?

Yes, you can set a secure cookie using jQuery. A secure cookie is only sent to the server with an encrypted request over the HTTPS protocol. Here is how you can set a secure cookie:

$.cookie('cookie_name', 'cookie_value', { secure: true });
In this code, the ‘secure’ option ensures that the cookie is only sent over HTTPS.

Can I set a cookie for a specific path?

Yes, you can set a cookie for a specific path. This means that the cookie will only be sent to the server if the path of the request matches the path of the cookie. Here is how you can set a cookie for a specific path:

$.cookie('cookie_name', 'cookie_value', { path: '/your_path' });
In this code, the ‘path’ option sets the path for the cookie.

How can I check if cookies are enabled in the browser?

You can check if cookies are enabled in the browser using the navigator.cookieEnabled property in JavaScript. Here is how you can do it:

if (navigator.cookieEnabled) {
// Cookies are enabled
} else {
// Cookies are not enabled
}
This code will check if cookies are enabled in the browser.

Can I store complex data in cookies?

Yes, you can store complex data in cookies, but it’s not recommended because cookies have a size limit of 4KB. If you need to store more data, consider using Web Storage (localStorage and sessionStorage) or IndexedDB.

What are the alternatives to cookies?

There are several alternatives to cookies, including Web Storage (localStorage and sessionStorage), IndexedDB, and Web SQL (deprecated). These technologies provide more storage space and better performance than cookies. However, they have different browser support and different ways of working, so you should choose the one that best fits your needs.