Dynamic

Custom Headers vs Cookies

Developers should learn and use custom headers when building RESTful APIs, microservices, or web applications that require extra contextual data beyond standard headers, such as for authentication (e meets developers should learn about cookies when building web applications that require user authentication, session management, or personalization features, such as e-commerce sites or social media platforms. Here's our take.

🧊Nice Pick

Custom Headers

Developers should learn and use custom headers when building RESTful APIs, microservices, or web applications that require extra contextual data beyond standard headers, such as for authentication (e

Custom Headers

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use custom headers when building RESTful APIs, microservices, or web applications that require extra contextual data beyond standard headers, such as for authentication (e

Pros

  • +g
  • +Related to: http-protocol, rest-api

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Cookies

Developers should learn about cookies when building web applications that require user authentication, session management, or personalization features, such as e-commerce sites or social media platforms

Pros

  • +They are essential for implementing features like 'remember me' functionality, shopping carts, and user-specific settings, though modern alternatives like localStorage and sessionStorage are often preferred for non-sensitive data due to better performance and security considerations
  • +Related to: http, session-management

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Custom Headers if: You want g and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Cookies if: You prioritize they are essential for implementing features like 'remember me' functionality, shopping carts, and user-specific settings, though modern alternatives like localstorage and sessionstorage are often preferred for non-sensitive data due to better performance and security considerations over what Custom Headers offers.

🧊
The Bottom Line
Custom Headers wins

Developers should learn and use custom headers when building RESTful APIs, microservices, or web applications that require extra contextual data beyond standard headers, such as for authentication (e

Disagree with our pick? nice@nicepick.dev