LocalStorage vs Cookies

Developers should use LocalStorage when they need to persist non-sensitive user data like preferences, form drafts, or application state locally in the browser, particularly for progressive web apps (PWAs) or offline functionality 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.

LocalStorage

Nice Pick

Developers should use LocalStorage when they need to persist non-sensitive user data like preferences, form drafts, or application state locally in the browser, particularly for progressive web apps (PWAs) or offline functionality

Pros

• It's ideal for scenarios requiring simple client-side storage without complex setup, such as remembering user settings, caching small datasets, or maintaining session-like state across page reloads, but should be avoided for sensitive data due to lack of encryption and XSS vulnerabilities
• Related to: session-storage, indexeddb

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

These tools serve different purposes. LocalStorage is a web-api while Cookies is a concept. We picked LocalStorage based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

LocalStorage wins

Based on overall popularity. LocalStorage is more widely used, but Cookies excels in its own space.