Cache and cookies are two different types of temporary storage kept on
the client’s machine to improve the user experience of browsing the
Internet. Cache dramatically reduces the average time it takes for the
browser to access the Web content by storing most of the content you
come across on the Web locally. Caching is the most effective and the
simplest mechanism to improve the browser’s response time because the
browser can simply load the content from the local cache. Cookies make
your online browsing experience easier by saving browsing information
such as browsing session and user choices including personal information
to make your browsing experience smooth and easier.
What is Cache?
A computer system, in general, is composed of three basic components: a
central processing unit (CPU) which does all the heavy lifting; the
memory which stores instructions and data; and an Input/output system,
which moves information in and out of the system. A process repeatedly
retrieves an instruction from memory to the CPU, fetches any operands
that it specifies, and performs an operation, and possibly writes a
result to that same memory. All the information that a processor needs
over time is stored in the main memory. However, memories get slower as
they get larger. Main memory is typically much slower than the CPU. To
rectify this, most computers today include caches. Caches significantly
reduce the average time it takes for the CPU to access the desired
information. Caching plays an important role in modern computer memory
and disk systems. When it comes to the World Wide Web, caching is a
well-known strategy for temporarily storing frequently-accessed static
content.
What is Cookies?
Cookies are created automatically every time you visit a website. Like
virtual door keys, cookies are a small chunk of data generated by a web
server and stored as a text file in memory or on disk. A cookie
(typically an HTTP cookie) provides a way for websites to store
information on a client device for later retrieval. In many respects,
cookies are the solution for the problems caused by HTTP’s stateless,
which maintains no record of the pages you visit at a website. Cookies
are typically used to represent or reference private information, and
they should not be shared between users. Cookies make your online
browsing experience easier by saving browsing information. Cookies
enable the server to keep track of your browsing activity and compile a
list of your purchases. Some cookies are stored in memory and are
deleted when the browser is closed. These are called session cookies.
Difference between Cache and Cookies
Meaning
A web cache (or HTTP cache) is a core design protocol of the HTTP
protocol used to store on-line page resources during a browser for the
long run to improve the performance of the web-based system. Web caching
is a well-known strategy for temporarily storing frequently-accessed
static content. A cookie (or HTTP cookie), on the other hand, is a small
chunk of data generated by a web server and stored as a text file in
memory or on disk. Cookies provide a way for websites to store
information on a client device for later retrieval.
Storage
Web caching caches popular objects at location close to the clients to
avoid Web service bottleneck, reduce traffic over the Internet, and
improve scalability of the Web system. When you visit a web page, all
the elements are downloaded and stored locally in the browser cache so
that if you visit the page again, the locally stored elements do not
have to be downloaded again. Website preferences and other information
can be stored in cookies. While some cookies are stored in memory and
are deleted as soon as the browser is closed, there are cookies that
remain on a device until they expire or are deleted.
Use
The browser cache stores most of the content you come across on the Web
locally to help improve the browser’s response time when visiting the
website again. Browsers pull HTML documents, images and other web page
elements to the local device and it stores that content in temporary
files as browser cache or Web cache. Cookies, on the other hand, can
track your movement about your activity around a website and they make
your online browsing experience easier by saving browsing information as
well as an information you’ve volunteered, such as your name and
interests.
Summary of Cache vs. Cookies
Caching plays an important role in modern computer memory and disk
systems, and when it comes to the World Wide Web, caching is a
well-known strategy for temporarily storing frequently-accessed static
content help improve the browser’s response time when revisiting a
website. Web cookies, on the other hand, provide a way for websites to
store information on a client device for later retrieval and make the
Web a much more interesting place to visit. Cache stores online page
resources while cookies store user choices such as browsing session to
trace user preferences. Cookies are created automatically every time you
visit a website.