Sessions
It is worth looking at some theory to understand why sessions are a common solution in web applications for managing user content. The HTTP protocol defines the interactions between a client and a server. It is said to be a “stateless” protocol as no stateful information is retained by the server between requests. This protocol design worked well for delivering hypertextual information in the early days of the World Wide Web, but it did not suit the needs of secured web applications delivering customized information to specific users.
We are now acquainted with seeing websites adapt to our viewing habits. Shopping sites recommend similar products to the ones that we have recently viewed and tell us about products that are popular in our region. These features all required a stateful approach to website development. One of the most common ways to implement a stateful web experience is through sessions. A session refers to a user’s current interaction...
