Class Cookie

java.lang.Object
javax.servlet.http.Cookie
All Implemented Interfaces:
Cloneable
public class Cookie extends Object implements Cloneable
A cookie is basically a {String,String} name/value pair that the server tells the client to remember and to send back to him attached to every future request.
Using cookies a server can maintain a state in between client requests.

A formal specification of Cookies can be found in RFC 2109 ("HTTP State Management Mechanism")

Since:
Servlet API 2.0
Version:
Servlet API 2.2

  • Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor
    Description
    Cookie(String name, String value)
    Creates a cookie with a name and a value.

  • Method Summary

    Modifier and Type
    Method
    Description
    Object
    clone()
    Clones the Cookie.
    String
    getComment()
    Gets the comment of the cookie
    String
    getDomain()
    Gets this cookie's domain
    int
    getMaxAge()
    Gets the time-to-live for this cookie, in seconds.
    If it is 0 then the client will delete the cookie.
    If it is -1 (which is the default) then the cookie will be a non-persistent cookie.
    This means that the cookie will live as long as the http client lives, and will not be saved to disk.
    String
    getName()
    Get the name
    String
    getPath()
    Gets the path for which requests this cookie will be attached.
    boolean
    getSecure()
    Whether only secure means (https) should be used when sending this cookie to a server.
    String
    getValue()
    Gets the value
    int
    getVersion()
    Gets the version of this cookie.
    void
    setComment(String comment)
    Sets the comment of the cookie.
    void
    setDomain(String domain)
    Sets the domain for which this Cookie will be used.
    void
    setMaxAge(int maxAge)
    Sets the maximum lifetime of the cookie in seconds.
    If set to 0 then the cookie will be deleted by the client.
    If set to a negative value (such as -1 which is the default) then the cookie will be a non-persistent cookie.
    This means that the cookie will live as long as the http client lives, and will not be saved to disk.
    void
    setPath(String path)
    Set the path with which requests this cookie will be sent back to the server.
    void
    setSecure(boolean secure)
    Whether only secure means (https) should be used when sending this cookie to a server.
    void
    setValue(String value)
    Sets a new value.
    void
    setVersion(int version)
    Sets the version.

    Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

    equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

  • Constructor Details

    • Cookie

      public Cookie(String name, String value) throws IllegalArgumentException
      Creates a cookie with a name and a value. The name must be a valid HTTP/1.1 token and not start with $.
      Parameters:
      name - The name of the cookie
      value - The value of the cookie
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if name is not a valid HTTP/1.1 token or starts with $
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

  • Method Details

    • getComment

      public String getComment()
      Gets the comment of the cookie
      Returns:
      the comment or null if not defined
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • getDomain

      public String getDomain()
      Gets this cookie's domain
      Returns:
      The domain for which this cookie will be used or null if not defined
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • getMaxAge

      public int getMaxAge()
      Gets the time-to-live for this cookie, in seconds.
      If it is 0 then the client will delete the cookie.
      If it is -1 (which is the default) then the cookie will be a non-persistent cookie.
      This means that the cookie will live as long as the http client lives, and will not be saved to disk.
      Returns:
      the number of seconds to live or -1
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • getName

      public String getName()
      Get the name
      Returns:
      the Name
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • getPath

      public String getPath()
      Gets the path for which requests this cookie will be attached. The domain/path pair determines with which requests the cookie will be sent to the server.
      Example:
      When a client receives a Cookie on requesting "/products/" then the path will be "/products/", and this Cookie will be attached to every request for "/products/" and any of its subdirectories.
      Returns:
      the path or null if not defined
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • getSecure

      public boolean getSecure()
      Whether only secure means (https) should be used when sending this cookie to a server.
      Returns:
      whether this cookie should be secure or not
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • getValue

      public String getValue()
      Gets the value
      Returns:
      the Value
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • getVersion

      public int getVersion()
      Gets the version of this cookie. The current type of cookies have version = 1, according to rfc2109. There have been slightly different (netscape only) types of cookies, but these days everyone uses version 1. Fresh cookies however get a default version of 0, to improve interoperability.
      Returns:
      the version
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • setComment

      public void setComment(String comment)
      Sets the comment of the cookie. Not supported by version 0 cookies.
      Parameters:
      comment - the comment to be
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • setDomain

      public void setDomain(String domain)
      Sets the domain for which this Cookie will be used. If the domain is for instance set to .foo_bar.com then the client sends the cookie along with requests to all webservers whose domain ends with ".foo_bar.com" (www.foo_bar.com, blah.foo_bar.com, etc). If not set cookies are only returned to the domain from which the client received the cookie.
      Parameters:
      domain - The cookie's domain
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • setMaxAge

      public void setMaxAge(int maxAge)
      Sets the maximum lifetime of the cookie in seconds.
      If set to 0 then the cookie will be deleted by the client.
      If set to a negative value (such as -1 which is the default) then the cookie will be a non-persistent cookie.
      This means that the cookie will live as long as the http client lives, and will not be saved to disk.
      Parameters:
      maxAge - The time-to-live for the cookie, in seconds
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • setPath

      public void setPath(String path)
      Set the path with which requests this cookie will be sent back to the server. The domain/path pair determines with which requests the cookie will be sent to the server.
      Defaults to path the client requested when it got this cookie.
      Example:
      When a client receives a Cookie on requesting "/products/" then the path will be "/products/", and this Cookie will be attached to every request for "/products/" and any of its subdirectories.
      Parameters:
      path - the path
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • setSecure

      public void setSecure(boolean secure)
      Whether only secure means (https) should be used when sending this cookie to a server.
      Parameters:
      secure - whether this cookie should be secure or not.
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • setValue

      public void setValue(String value)
      Sets a new value.
      Parameters:
      value - The new value
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • setVersion

      public void setVersion(int version)
      Sets the version. The current type of cookies have version = 1, according to rfc2109. There have been slightly different (netscape only) types of cookies, but these days everyone uses version 1.
      Parameters:
      version - the version
      Since:
      Servlet API 2.0

    • clone

      public Object clone()
      Clones the Cookie.
      Overrides:
      clone in class Object