Cookies

The Cookies tab displays all cookies set by the server via Set-Cookie headers. Each cookie is shown in a card format with its name, value, and all attributes. This makes it easy to understand cookie behavior and debug authentication issues.

Cookie Display

Each cookie is displayed in a card with its name, value, security badges, and attributes:

Example Cookie
session_id
eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...
SecureHttpOnly
Domain.example.com
Path/
ExpiresJan 15, 2025, 10:30 AM
SameSiteStrict

Cookie Attributes

Cookie attributes control when and how the browser sends cookies back to the server:

AttributeDescriptionDefault
NameCookie identifier used in requests(required)
ValueCookie content sent with requests(required)
DomainDomains that receive the cookieCurrent host only
PathURL paths that receive the cookie/
ExpiresDate/time when cookie expiresSession (browser close)
Max-AgeCookie lifetime in secondsSession (browser close)

Security Flags

Security flags protect cookies from common attacks. These are displayed as colored badges for quick identification:

SecureHTTPS Only

Cookie is only sent over encrypted HTTPS connections. This prevents the cookie from being intercepted on insecure networks. Always use for sensitive data like session tokens.

HttpOnlyJavaScript Inaccessible

Cookie cannot be accessed by JavaScript via document.cookie. This protects against XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks that try to steal session cookies.

SameSite— Cross-Site Request Control

Controls when cookies are sent with cross-site requests. Helps prevent CSRF attacks:

ValueBehavior
StrictCookie only sent from the same site. Most secure, but may break some legitimate cross-site flows.
LaxCookie sent with top-level navigation (clicking links) but not with cross-site POSTs. Good balance of security and usability.
NoneCookie sent with all requests. Requires Secure flag. Use only when cross-site cookies are needed.

Expiration Display

Cookie expiration is displayed in a human-readable format:

Cookie TypeDisplayMeaning
Session CookieSessionDeleted when browser closes
Short-lived45mMax-Age less than 1 hour
Hours2h 30mMax-Age less than 24 hours
Days7 daysMax-Age more than 24 hours
Fixed DateJan 15, 2025, 10:30 AMExpires header with specific date
Priority: If both Max-Age and Expires are present, Max-Age takes precedence (per RFC 6265).

Empty State

When the response doesn't set any cookies, a placeholder message is shown:

No cookies in response

This simply means the server didn't include any Set-Cookie headers in the response. Not all API responses set cookies.

Cookie Debugging Tips

Common issues when working with cookies:

Cookie not being sent
  • Check Domain — cookie domain must match or be a parent of the request domain
  • Check Path — request path must match or be under the cookie path
  • Check Secure — if set, cookie only sent over HTTPS
  • Check SameSite — may block cross-site requests
Cookie expiring immediately
  • Check Max-Age — value of 0 or negative deletes the cookie
  • Check Expires — date in the past deletes the cookie
  • Check system clock — time differences can cause early expiration
Cannot access cookie in JavaScript
  • Check HttpOnly — if set, cookie is not accessible via document.cookie
  • This is intentional security behavior, not a bug