A cookie is a text file containing information stored on your computer or the device you use to visit a website. The cookie file usually contains the name of the website from which it comes and the lifespan (i.e. how long it will be stored on your device) as well as a value which is usually a randomly generated unique number.
Cookies are used to streamline the functionality associated with a website but also to collect information for the owner of the website. Cookies enable better customer adaptations on the website as it is possible to keep users apart from each other and thereby create a more tailored experience of the website. The cookie file is not harmful, cannot contain viruses or program code and cannot be linked to an individual or IP number.