What Is A Session

A session is the total time devoted to an activity. In computer systems, a user session begins when a user logs in to or accesses a particular computer, network, or software service. It ends when the user logs out of the service, or shuts down the computer. A session can temporarily store information related to the activities of the user while connected. A session cookie is used in web pages for storing information in case the user leaves the web page or closes down their Internet browser. For example, this is one way a website can remember what is in your shopping cart if you leave and come back.

In computer programming, session variables store temporary information, sometimes to use for retrieving and viewing data on multiple web pages. Websites requiring a username and password use session variables to help transfer data between web pages, but only while the user is logged in to the computer.