Hello again, web wizards!
As we continue our journey, let’s explore a key component that will elevate your web applications: Web Storage. Have you ever wondered how websites remember some of your preferences even after you’ve closed the tab or restarted the browser? That’s web storage in action. It allows websites to store data as key-value pairs in a web browser.
Let’s delve into its two main types: local storage and session storage.
Understanding Web Storage
- Local Storage: Provides a way to store data across browser sessions. This means that even if you close your browser and reopen it, the data remains intact. Data stored in local storage has no expiration time.
// Store data
localStorage.setItem('username', 'JohnDoe');
// Retrieve data
let user = localStorage.getItem('username');
- Session Storage: Similar to local storage, but has a lifespan of a single page session. If you close the tab or the browser, the data gets cleared.
// Store data
sessionStorage.setItem('sessionID', '123456');
// Retrieve data
let session = sessionStorage.getItem('sessionID');
Exercise
To understand web storage practically, let’s implement a simple exercise:
- Create an HTML form that asks the user for their favorite color.
- Once the user submits the form, store this preference in local storage.
- Upon reloading the page, check local storage for this preference. If found, change the background color of the page to the user’s favorite color.
Hints for the exercise:
- Use the localStorage.setItem(key, value) method to save the user’s color preference.
- To check if a user has a stored preference and apply it, use the localStorage.getItem(key) method.
Example to retrieve and set the background color:
window.onload = function() {
let favColor = localStorage.getItem('favoriteColor');
if(favColor) {
document.body.style.backgroundColor = favColor;
}
};
Conclusion
And just like that, you’ve unlocked another essential tool in web development! Web storage offers a powerful, straightforward way to enhance user experience by remembering their preferences or important session data. As always, remember to respect user privacy and only store non-sensitive information.
As we progress, there are many more exciting web features waiting for you. Stay tuned, and keep coding!