[Sketchnote] Web Storage APIs: How Browsers Store Data

November 29th, 2020

(2-minute read)

Browsers have two built-in ways to store data: sessionStorage and localStorage.

`sessionStorage`

Data stored there is cleared when the page session ends (i.e., the browser tab/window closes).
Each tab has its own sessionStorage object, independent from the one in other tabs.

Data stored there has no expiration time.
- Exception: If you're in a private tab, then localStorage is cleared when the last private tab is closed.
Storage object is specific to the protocol. (HTTP object is separate from HTTPS.)

sessionStorage and localStorage both implement the Storage interface.

Both objects contain a key-value store, which is where data is kept. The keys and values are both type DOMString.

.length - The number of entries in the Storage object's key-value store.
javascript
```
const numEntries = sessionStorage.length
```

.setItem(key, value) - Adds the key-value pair to the store.
javascript
```
localStorage.setItem("key", "value")
```
.getItem(key) - Retrieves the value for the specified key. (Returns null if the key doesn't exist.)
javascript
```
const username = sessionStorage.getItem("key")
```
.removeItem(key) - Removes the key-value pair for the specified key. (If the key doesn't exist, nothing happens.)
javascript
```
sessionStorage.removeItem("key")
```
.clear() - Removes all key-value pairs from the store.
javascript
```
localStorage.clear()
```