Question

How to set a cookie in Node.js using the Express framework?

I’m building a web application with Node.js and Express, and I need to set a cookie on the client’s browser. I’ve heard about using the res.cookie method, but I’m unsure how to implement it correctly or configure options like expiration. Can someone guide me through the process?

Answer 1

You can use the res.cookie() method to set a cookie

Step 1: Install Express

If you don't have Express installed, add it to your project:

npm install express

Step 2: Basic Code to Set a Cookie

The res.cookie() method allows you to define a cookie with a name, value, and optional configurations.

const express = require('express');

const app = express();

app.get('/set-cookie', (req, res) => {

    // Setting a cookie with a name and value

    res.cookie('username', 'Mahak', {

        maxAge: 60000,     // 1 minute

        httpOnly: true,  // Makes the cookie inaccessible to JavaScript on the client side

        secure: false,   // Set true for HTTPS

        sameSite: 'strict' // Controls cross-site behavior

    });

    res.send('Cookie has been set!');

});


app.get('/get-cookie', (req, res) => {

    // Access cookies using req.cookies (requires cookie-parser)

    res.send(`Cookie value is: ${req.cookies?.username || 'cookie not found'}`);

});


app.listen(3000, () => {

    console.log('Server is running on http://localhost:3000');

});