What is First-Party Cookie?

A tracking cookie created and read only by the exact domain the user is currently visiting.

First-party cookies are generally considered "safe" by modern browsers like Safari and Firefox. When you visit nicelookingdata.com, any cookie set by nicelookingdata.com is a first-party cookie.

Google Analytics relies exclusively on first-party cookies (specifically the _ga cookie) to store the Client ID and Session ID. Even amidst the "death of cookies," first-party analytics tracking remains functional, though Apple's ITP limits the lifespan of these cookies to 7 days in certain scenarios.

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Related Terms

Third-Party Cookie

A tracking cookie set by a domain other than the one the user is currently visiting, traditionally heavily used for cross-site ad retargeting.

Client ID

A unique, randomly generated string assigned to a specific browser and device combination, used by GA4 to anonymously identify returning users.