Last updated: 2026-05-22. Companion to the privacy notice.

Cookies we set

None. stackharden.com does not set any cookies of its own. We do not use cookies for sessions, preferences, authentication, or tracking. The site is static HTML served from a CDN, with no per-visitor server-side state.

One nuance: the “Was this useful?” widget on guide pages uses two non-cookie browser-storage entries (localStorage and sessionStorage). Strictly necessary for the widget’s function and no third party is involved; details below.

Cookies our CDN may set

Our hosting / CDN provider (named in the processor list of the privacy notice) may set strictly-necessary security cookies in specific cases. The typical example is after a CAPTCHA challenge on a request the CDN classified as suspicious — a cookie is set to record that the challenge has been completed, so the same visitor is not challenged repeatedly on subsequent requests.

These cookies:

  • are not analytics cookies;
  • are not used for advertising or profiling;
  • are not shared with any third party beyond the CDN;
  • are required for the security check to function.

Under the ePrivacy Directive (and equivalent national rules) these cookies fall within the strictly-necessary exception and do not require consent.

Cookies from analytics

We use Plausible Analytics for aggregate pageview metrics. Plausible sets no cookies. It identifies unique visitors by a server-side hashed fingerprint of the visitor’s IP and User-Agent combined with a salt that rotates every 24 hours — nothing is written to the visitor’s browser, and the fingerprint cannot be used to track visitors across days.

Because Plausible sets no cookies and the privacy notice’s analytics section explains how it processes data, no consent prompt is required under GDPR or ePrivacy.

If we ever add a tool that does set cookies, we will update this page and present a clear consent prompt before any non-essential cookie is set. No pre-ticked boxes.

Cookies from the subscription form

The subscribe page is a plain HTML form. Loading the page sets no cookies. Submitting the form sends a regular HTTP POST to our mailing-list infrastructure at lists.stackharden.com — no JavaScript runs, no tracking pixel fires, no cookie is set on stackharden.com as a result.

After submission, your browser is redirected to a confirmation page on lists.stackharden.com. That subdomain runs Listmonk and is covered by the same privacy notice; the confirmation page sets no non-essential cookies.

Browser storage by the engagement widget

The “Was this useful?” widget at the bottom of each guide uses two small browser-storage entries — neither is a cookie, both are strictly necessary for the widget’s function:

  • localStorage — one key per article slug (e.g. ae:postgresql-hardening:voted) recording whether and how you voted. Prevents the same browser from voting on the same article twice. Persists until you clear browser storage.
  • sessionStorage — one key per article slug recording that the current browser session has already counted as a view. Prevents refresh / back-button from inflating the counter. Cleared when you close the browser.

The values stored are the vote direction (up or down) and a flag (1) respectively. No personal identifier is stored, no IP, no device data. These entries fall within the ePrivacy “strictly-necessary” exception and do not require consent.

If you prefer the widget not store anything, most browsers let you block storage per site. Blocking will not break the page — you will simply be able to vote again on the same article after a reload.

Clicking an affiliate link in one of our articles may cause the destination site (the affiliate’s site, not ours) to set cookies. We do not control those cookies and you should review the privacy / cookie notice of the destination site for detail.

We do not set any tracking cookie of our own when you click an affiliate link.

Managing cookies in your browser

Modern browsers let you view and delete cookies in their settings:

  • Firefox — Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data.
  • Chrome / Edge — Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data.
  • Safari — Settings → Privacy → Manage Website Data.

Blocking all cookies will not break stackharden.com (we set none); it may cause the CDN’s security challenges to repeat more often.

Changes to this notice

Date Change
2026-05-17 Initial publication.
2026-05-17 Added Plausible (cookieless) analytics; analytics section rewritten.
2026-05-19 Added the optional mailing list (Listmonk + SMTP2GO). Documented that the subscribe form sets no cookies on stackharden.com.
2026-05-22 Documented the engagement widget’s localStorage and sessionStorage use — strictly necessary, no personal identifier, no third party involved.