Definition - What does HTML5 Local Storage mean?

HTML5 local storage is a component of the Web storage application programming interface. It is a method by which Web pages locally store named key/value pairs inside a client's Web browser. Similar to cookies, this saved data exists - even when you close a browser tab, surf away from a current website, exit a browser tab or close a main browser. Unlike cookies, this data is not carried to the remote Web server unless it is sent manually. Because HTML5 local storage is natively integrated into Web browsers, it is available without third-party browser plug-ins. It is described in the HTML5 specifications.

Local storage is mainly used to store and retrieve data in HTML pages from the same domain. Even after restarting a browser, the data can be recovered from all windows in the same domain. This type of storage offers numerous options for Web apps.

Browsers, such as Firefox 3.5+, Internet Explorer 8.0+, Chrome 4.0+, Safari 4.0+, Mobile Safari (iPhone/iPad), Opera 10.5+ and Android 2.0+ support HTML5 local storage.