What is CORS?

CORS Explained Simply

CORS stands for Cross-Origin Resource Sharing. It's a security feature built into web browsers that controls how web pages from one domain can request and use resources (like data or services) from a different domain.

To understand CORS, imagine websites as different houses in a neighborhood:

1. Same-origin: If you're in your own house, you can access anything inside freely. Similarly, a web page can easily access resources from its own domain.

2. Cross-origin: If you want to borrow something from a neighbor's house, you need permission. CORS is like that permission system for websites.

3. Security: CORS prevents malicious websites from making unauthorized requests to other websites on your behalf, which could lead to data theft or other security issues.

4. How it works: When a website tries to access resources from a different domain, the browser sends a special request. The other domain can then decide whether to allow or deny this access.

5. Server configuration: Website owners can configure their servers to specify which other domains are allowed to access their resources.

This system helps maintain security on the web while allowing for necessary interactions between different websites and services.