How to set cookie in android WebView client

How to Set Cookies in Android WebView Client

Introduction

Android’s WebView component provides a way to display web content within your app. Sometimes, websites require cookies to function correctly. This article explains how to set cookies in the WebView client for your Android app.

Understanding Cookies

Cookies are small pieces of data that websites store on a user’s computer. They are used to remember user preferences, login information, and other data. When a user visits a website, the website may send a cookie to the user’s browser. The browser will then store the cookie on the user’s computer. The next time the user visits the website, the browser will send the cookie back to the website. This allows the website to recognize the user and provide personalized content.

Methods for Setting Cookies in WebView

1. Using the CookieManager Class

The CookieManager class in Android provides methods for managing cookies in the WebView. Here’s a breakdown:

Code Example:

import android.webkit.CookieManager;
import android.webkit.WebView;
import android.webkit.WebViewClient;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Build;
import android.os.Bundle;

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

    private WebView myWebView;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        myWebView = (WebView) findViewById(R.id.webview);
        myWebView.setWebViewClient(new WebViewClient());

        // Set up cookie management
        CookieManager cookieManager = CookieManager.getInstance();
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP) {
            cookieManager.setAcceptThirdPartyCookies(myWebView, true);
        } else {
            cookieManager.setAcceptCookie(true);
        }
        // Set the cookie
        cookieManager.setCookie("www.example.com", "cookie_name=cookie_value");
        // Load the website
        myWebView.loadUrl("https://www.example.com");
    }
}

Explanation:

• **Import the necessary classes:**
  • `android.webkit.CookieManager`: Provides cookie management methods.
  • `android.webkit.WebView`: The view to load your web content.
  • `android.webkit.WebViewClient`: Allows you to handle events related to the WebView.
• **Get an instance of CookieManager:** Use `CookieManager.getInstance()` to get the singleton instance.
• **Handle cookie acceptance based on API level:**
  • For API level 21 (Lollipop) and above, use `cookieManager.setAcceptThirdPartyCookies(myWebView, true)` to allow third-party cookies.
  • For earlier API levels, use `cookieManager.setAcceptCookie(true)` to allow cookies.
• **Set the cookie:**
  • Use `cookieManager.setCookie(domain, cookie)` to set the cookie. The domain is the website for which the cookie applies, and the cookie is a string in the format “cookie_name=cookie_value”.
• **Load the URL:** Use `myWebView.loadUrl(url)` to load the webpage.

2. Using Headers in the Request

You can also set cookies by adding them to the request headers when loading the URL. This approach is more flexible for handling different types of cookies.

Code Example:

import android.webkit.WebView;
import android.webkit.WebViewClient;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

    private WebView myWebView;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        myWebView = (WebView) findViewById(R.id.webview);
        myWebView.setWebViewClient(new WebViewClient() {

            @Override
            public boolean shouldOverrideUrlLoading(WebView view, String url) {
                // Add cookie to the request header
                view.loadUrl(url, new HashMap() {{
                    put("Cookie", "cookie_name=cookie_value");
                }});
                return true;
            }
        });

        // Load the website
        myWebView.loadUrl("https://www.example.com");
    }
}

Explanation:

• **Override the `shouldOverrideUrlLoading` method:**
  • The `shouldOverrideUrlLoading` method in `WebViewClient` is called when the WebView is about to load a new URL. You can use this method to intercept the request and modify it before it’s sent.
• **Create a `HashMap` for headers:**
  • Create a `HashMap` to hold the custom headers for the request.
• **Set the “Cookie” header:**
  • Add a key-value pair to the `HashMap`, where the key is “Cookie” and the value is the cookie string “cookie_name=cookie_value”.
• **Load the URL with headers:**
  • Call `view.loadUrl(url, headers)` to load the URL with the specified headers.

Comparing the Methods

Conclusion

This article has shown you two methods for setting cookies in the Android WebView client: using the CookieManager class and modifying the request headers. The best approach depends on your specific needs. For basic cookie management, CookieManager is a simple and convenient option. If you require more control and flexibility, modifying the request headers might be a better choice.