Browser fingerprinting is the practice of identifying a web browser by combining many small configuration and capability signals, such as screen size, time zone, installed fonts, and rendering quirks, into a single identifier. No one signal is unique, but the combination is distinctive enough to recognise the same browser across visits without using cookies.
Each signal on its own, a language setting or a screen resolution, is shared by millions of people. The identifying power comes from the combination: the more independent signals you gather, the smaller the group of browsers that match all of them at once. A well-chosen set narrows that group to a single browser with high probability.
In doorman-benny
doorman-benny returns a browser fingerprint as the `fingerprint` field, alongside a separate cross-browser `hardwareFingerprint` for recognising the physical device regardless of which browser is open.
What is a device fingerprint? A developer's guideFrequently asked questions
Is browser fingerprinting the same as a cookie?
No. A cookie is stored in the browser and can be deleted by the user. A fingerprint is computed from the browser's own characteristics and is not stored client-side, so clearing cookies does not change it.
What is the difference between browser and device fingerprinting?
A browser fingerprint identifies one browser and changes when you switch browsers. A device fingerprint aims to identify the physical machine across browsers by using only hardware-bound signals.
