- CORS :
- Cross Origin Resource Sharing
CORS, or Cross-Origin Resource Sharing, is a security feature implemented in web browsers that allows or restricts web applications running at one origin (domain) to make requests to resources hosted on a different origin. This is crucial for maintaining the security of web applications, as it prevents malicious sites from accessing sensitive data from another domain without permission. For example, if a web application from "example.com" tries to fetch data from "api.example2.com", CORS policies determine whether this request is allowed or blocked.
When a browser makes a cross-origin request, it sends an HTTP request that includes specific headers indicating the origin of the request. The server at the target origin can then respond with headers that either allow or deny the request based on its CORS configuration. If the server allows the request, the browser will proceed with the data exchange; if not, it will block the request. Understanding CORS is essential for developers working with APIs and web applications, as it directly impacts how resources can be shared and accessed across different domains while ensuring user security.