Refers to software that does not keep track of configuration settings, transaction information or any other data for the next session. When a program "does not maintain state" (is stateless) or when the infrastructure of a system prevents a program from maintaining state, it cannot take information about the last session into the next, such as settings the user chose or conditions that arose during processing.
The Perfect Example
The most ubiquitous stateless environment is the World Wide Web. The HTTP protocol, which is the communications vehicle for Web transactions, is stateless. After a Web page is delivered to the user, the connection is closed. Counter measures, such as the use of cookies, have been developed to maintain the state of a user moving from page to page on a Web site. Contrast with "stateful," which means that continuity is maintained from session to session. See HTTP and cookie.
The Perfect Example
The most ubiquitous stateless environment is the World Wide Web. The HTTP protocol, which is the communications vehicle for Web transactions, is stateless. After a Web page is delivered to the user, the connection is closed. Counter measures, such as the use of cookies, have been developed to maintain the state of a user moving from page to page on a Web site. Contrast with "stateful," which means that continuity is maintained from session to session. See HTTP and cookie.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
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- Discussion threads 2009-06-27
- SOA services still too constrained by applications they represent
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- Discussion threads 2009-01-24
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- White papers 2009-01-01
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- Blog posts 2008-12-03
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- Blog posts 2008-10-21
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- Discussion threads 2008-08-05
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- Blog posts 2008-08-05
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- Blog posts 2008-08-05
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- Videos 2008-08-05
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