Cookie Policy

A complete guide to how we use cookies, what data they collect, and how you can control them. Written in plain language.

Last updated: March 9, 2026

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device — whether it's your computer, smartphone, or tablet. Think of them as tiny notes that help websites remember who you are and what you prefer.

When you visit DevTools Universe, cookies help us keep you logged in, remember your preferences, and understand which tools you use most often. Without cookies, you'd have to log in every single time you visited.

Some cookies are placed by us directly (first-party cookies), while others come from services we use, like Google AdSense for advertising (third-party cookies). We're transparent about all of them.

Types of Cookies We Use

Not all cookies are created equal. Here's a breakdown of each type we use on DevTools Universe:

Essential Cookies — Required for basic functionality
Functional Cookies — Remember your preferences
Analytics Cookies — Help us understand usage patterns
Advertising Cookies — Serve relevant ads via Google AdSense
AI Assistant Cookies — Support chatbot functionality

Essential Cookies

These cookies are absolutely necessary for DevTools Universe to work properly. Without them, features like logging in and basic security would break.

Essential cookies cannot be disabled because doing so would make the website unusable.

Examples: Session IDs, authentication tokens, CSRF protection, secure login cookies

Functional Cookies

Functional cookies help us remember your preferences and settings so you don't have to set them up every time you visit.

Disabling them won't break the site, but your experience might be less convenient.

Examples: Theme preferences, language selection, recently used tools

Cookie Consent (GDPR & ePrivacy)

If you are visiting DevTools Universe from the European Union, European Economic Area, or the United Kingdom, we are required to obtain your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device.

When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner that allows you to:

Accept All Cookies — Allow all cookies including advertising and analytics
Essential Only — Only allow cookies necessary for the website to function
Customize — Choose which categories of cookies you want to allow

You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in our website footer.

Google AdSense & Advertising Cookies

DevTools Universe displays advertisements through Google AdSense to support our free tools and content. This helps us cover hosting costs and continue developing new tools for the community.

Required Disclosure

  • Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to your website or other websites.
  • Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to users based on their visit to your sites and/or other sites on the Internet.
  • Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
  • Alternatively, users can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info.

Personalized Ads

Google may show you ads based on your interests determined by your browsing activity across websites using Google services.

Non-Personalized Ads

If you opt out, you'll still see ads — they just won't be tailored to your interests. They may be based on page content or general location.

Cookies Used by Google

NID — Stores preferences and ad-related information
IDE — Used by DoubleClick for ad targeting
ANID — Measures ad effectiveness
CONSENT — Tracks cookie consent state

For more information, visit How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites.

AI Assistant Cookies

DevTools Universe features an AI-powered chatbot assistant powered by an open-source language model accessed through an external API service. Here's what you need to know:

Session Cookies: We use temporary cookies to maintain conversation context. These are deleted when you close your browser.
No Permanent Storage: We do not permanently store your AI conversations on our servers.
Third-Party Processing: Messages are sent to an external API. This provider may have their own data handling practices.

Privacy Tip: Avoid sharing sensitive personal information in AI conversations. The chatbot is optional — you can use all tools without it.

California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Your CCPA Rights

  • Right to know what personal information is collected
  • Right to know if your information is sold or disclosed
  • Right to opt out of the sale of personal information
  • Right to request deletion of personal information

"Do Not Sell My Personal Information"

Under CCPA, sharing data with advertising partners may be considered a "sale." You have the right to opt out.

Advertising Partners

We work with Google AdSense, which partners with various certified advertising networks. You can view the full list of Google's certified ad technology providers:

View Google Certified Ad Partners

Manage Your Preferences

You can accept or reject non-essential cookies at any time. If you'd like us to delete all data associated with your account, you can request a complete deletion.

Questions?

If you have any questions about our use of cookies, please contact us:

Email: privacy@devtoolsuniverse.com

Response Time: Within 48 hours