Cookies are small files a website stores on your device. This page lists every one this site uses, what it does and how long it lasts, together with the browser-storage entries that work the same way but are not technically cookies.
The short version: nothing that identifies you is stored until you press Accept on the banner. A few essential entries are always on, because the site cannot function without them — they remember your light or dark theme, remember that you answered the banner so it stops asking, and let Cloudflare tell people from bots. None of those leave your browser or say anything about who you are.
Everything else waits for your consent, and you can change your mind at any time using the link at the end of this page. Declining costs you nothing: the site works identically either way.
For how personal data is handled more broadly, including the newsletter and the contact form, see the privacy policy.
Cookies and storage we use
Essential — always active
These are needed for the site to work and to keep it secure. The two entries below markedbrowser storage are not cookies at all: they are stored locally by your browser and are never sent to us or anyone else.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
plain-ai-theme | This site (browser storage) | Remembers whether you chose the light or dark colour scheme. | Until you clear your browser storage |
plain-ai-consent | This site (browser storage) | Remembers your choice on this banner, so it stops asking. | Until you clear your browser storage |
__cf_bm | Cloudflare | Distinguishes people from bots; keeps the site available and secure. | 30 minutes |
cf_chl_* / cf_clearance | Cloudflare Turnstile | Set only on the Contact page, when the spam check on the form runs, to record that the check passed. | Session to 30 minutes |
Statistics — only if you accept
These help us see which explainers are useful and where people get stuck. Nothing in this group loads unless you press Accept on the cookie banner. If you chooseEssential only, no analytics script is ever added to the page and none of these are set.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | Assigns a random ID so repeat visits can be counted as one visitor. | 2 years |
_ga_2EPW8FEH6R | Google Analytics | Keeps track of a single browsing session on this site. | 2 years |
_clck | Microsoft Clarity | Assigns a random ID so repeat visits can be linked. | 1 year |
_clsk | Microsoft Clarity | Groups the pages you view into a single session recording. | 1 day |
CLID / ANONCHK / MUID / SM | Microsoft (clarity.ms) | Set by Clarity itself to recognise the browser and check that storage works. | 10 minutes to 1 year |
Retention periods for the third-party entries are set by those providers and can change. Current details are in theGoogle cookie documentation, theMicrosoft Clarity cookie list, and theCloudflare cookie reference.
Changing your choice
Clearing this site's data in your browser settings removes the stored consent choice, and the banner will ask again on your next visit. Clearing cookies also removes anything already set by the providers above. We set no advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.