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Cookies & Local Storage

Last updated: 5 May 2026

AlphaSuite uses one essential access cookie. It lets us show and enforce the anonymous daily Atlas protein tokens, which reset at 00:00 UTC. We also use browser local storage for interface preferences and recent in-browser search state, and session storage for a temporary upload capability token.

1. Cookies

A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website, which can be read by the site on your next visit. AlphaSuite uses a single essential cookie to recognise an anonymous browser for Atlas free-tier quota enforcement.

Name Purpose Values Expiry
alphasuite_atlas_id Essential anonymous identifier used to show and enforce the daily free Atlas protein tokens Signed random token; the server stores only a one-way hash for quota records Up to 14 days after your last Atlas access, or until you clear site data

We do not use advertising, analytics, or cross-site tracking cookies. This essential cookie may be set when you open /atlas so the daily token meter and quota enforcement work. If you block it, Atlas search remains available, but anonymous free protein loading may not work because we cannot count the daily allowance.

2. What We Do Use: Browser Local Storage

AlphaSuite uses your browser’s local storage to remember interface state such as your preferred colour theme and recent searches. Local storage is different from cookies in several important ways:

  • Local storage data is not automatically transmitted to our servers — it stays within your browser unless you choose to submit a search or load a protein
  • It is not sent with every HTTP request the way cookies are
  • It cannot be accessed by other websites
  • It has no expiry date (it persists until you clear it)
  • It is not subject to the same consent requirements as cookies under UK/EU law, because it is not used for tracking or profiling

What is stored

Key Purpose Values Transmitted?
alphasuite-theme Remembers your chosen colour theme between visits light or dark Never — stays on your device only
alphasuite-search-history Stores recent searches in the browser so you can quickly revisit them Recent query strings Only if you submit or re-submit a search
alphasuite:recent-pdbs:* Stores recently viewed PDB structures for a protein in the browser PDB identifiers for the current browser Never automatically

If the key is absent (for example, on your first visit), AlphaSuite detects your operating system preference using the standard prefers-color-scheme media query and applies light or dark mode automatically, without storing anything.

Temporary upload capability in session storage

When you upload a structure, AlphaSuite stores an opaque upload ID and capability token under keys beginning alphasuite-upload-capability:, plus alphasuite-active-upload so the same tab can restore the viewer after a reload. Session storage is scoped to the browser tab and is normally cleared when that tab session ends. The capability token is sent only to AlphaSuite upload endpoints in the X-Upload-Token header and is never placed in a URL.

3. How to Clear Your Stored Preference

You can clear the stored theme preference at any time using your browser’s developer tools or site settings:

  • Chrome / Edge: Press F12 → Application tab → Local Storage → https://alphasuite.bio → right-click the key and delete, or click Clear All
  • Firefox: Press F12 → Storage tab → Local Storage → https://alphasuite.bio → right-click and delete
  • Safari: Develop menu → Show Web Inspector → Storage → Local Storage
  • Any browser: Clearing site data for alphasuite.bio via your browser’s privacy or site settings will remove this entry

After clearing, AlphaSuite will fall back to your operating system preference on your next visit.

4. Third-Party Services

AlphaSuite loads fonts from Google Fonts and the PDBe Mol* viewer from EBI’s content delivery network. These third-party services may set their own browser storage entries (for example, for font caching). We have no control over or access to any storage set by these services.

  • Google Fonts — may cache font data locally in your browser. See Google’s Privacy Policy
  • EMBL-EBI (EBI CDN) — the PDBe Mol* viewer library may be cached by your browser. See EMBL-EBI Terms of Use

These third-party services also receive your IP address when your browser requests their assets. Please see our Privacy Notice for full details.

5. Changes to This Page

If we change our cookie or local storage use, we will update this page, add a “Last updated” date, and notify users appropriately. We will not introduce tracking or advertising cookies without explicit consent.

6. Contact

Questions? Contact us at AvennaXLtd@outlook.com.