Session state in IIS, or Internet Information Services, refers to the capability of web applications to preserve user-specific data and state across multiple interactions with the server. When a user accesses a web application, a session is created, and data relevant to that user, such as shopping cart contents or login status, is stored on the server. A unique session ID is typically assigned to each user, allowing the server to associate subsequent requests with the correct session data.
This feature facilitates the development of dynamic and user-centric web applications, enabling tasks like e-commerce shopping, user authentication, and maintaining user preferences. Proper session state management is crucial for security, scalability, and providing a seamless user experience in web applications hosted on IIS.