What is IMAP?
IMAP stands for “Internet Message
Access Protocol” is an internet standard protocol that stores email messages on
a mail server, but allows the email clients to manage (view and manipulate) the
messages from the mail server over TCP/IP, they were stored locally on the
email client’s computing device. The IMAP server was typically listen on port
number 143 and IMAP over SSL is assigned the port number 993. IMAP was designed
with the goal of permitting complete management of an email box by multiple
email clients, therefore the clients generally leave messages on the server
until the user explicitly deletes them, Virtually all modern e-mail clients and
servers support IMAP, which along with the earlier POP3 (Post Office Protocol
3) are the two most prevalent standard protocols for email retrieval. The
webmail service providers are such as Outlook.com, Gmail, and Yahoo! Mail also
provide support for both IMAP and POP3.
The Internet Message Access Protocol
is an Application Layer internet protocol that allows email clients to access
email on a remote mail server. Incoming emails messages are sent to an email
server that stores messages in the recipient’s email box. The user retrieves
the messages with an email client that uses one of a number of email retrieval
protocols. While some clients and servers preferentially use vendor-specific,
proprietary protocols, almost all support POP and IMAP for retrieving email –
allowing free choice between many email clients such as Pegasus Mail or Mozilla
Thunderbird to access these servers, and allows the clients to be used with
other servers.
Benefits of Using IMAP
- Allows you to access email
messages from anywhere.
- Allows you to access email
messages in different devices (smartphones, laptops, tablets, computers,
etc.)
- It only downloads a message
when you click on it
- Attachments are not
automatically download by IMAP
- IMAP can be used offline just
like POP
Learn about Routing Protocol
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