IMAP
Also known as: Internet Message Access Protocol
Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is a standard by which e-mail can be sent and received.
E-mail messages are transported over the Internet via SMTP. With IMAP, e-mail messages are not, as with POP3, downloaded from an online mailbox to the inbox on the recipient's computer, but the user works directly on the mail server. Here all his received and sent mail is stored centrally. If desired, e-mail can be archived in folders.
Because e-mail is stored centrally with IMAP, it is easy to synchronize all e-mail between different devices.
Command
Access to the IMAP server will only be possible if the correct username and password are provided at the start of the session. Optionally, connections can be secured with various forms of encryption, such as SSL.
To combat unwanted e-mail, many providers deploy a spam filter. Spam messages are deleted before they are placed in the recipient's mailbox, or suspicious messages are moved to a separate folder within the inbox.
