IMAP - Internet Message Access Protocol

Internet Message Access Protocol is the maximum extensively used electronic mail retrieval protocol based totally on the TCP/IP protocol suite. The protocol was evolved as an opportunity to POP, by someone call 'Mark Crispin' in 1986. At that point POP (Post Office Protocol) became the most famous email retrieval protocol, which deletes e-mails once it downloaded to the client system, IMAP let the consumer view e-mail immediately from a server through logging in, and doesn't deletes it till the user needs it to do.

IMAP is great suitable for today's state of affairs where we access our mailbox from 'array' of various devices like desktop, notebook, cell phone or pill. IMAP allows you to view, download, prepare or even delete your emails without downloading them on a nearby system. With the provision of huge server capacity, super Internet speed and accessibility from array of gadgets, IMAP proved to be the protocol of 'nowadays'.

Difference between IMAP and POP3
IMAP and POP3 are the maximum commonly used email retrieval protocol. Both work on the software layer of the TCP/IP protocol suite. Like POP3, IMAP works in disconnected and offline mode too. Their similarities ends over right here.

The foremost difference between IMAP and POP3 is that, POP3 deletes mail from the server once it gets downloaded. On the other hand, Internet Message Access Protocol keeps it on a webserver, even after the mails are synchronized with the consumer. In this manner multiple customers can access the same mail untill anyone of them manually deletes it. Due to this very motive, POP3 is most effective suitable for those conditions in which there may be best a single consumer.