Computing Dictionary
Internet Message Access Protocol definition
protocol, messaging (IMAP) A
protocol allowing a
client to access and manipulate
electronic mail messages on a
server. It permits manipulation of remote message folders (
mailboxes), in a way that is functionally equivalent to local mailboxes.
IMAP includes operations for creating, deleting, and renaming mailboxes; checking for new messages; permanently removing messages; searching; and selective fetching of message attributes, texts, and portions thereof. It does not specify a means of posting mail; this function is handled by a mail transfer protocol such as
SMTP.
Latest version: 4.
See
RFC 2060,
RFC 2061, and others.
Compare:
POP.
(1999-03-14)
