internet message access protocol

1 definition found

internet message access protocol - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  Internet Message Access Protocol
  IMAP
  
     <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.
  
     Current version: 4.
  
     See RFC 2060, RFC 2061, and others.
  
     Compare: POP.
  
     (1999-03-14)