What is IMAP Mail? Advantages and Disadvantages
IMAP is one of the most known email protocols. TCP IP number 143 allows IMAP emails to work with Porto to be received over the server.
It is necessary to use any e-mail client to use e-mail with IMAP Protocol (Outlook, Apple Mail, Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird; Hotmail and Gmail web interfaces, etc.)
Most of the internet usage is email communication. In this context, protocols such as SMTP IMAP and POP3 are required for e-mail exchange on the internet.
SMTP Protocol is designed to send mail. IMAP, on the other hand, ensures that emails are received through the server.
When connecting to the E-Mail server with IMAP, it brings only the header information of the e-mails accumulated in the box to the client. POP3 draws all messages to the client.
Many servers that provide e-mail functionality have IMAP protocol support.
So, with which option should we use our e-mails IMAP or POP3? The answer to this question is based on the purpose and type of use.
It can vary. Let's examine the advantages of IMAP over the POP3 protocol.
When connecting with IMAP, only the header information of the mail in the mailbox is downloaded. However, when the connection is made in the POP3 protocol, all the information in the mailbox is downloaded. In this context, IMAP offers a faster connection than POP3 and more practical access to your emails. IMAP is a fast and practical solution, especially if mobile users have limited internet access.
In the POP3 connection, the connection is closed when the mail is downloaded to the computer or client. However, the connection remains open in the IMAP protocol. This means that even when a new email arrives in your mailbox, even this IMAP will be delivered to you instantly.
IMAP is a protocol recommended for multiple users, allowing different people to access the same mail account from different devices.
In the POP3 protocol, one account is usually adapted to one user. Multiple users accessing a mail account can cause some problems in the POP3 protocol.
Works with IMAP server synchronization. Suppose your client has also created a folder on your computer or mobile phone. The folder name and content you created are transferred to the server in the IMAP protocol and you can also see the folder you have created on your mobile phone on your computer. So your mobile phone, computer, and server work synchronously over the IMAP protocol.
The main thing here is the security and server capacity of the server. There is no mailbox or quota provided by IMAP.
As you can see, IMAP is advantageous in cases where more than one person should drink to common e-mail accounts that need to work synchronously. There is no archiving in IMAP. This is the imam's biggest handicap. No server system or hosting offers you unlimited email space. You have to make room for yourself by deleting your old e-mails. IMAP with API can be used because archiving for instant email access and communication will not be a problem.
However, an external backup is essential for company correspondence that requires archiving, offers, documents, or retrospective research of important information.
At this point, POP3 backup and archiving make a difference to IMAP with its capacity to reach backward mails.
When the POP3 protocol connects to the server, it downloads all the mails to the web client you are connecting to, ie backs up. Apart from the server, your emails are stored on your local computer.
There is no quota problem on the server, you delete the e-mails that you download to the computer in certain periods, so you can empty your mailbox.
In summary, when instant messaging and multiple users need to access an e-mail, IMAP should be preferred to store archives sent for archive, archive large size mails and POP3 to avoid quota problems.