Email protocols

 IMAP4: stands for Internet Message Access Protocol version 4. In comparison to email client applications using POP3, email client applications using IMAP4 are relatively more flexible and provide more features. After IMAP4 email applications download email messages onto your computer, a copy of downloaded messages, by default, stays on the email server. Since a copy of all your email messages is present on the email server, you can easily access your email messages even from multiple locations. IMAP4 email allows you to not only access, but also create more than one email folders on the email server.

POP3 or Post Office Protocol version 3 is latest standard protocol designed to receive email messages from an email server. Majority of email service providers furnish POP3 by default and almost all email clients support POP3. POP3 is a client-server protocol, wherein your email messages are received and stored for you by your server. It deletes all the email messages soon after you download them. It is specifically designed to enable offline email processing.