Email client

An email client (or mail user agent ) is a computer program that is used to read and send e-mail. Protocols supported by email clients include POP3 and IMAP. IMAP and the updated IMAP4 are optimized for storage of e-mail on the server, while the POP3 protocol generally assumes that the e-mail is downloaded to the client. The SMTP protocol is used by most email clients to send e-mail. In addition to the fat client email clients presented here, there are also Web-based email programs ("webmail") such as SquirrelMail, AIM Mail, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, and Hotmail. America Online also has an email client as a component of its Internet access program.

Related Topics:
Computer program - E-mail - POP3 - IMAP - IMAP4 - SMTP - Fat client - Web - Webmail - SquirrelMail - AIM Mail - Yahoo! Mail - Gmail - Hotmail - America Online

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An important standard supported by most email clients is MIME, which is used to send binary attachments. Attachments are files that are not part of the e-mail proper, but are sent with the e-mail.

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MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface) is a proprietary Microsoft Windows API which can be used to access the Microsoft Exchange email server or to interact with the Microsoft Outlook client.

Related Topics:
MAPI - Microsoft Windows - API - Microsoft Exchange - Email server - Microsoft Outlook

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Javamail, part of the platform-independent Java API, can be used to develop email clients or servers using any of the standard email protocols.

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