POP3 or IMAP?
Do you have an e-mail account and don't know what protocol to use to connect to the e-mail server?
Why IMAP or POP3?
Protocol IMAP is faster for users with many or large e-mails, it also support connectios of multiple clients at once - notebook, mobile phone, atd.. The indisputable advantage of working with IMAP for users working with mail on multiple devices is the fact that the read or otherwise marked messages are synchronized to all devices. Advantage of IMAP is associated with principle of synchronization, which allows you to manage messages on e-mail server from e-mail client. Whole message is downloaded only when it's opened. When using POP3, the user only connects long enough to download new mail. When using IMAP, clients are connected as long as the mail client is active. Another advantage of IMAP is searching for messages on the server. Thanks to the mechanism, it is possible to search for a message without having to download the mail.
POP3 Protocol
All messages, headers and contents are always downloaded from the remote server, even those that the user does not want to read (spam, etc.). Downloaded messages are then deleted from the e-mail server. Deleting from the server can be postponed in some mail clients to leave messages on the server. The disadvantage of this solution is that in the event of a mail client crash, all messages will start downloading again as new. POP3 cannot recognize on the server which message you have already read and which you have not - if you leave messages on the server. You can work with downloaded messages without an Internet connection. This is one of the advantages over IMAP (imap only downloads what you read).
Examples of e-mail clients for work with POP3
Microsoft Outlook
Mozilla Thunderbird
The Bat!
Apple Mail
Ports
110 - Unsecured connection - do not use, communication is often interceped and data may be abused (spam, ...)
995 - Secured SSL connection
IMAP Protocol
When viewing individual folders, only the message header is downloaded from the e-mail server, the content of the message is downloaded from the server only when it is opened. Downloaded messages are not deleted from the server. IMAP can store their status, ie. whether you have read the message, replied, etc. The user can move messages between individual folders, create folders or delete them. IMAP supports online and offline work
Examples of e-mail clients for work with IMAP
Microsoft Outlook
Mozilla Thunderbird
The Bat!
Apple Mail
Ports
143 - Unsecured connection - do not use, communication is often interceped and data may be abused (spam, ...)
993 - Secured SSL connection
Conclusion
If you work with mail on multiple devices (desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, ...), IMAP will be much more suitable for you. For example, if you only access your mail from your home PC and use mail occasionally, you can use POP3. From the point of view of mail backup for individuals and medium-sized companies, it is recommended to use IMAP in all cases (we back up mail on our hosting every day), where you have access to www.hukot.net hosting via webmail at webmail.hukot.net - in case of a problem with the laptop or PC you can access the mail via webmail, or use it as the default client for working with mail in case of a basic requirement.