RFC 1176 (rfc1176) - Page 1 of 30
Interactive Mail Access Protocol: Version 2
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group M. Crispin Request for Comments: 1176 Washington Obsoletes: RFC 1064 August 1990 INTERACTIVE MAIL ACCESS PROTOCOL - VERSION 2 Status of this Memo This RFC suggests a method for personal computers and workstations to dynamically access mail from a mailbox server ("repository"). It obosoletes RFC 1064. This RFC specifies an Experimental Protocol for the Internet community. Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested. Please refer to the current edition of the "IAB Official Protocol Standards" for the standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. Introduction The intent of the Interactive Mail Access Protocol, Version 2 (IMAP2) is to allow a workstation, personal computer, or similar small machine to access electronic mail from a mailbox server. Since the distinction between personal computers and workstations is blurring over time, it is desirable to have a single solution that addresses the need in a general fashion. IMAP2 is the "glue" of a distributed electronic mail system consisting of a family of client and server implementations on a wide variety of platforms, from small single- tasking personal computing engines to complex multi-user timesharing systems. Although different in many ways from the Post Office Protocols (POP2 and POP3, hereafter referred to collectively as "POP") described in RFC 937 and RFC 1081, IMAP2 may be thought of as a functional superset of these. RFC 937 was used as a model for this RFC. There was a cognizant reason for this; POP deals with a similar problem, albeit with a less comprehensive solution, and it was desirable to offer a basis for comparison. Like POP, IMAP2 specifies a means of accessing stored mail and not of posting mail; this function is handled by a mail transfer protocol such as SMTP (RFC 821). This protocol assumes a reliable data stream such as provided by TCP or any similar protocol. When TCP is used, the IMAP2 server listens on port 143. Crispin
