IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. It is an internet protocol that allows an e-mail client to access e-mail on a remote mail server. IMAP supports both on-line and off-line modes of operation. E-mail clients using IMAP generally leave messages on the server until the user explicitly deletes them and can be synchronised across a number of different devices and mail clients. Virtually all modern e-mail clients and mail servers support both protocols as a means of transferring e-mail messages from a server.
