What is POP - Post Office Protocol ?

POP is a type of computer networking & Internet standard protocol that extracts and retrieves email from a remote mail server for access by the host machine. POP has been updated twice since its origin in 1984 as Post Office Protocol1. Pop2 was released in 1985. POP3 was released in 1988 and included new authentication mechanism & other actions. The most recent version is POP 3, and is supported by virtually all email clients and servers.

POP uses the TCP/IP protocol stack for network connection & works with SMTP for end-to-end email communication, where POP pulls messages & SMTP pushes them to the server. 

How Does POP Works?

POP works by downloading your emails from your provider's mail server, and then marking them for deletion there. This means you can only ever read those email messages in that email client, and on that computer. You won't be able to access any previously downloaded emails from any other device, with any other email client, or through webmail. Because POP does not sync folders, sent emails are only available in the email client where the message was sent. Emails will not show up on the server or other email clients connected to the mailbox.

How POP Compares to IMAP?

POP and IMAP are similar in that both are used for email retrieval. Therefore, POP is older & only defines simple commands to retrieve emails. With this (POP), messages are stored and managed locally on a device or computer. IMAP enables sync between devices and online access.

Therefore, POP is more straightforward to implement and typically more reliable and stable.

What are the Advantage of POP?

• Email is downloaded to the computer itself for email users. To allow users to read their messages when they are offline.
  
  
• Opening downloaded attachments is very easy because they're already downloaded.
  
  
• It requires less disk space as all emails are stored on local PC.
  
  
• Email storage capacity is limited by the size of your computer's hard drive.
  
  
• It is very popular, easy to set up and use.

What are the Disadvantages of POP? 

• From another computer, email cannot be accessed (unless configured to do so).
  
  
• It can be difficult for a user to export a local email folder.
  
  
• Entire folders of email can become corrupted, which could cause you to lose an entire mailbox at once.
  
  
• Email attachments can contain viruses that can cause serious damage to your PC when opened and sometimes go unrecognized by virus scanners.

Conclusion

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