Email Protocols: SMTP and IMAP Flashcards

1️⃣ Familiarise yourself with the flashcards:

  • Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
  • Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

  • Look at the question or prompt on each card and try to remember the answer before flipping it over.
  • Check the answer and make a note of any cards you find challenging and need to go over more.

3️⃣ Consistently Review and Practice:

  • Use spaced repetition: spend more time on the cards you struggle with and go over them more often.
  • Regularly review all the flashcards to help you better understand and retain the information over time.

Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

PERSONALISED 1-TO-1 TUTORING

Need more help on this topic? Get 1-to-1 support

Get support with clear explanations, practice and feedback (Ages 5 to 16).

  • DBS-checked tutors
  • Flexible times
  • Parents can be updated

Want an ad-free experience? Subscribe to remove ads

What does SMTP stand for, and what is it used for?

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It sends emails from your app to a mail server and between mail servers.

What does IMAP stand for, and what is it used for?

Internet Message Access Protocol. It lets your app read and manage emails stored on a mail server.

Which protocol is used to send an email out from your device?

SMTP sends the email to your mail server.

Which protocol lets you see the same inbox on your phone, tablet, and laptop?

IMAP, because it keeps emails on the server and syncs changes.

What are the main steps when you send an email to a friend?

Your app uses SMTP to send it to your mail server. That server uses SMTP to reach your friend's mail server. Your friend's app uses IMAP to read it.

Why is SMTP called a "store and forward" protocol?

A mail server stores the email, then forwards it on to the next server until it reaches the right one.

What kinds of changes does IMAP sync across devices?

Read status, deletions, folder moves, and flags, because changes are saved on the server.

Which port numbers are commonly used by SMTP?

25 for server to server, 587 for client sending. Secure SMTP can also use 465.

Which port numbers are commonly used by IMAP?

143 for standard IMAP and 993 for secure IMAP.

Does IMAP remove emails from the server by default when you read them?

No. IMAP keeps emails on the server and your app downloads a copy when needed.