IMAP ( Internet Message Access Protocol ) is an email protocol designed as the successor to POP3 .
Unlike its predecessor, the IMAP protocol primarily allows for synchronization of the email client with the mail server (inbox) and thus access across multiple devices. This means that a message read on one device is almost immediately marked as read on the others, significantly simplifying work.
Additionally, the IMAP protocol , beyond traditional message downloading and deletion, allows for additional operations directly on the mail server (inbox), such as creating and deleting directories. The POP3 protocol does not have this capability.