The POP3 command, or Post Office Protocol version 3, is a protocol used by email clients to retrieve emails from a remote server. It typically involves commands such as USER, PASS, LIST, RETR, DELE, and QUIT, which authenticate the user, list emails, retrieve specific emails, mark emails for deletion, and exit the session, respectively.
Running POP3 involves configuring an email client with POP3 settings provided by your email service provider. You enter server details (like hostname and port number), username, and password into your email client’s settings. Once configured, the client communicates with the POP3 server to download emails to your local device.
POP3 retrieves emails from a mail server to a client device and deletes them from the server after retrieval. It allows users to access and manage emails offline, unlike IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), which typically leaves emails on the server. POP3 is suitable for users who prefer storing emails locally and managing them directly from their devices.
A command-line POP3 client is a program used to interact with a POP3 server through a command-line interface (CLI). It enables users to perform POP3 operations like listing emails, downloading messages, and managing email deletion and session closure directly from the terminal or command prompt.
POP3, the “top” command allows users to preview the headers of emails without downloading their entire content. It retrieves a specified number of lines from the beginning of an email, typically used for quick review or selective downloading of emails based on header information.