SMTP stands for "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol." It is a protocol used for sending emails over the internet. SMTP is responsible for the transfer and delivery of outgoing emails from the sender's email client or server to the recipient's email server.
Here's how SMTP works:
Initiation: When you send an email using your email client (such as Outlook, Gmail, or Thunderbird), the email is composed and addressed. Once you hit the "Send" button, your email client communicates with your email server.
Handshake: The email server establishes a connection with the recipient's email server using SMTP. This connection is established through a series of commands and responses.
Sending Data: Your email client transfers the email's content, including the recipient's email address, subject, body, attachments, and more, to your email server using SMTP commands.
Relaying: Your email server contacts the recipient's email server using the recipient's domain information. The two servers communicate to determine if the recipient's server is available and ready to receive the email.
Delivery: Once the recipient's email server confirms its readiness, your email server sends the email's data to the recipient's server using SMTP.
Recipient's Server Processing: The recipient's email server then processes the incoming email, which can involve spam checks, virus scans, and other filtering processes.
Storage: If the email passes these checks, it is stored in the recipient's email inbox or a designated folder.
SMTP is an essential protocol for email communication, as it ensures that emails are reliably delivered from sender to recipient. It works alongside other protocols like POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) or IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), which handle the retrieval and storage of emails on the recipient's end.
