JMAP stands for JSON Meta Application Protocol. It’s a robust way to receive and relay mail server messages in modern web-based or mobile environments.
The Extra Features of JMAP
IMAP has long been the golden standard for incoming email, but JMAP provides several more features on top of what IMAP has to offer. JMAP:
- Uses JSON and HTTP for its transport layer, which is incredibly fast and compatible with nearly any app.
- Only looks for changes made since the last time it checked your account rather than refreshing every item each time. This is much more efficient than IMAP.
- Is stateless, which means it doesn’t require a persistent connection. For mobile users, this translates to better battery life without sacrificing notifications.
- Bundles requests: Multiple operations like receiving, sorting, reading, and marking as read can be sent in a single request rather than individually, reducing the amount of network activity.
- Can also be used to transfer calendar and contact data.