Of course, users of the system can log-in and run a mail client on the same computer that hosts their mailboxes in which case, the server is not actually remote, other than in a generic sense.Įmails are stored in the user's mailbox on the remote server until the user's email client requests them to be downloaded to the user's computer, or can otherwise access the user's mailbox on the possibly remote server. The default setting on many Unix systems is for the mail server to store formatted messages in mbox, within the user's home directory. The remote mail storage is referred to as the user's mailbox. The MTA, using a suitable mail delivery agent (MDA), adds email messages to a client's storage as they arrive. (MTA) server for the receipt and storage of the client's emails. The common arrangement is for an email user (the client) to make an arrangement with a remote Mail Transfer Agent Like most client programs, an email client is only active when a user runs it.

Mozilla Thunderbird email client user interface on a Linux operating systemĪn email client, email reader or, more formally, message user agent (MUA) or mail user agent is a computer program used to access and manage a user's email.Ī web application which provides message management, composition, and reception functions may act as a web email client, and a piece of computer hardware or software whose primary or most visible role is to work as an email client may also use the term.

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