What is the primary function of the SMTP protocol?

The primary function of the SMTP protocol, which stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is to facilitate the sending of emails. SMTP is a text-based protocol used by email servers to communicate and transfer messages between sender and recipient servers. When a user sends an email, the email client interacts with the outgoing server using SMTP to transmit the message to the designated recipient's server.

Understanding SMTP's role is essential for grasping how email communication works on the internet. It essentially handles the delivery of outgoing messages, while other protocols such as IMAP or POP3 are responsible for receiving and storing emails on the recipient's side. This distinction highlights SMTP's specific focus on the sending process, making it integral to the overall framework of email transmission.