Email

An email (alternatively spelled as e-mail, known as electronic mail or electronic mail message; hereinafter, the Message) is either a method of exchanging messages similar to mail between people using computing devices or a message that is used in that exchange.

Process model

The following model illustrates the process of electronic mail message transfer:

1. A common sender enters some electronic mail message to his or her email client;
2. The email client transfers the message to a mail submission agent;
3. The mail submission agent transfers the message to a mail exchanger;
4. The mail exchanger finds the location of recipient's mail delivery agent in order to transfer the message to this agent directly or through those mail exchangers that communicate with the recipient's mail delivery agent;
5. The mail delivery agent transfers the message to receiver's email clients;
6. The recipient now is able to read the message and send the response.