What does a SMTP server do in the context of email communication?

A Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server's primary function in email communication is to send emails. It facilitates the transfer of outgoing emails from the sender's email client to the recipient's mail server. The SMTP server acts as a relay, taking the email from the sender, ensuring it is properly formatted, and delivering it to the destination, which is usually the incoming mail server of the recipient.

While SMTP is often involved in the sending phase of email communication, it does not manage incoming emails, store emails for extended periods, or organize them for retrieval by users. Other protocols like IMAP or POP3 are responsible for retrieving and managing such tasks for emails once they reach the recipient's server. Therefore, the correct understanding of an SMTP server is that it specializes in the sending process, affirming that it plays a crucial role in the overall email communication workflow.