Messaging Application Programming Interface

Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI, dt: interface for the programming of message- processing programs ) uses the proprietary RPC protocol, which is developed by Microsoft to allow various programs to access e -mail functions. MAPI is the central interface of Microsoft Exchange Server and is also supported by Microsoft Outlook. For example, it is possible using MAPI to send e- mail directly from an application program, without having to open the e- mail program.

MAPI exists in versions Simple MAPI, and Extended MAPI (MAPI 1.0). From a number of other manufacturers of standard Vendor Independent Messaging ( VIM) has been proposed which could not prevail against MAPI.

Contrary to a widespread misconception MAPI is not a protocol, but an interface.

Free, open - source implementations of MAPI

Some free open source projects offer support for the MAPI interface. For example, there is the OpenMapi project that Zarafa MAPI4Linux ( also part of OpenMapi ) and the MAPI library libmapi as a subproject of OpenChange. This library is also used in the OpenChange Project Evolution MAPI. Evolution MAPI connects Evolution to Exchange servers dar. Furthermore, the project DavMail a dynamic translator of the MAPI interface to the IMAP and POP available, the integration of standards-compliant e -mail programs, such as Mozilla Thunderbird allows to an Exchange server.