The Gmail API is a RESTful API that can be used to access Gmail mailboxes and
send mail. For most web applications the Gmail API is the best choice for
authorized access to a user's Gmail data and is suitable for various
applications, such as:
- Read-only mail extraction, indexing, and backup
- Automated or programmatic message sending
- Email account migration
- Email organization including filtering and sorting of messages
- Standardization of email signatures across an organization
Following is a list of common terms used in the Gmail API:
- Message
- An email message containing the sender, recipients, subject, and body. After a
message has been created, a message cannot be changed. A message is represented
by a
message resource
.
- Thread
- A collection of related messages forming a conversation. In an email client
app, a thread is formed when one or more recipients respond to a message with
their own message.
- Label
A mechanism for organizing messages and threads. For example,
the label "taxes" might be created and applied to all messages and threads
having to do with a user's taxes. There are two types of labels:
- System labels
- Internally-created labels, such as
INBOX
,
TRASH
, or
SPAM
. These labels
cannot be deleted or modified. However, some system labels, such as
INBOX
can be applied to, or removed from, messages and threads.
- User labels
- Labels created by a user. These labels can be deleted or modified by the
user or an application. A user label is represented by a
label resource
.
- Draft
An unsent message. A message contained within the draft can be replaced.
Sending a draft automatically deletes the draft and creates a message with
the
SENT
system label. A draft is represented by a
draft resource
.
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