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+Network Working Group                                           B. Leiba
+Request for Comments: 2177               IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
+Category: Standards Track                                      June 1997
+
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+                           IMAP4 IDLE command
+
+Status of this Memo
+
+   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
+   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
+   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
+   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
+   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
+
+1.   Abstract
+
+   The Internet Message Access Protocol [IMAP4] requires a client to
+   poll the server for changes to the selected mailbox (new mail,
+   deletions).  It's often more desirable to have the server transmit
+   updates to the client in real time.  This allows a user to see new
+   mail immediately.  It also helps some real-time applications based on
+   IMAP, which might otherwise need to poll extremely often (such as
+   every few seconds).  (While the spec actually does allow a server to
+   push EXISTS responses aysynchronously, a client can't expect this
+   behaviour and must poll.)
+
+   This document specifies the syntax of an IDLE command, which will
+   allow a client to tell the server that it's ready to accept such
+   real-time updates.
+
+2.   Conventions Used in this Document
+
+   In examples, "C:" and "S:" indicate lines sent by the client and
+   server respectively.
+
+   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", and "MAY"
+   in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2060
+   [IMAP4].
+
+3.   Specification
+
+   IDLE Command
+
+   Arguments:  none
+
+   Responses:  continuation data will be requested; the client sends
+               the continuation data "DONE" to end the command
+
+
+
+Leiba                       Standards Track                     [Page 1]
+
+RFC 2177                   IMAP4 IDLE command                  June 1997
+
+
+
+   Result:     OK - IDLE completed after client sent "DONE"
+               NO - failure: the server will not allow the IDLE
+                    command at this time
+              BAD - command unknown or arguments invalid
+
+   The IDLE command may be used with any IMAP4 server implementation
+   that returns "IDLE" as one of the supported capabilities to the
+   CAPABILITY command.  If the server does not advertise the IDLE
+   capability, the client MUST NOT use the IDLE command and must poll
+   for mailbox updates.  In particular, the client MUST continue to be
+   able to accept unsolicited untagged responses to ANY command, as
+   specified in the base IMAP specification.
+
+   The IDLE command is sent from the client to the server when the
+   client is ready to accept unsolicited mailbox update messages.  The
+   server requests a response to the IDLE command using the continuation
+   ("+") response.  The IDLE command remains active until the client
+   responds to the continuation, and as long as an IDLE command is
+   active, the server is now free to send untagged EXISTS, EXPUNGE, and
+   other messages at any time.
+
+   The IDLE command is terminated by the receipt of a "DONE"
+   continuation from the client; such response satisfies the server's
+   continuation request.  At that point, the server MAY send any
+   remaining queued untagged responses and then MUST immediately send
+   the tagged response to the IDLE command and prepare to process other
+   commands. As in the base specification, the processing of any new
+   command may cause the sending of unsolicited untagged responses,
+   subject to the ambiguity limitations.  The client MUST NOT send a
+   command while the server is waiting for the DONE, since the server
+   will not be able to distinguish a command from a continuation.
+
+   The server MAY consider a client inactive if it has an IDLE command
+   running, and if such a server has an inactivity timeout it MAY log
+   the client off implicitly at the end of its timeout period.  Because
+   of that, clients using IDLE are advised to terminate the IDLE and
+   re-issue it at least every 29 minutes to avoid being logged off.
+   This still allows a client to receive immediate mailbox updates even
+   though it need only "poll" at half hour intervals.
+
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+Leiba                       Standards Track                     [Page 2]
+
+RFC 2177                   IMAP4 IDLE command                  June 1997
+
+
+   Example:    C: A001 SELECT INBOX
+               S: * FLAGS (Deleted Seen)
+               S: * 3 EXISTS
+               S: * 0 RECENT
+               S: * OK [UIDVALIDITY 1]
+               S: A001 OK SELECT completed
+               C: A002 IDLE
+               S: + idling
+               ...time passes; new mail arrives...
+               S: * 4 EXISTS
+               C: DONE
+               S: A002 OK IDLE terminated
+               ...another client expunges message 2 now...
+               C: A003 FETCH 4 ALL
+               S: * 4 FETCH (...)
+               S: A003 OK FETCH completed
+               C: A004 IDLE
+               S: * 2 EXPUNGE
+               S: * 3 EXISTS
+               S: + idling
+               ...time passes; another client expunges message 3...
+               S: * 3 EXPUNGE
+               S: * 2 EXISTS
+               ...time passes; new mail arrives...
+               S: * 3 EXISTS
+               C: DONE
+               S: A004 OK IDLE terminated
+               C: A005 FETCH 3 ALL
+               S: * 3 FETCH (...)
+               S: A005 OK FETCH completed
+               C: A006 IDLE
+
+4.   Formal Syntax
+
+   The following syntax specification uses the augmented Backus-Naur
+   Form (BNF) notation as specified in [RFC-822] as modified by [IMAP4].
+   Non-terminals referenced but not defined below are as defined by
+   [IMAP4].
+
+   command_auth    ::= append / create / delete / examine / list / lsub /
+                       rename / select / status / subscribe / unsubscribe
+                       / idle
+                       ;; Valid only in Authenticated or Selected state
+
+   idle            ::= "IDLE" CRLF "DONE"
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Leiba                       Standards Track                     [Page 3]
+
+RFC 2177                   IMAP4 IDLE command                  June 1997
+
+
+5.   References
+
+   [IMAP4] Crispin, M., "Internet Message Access Protocol - Version
+   4rev1", RFC 2060, December 1996.
+
+6.   Security Considerations
+
+   There are no known security issues with this extension.
+
+7.   Author's Address
+
+   Barry Leiba
+   IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
+   30 Saw Mill River Road
+   Hawthorne, NY  10532
+
+   Email: leiba@watson.ibm.com
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+Leiba                       Standards Track                     [Page 4]
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