MBOX

1. 본문

MBOX is a family of file formats commonly used for storing collections of email messages.

Here's a breakdown of what you should know about MBOX:
Key Features and Concepts

• Plain Text Storage: MBOX files store email messages in plain text format. All messages within a single mailbox (e.g., Inbox, Sent, etc.) are concatenated together in a single file.
• Message Delimiters: Each email message within an MBOX file is typically separated by a "From " line (note the space after "From"). This line acts as a delimiter, indicating the start of a new message. The format looks like, for example, `From name@emaildomain.com Sun Feb 09 12:00:00 2025`.
• Variations: There are several variations of the MBOX format, including MBOXO, MBOXRD, MBOXCL, and MBOXCL2. These variations differ slightly in how they handle the "From " line and potential conflicts with email content.
• Usage: It is a format utilized by many email clients for storing emails. Some of these clients include Mozilla Thunderbird, and Apple Mail. It is also used for Google Takeout, where users can download their data in this format.

How it Works1. Concatenation: Emails are added to the MBOX file one after another.

2. "From " Delimiter: When a new email is added, a "From " line is inserted before the email headers to mark its beginning.

3. From line in the body is prepended with ">" character. For example `>From contents of the email`.