Do I need a POP3/IMAP server running to use PHPMailer? [closed]

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We have deployed Google Apps for our email so don't use POP/IMAP.

However, some of our website's scripts (WordPress, OpenCart) use PHP mail function to send emails.

Do I need to keep running a POP3/IMAP server like Dovecot running or can I safely turn it off?

On that note, can I close POP3/IMAP ports safely?

Answer 1

POP/IMAP are for retrieving email. For sending, which is what PHPMailer is doing, you need an SMTP server, e.g. postfix, sendmail, exim.

Answer 2

No, you need just MTA, so SMTP is only required protocol.

IMAP/POP3 is for receiving mails from your existing mailbox.