Re: [ietf-smtp] SMTP Reply code 500

[Alessandro Vesely <[e-mail]>]

Hi

On Wed 04/Mar/2020 04:00:45 +0100 Geethapriya Liyanage wrote:
> 
> In SMTP communication, normally SMTP client sends commands and SMTP server
> replies to that with reply codes.  As in RFC 5321 , section 4.2.4, if the
> command is not recognized, code 500 should be returned. My doubt is, if the
> SMTP server sends unrecognized command or code to SMTP client , will the client
> also replies the same 500 code.  if not, how the SMTP client should handle it.


SMTP clients can work well by just recognizing the first digit of the reply
code.  "5", in that case, more or less means that the last command failed,
client should stop the transaction if it's in the middle of one, and not retry
sending without prior human intervention.

A client that cannot recognize the first digit of a reply code is not an SMTP
client.

To precisely recognize the meaning of a reply can be useful to fine tune an
SMTP client's behavior.  Interpretation of reply codes can be done by humans
who read the log files or the bounce messages, or by machines.  The so called
extended (or enhanced) status codes, which some servers display between the
reply code and the human readable text string, can help machine interpretation.

Usually, however, the fine-tuning that can result from a correct interpretation
does not affect the immediate future of the current client/server session.  The
first digit is enough to make immediate decisions.


Best,
Ale
--