A mail server is specifically designed to send, receive, store, and manage email communications. This server handles email protocols such as SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) for sending messages, and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) or POP3 (Post Office Protocol) for receiving them. It plays a critical role in managing user mailboxes, ensuring that emails are delivered to the correct destinations, and allowing users to access their emails from various devices.
In contrast, a web server is primarily focused on delivering web pages and web applications to clients via HTTP or HTTPS; it does not specifically manage email functionalities. A file server is used for storing and sharing files over a network, providing a central location for data storage rather than dealing with email communication. An application server provides hosting for various applications, facilitating their operation, but does not specialize in handling email services.
Therefore, the mail server's dedicated role in processing email traffic makes it the correct choice for the question regarding the type of server used for email services.