IMAP password for Gmail: app password setup guide

Google's shift away from allowing regular passwords for IMAP connections in Gmail requires users to generate an app password, particularly since the discontinuation of "less secure app access" in 2022, which aimed to enhance security by using scoped, revocable credentials. App passwords, which are necessary for connecting Gmail to third-party email clients or automation tools, are generated only after enabling 2-Step Verification on a Google account. These 16-character passwords allow users to securely automate various email-driven tasks on platforms like CodeWords, which leverages app passwords for email parsing, auto-forwarding, and digest generation without the need for managing OAuth tokens. While app passwords provide a convenient way to establish IMAP connections, they should be handled with care, stored as environment variables, and audited regularly for security purposes. Although using IMAP with app passwords allows for quick configuration and basic email operations, for more advanced Gmail-specific features, the Gmail API with OAuth 2.0 is recommended, albeit with a more complex setup.

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