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What is an alias vs. a mailbox?

An alias is an alternate email address that forwards mail to a main mailbox. A mailbox stores mail directly.

An alias is like a nickname for a ship; it points to the same vessel but uses a different name on the dock manifest.

Easter Egg: Many modern systems support plus addressing (also called sub-addressing). With this feature, you can send mail to addresses like kraken+shopping@sea.com or kraken+news@sea.com, and they will all arrive in kraken@sea.com. It's a built-in way to create personal aliases and organize or filter incoming mail automatically.