Email headers are diagnostic tools contained within an email message that provide technical details about the message, such as the sender, recipient, route taken, and more. Accessing these headers in Gmail allows one to view this underlying data, which is normally hidden from the casual user. For instance, a header might reveal the originating IP address of the sender, or the various mail servers that the email traversed before arriving at its destination.
The ability to examine these details is important for various reasons. It aids in troubleshooting email delivery issues, helps identify the true sender of a suspicious message, and can be vital in combating spam and phishing attempts. Historically, understanding these diagnostic tools was primarily the domain of system administrators, but as email abuse has increased, the skill to analyze them has become increasingly relevant for the average user.
