Does XMPP supports history?

Question

Does XMPP protocol itself support message history?

I mean, when I go offline, can I retrieve messages I would have recieved if I were online?

I'm using GTalk with XMPP client and I can't see history of chat when I were offline, I have to go into a GMail a see them here... I don't know if it is lack of XMPP protocol, XMPP client, or just GTalk doesn't support this feature.

Answer 1

Depends on the server implementation, I'd assume actively maintained/developed projects do, e.g. prosody, tigase, mongoose.im

Useful links:

• Flexible offline message retrieval http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0013.html
• Best Practices for Handling Offline Messages http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0160.html
• Delayed delivery http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0203.html
• Can XMPP/Jabber support editing of messages and offline message like in Skype?

Answer 2

From the Google Talk documentation "Offline friend can't receive messages":

When you can’t receive message while being offline, check the following:

1. Your Google Talk username needs to be associated with a Google account that uses Google Mail.
2. The chat history needs to be enabled in your Google Mail account.

Or when it only happens from time to time or only for specific contacts:

• The sender was "chatting off the record" when you went offline.