Cover letter - why include address? I am applying for a postdoc position, and one of the required documents is a covering letter. Internet has models and templates and guides for such letters in rich supply. One thing, however, strikes me as strange: they normally contain the address. At first glance, maybe it is to be expected that a letter should have an address - but in this situation, I am uploading the file directly into an electronic application system, so it is utterly obvious what the document is, and who it should reach. I suppose almost all applications work in a similar way these days.

Firstly, I am curious if the address still serves any useful function. Or is it just a decorative element / historical artefact / etc.?

Secondly, should I actually include the address in an electronically submitted cover letter?

To clarify: I am asking about the address of the recipient of the application, not my own address. (While it is the case that I give my contact details in a separate form, I see how it could be convenient to duplicate this data.)
You can of course omit the recipients postal address, but you need to properly identify him (incl. his institute, faculty, university). Otherwise a number of people will simply discard your letter.

Definitely put your own full postal address. Email addresses, even if signed and certified etc., do not feel very trustworthy.