Subject: Re: Dovecot for testing - can someone please give advice?./. Was: Citadel? Courier? Cyrus? Dovecot? - I just want to backup my emails

On 18 Jan 2026 07:21:23 +1000 Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

Markus Robert Kessler <no_reply@dipl-ing-kessler.de> wrote:

I try to set up a simple Dovecot instance on a raspberry where I can
create one mailbox and use this for testing purposes with GNU Mailutils
and ImapSync.

FWIW GNU Mailutils comes with an IMAP server too, which I use for about
the same purpose as what you seem to be doing. It seemed like a good
idea but in practice I rarely use it and read the mailbox movemail
writes to directly with an email client instead.

[..]

Thanks! Yes, I see imapd is also created when installing from GNU
Mailutils tarball. Confusingly, Raspbian has each a separate package for imapd, pop3, etc. Maybe, they consider this to be easier to just install what's needed, rather than do a 'systemctl disable ...' for all unwanted services.

B.t.w., does GNU Mailutils imapd need mysql to store email details, or is there everything stored in plain text?

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Subject: Re: Dovecot for testing - can someone please give advice?./. Was: Citadel? Courier? Cyrus? Dovecot? - I just want to backup my emails

Markus Robert Kessler <no_reply@dipl-ing-kessler.de> wrote:

On 18 Jan 2026 07:21:23 +1000 Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

Markus Robert Kessler <no_reply@dipl-ing-kessler.de> wrote:

I try to set up a simple Dovecot instance on a raspberry where I can
create one mailbox and use this for testing purposes with GNU Mailutils
and ImapSync.

FWIW GNU Mailutils comes with an IMAP server too, which I use for about
the same purpose as what you seem to be doing. It seemed like a good
idea but in practice I rarely use it and read the mailbox movemail
writes to directly with an email client instead.

[..]

Thanks! Yes, I see imapd is also created when installing from GNU
Mailutils tarball.

Actually it should be "imap4d".

Confusingly, Raspbian has each a separate package for
imapd, pop3, etc. Maybe, they consider this to be easier to just install what's needed, rather than do a 'systemctl disable ...' for all unwanted services.

Probably, and note that when you install from the tarball you won't
get the Systemd services added like you (might) get with the
packages.

B.t.w., does GNU Mailutils imapd need mysql to store email details, or is there everything stored in plain text?

All plain-text, although you can choose the format, MH format in my
example. With MH format each email is kept in an individual sequentially-numbered file.

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--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Subject: Re: Dovecot for testing - can someone please give advice?./. Was: Citadel? Courier? Cyrus? Dovecot? - I just want to backup my emails

Markus Robert Kessler <no_reply@dipl-ing-kessler.de> wrote:

I try to set up a simple Dovecot instance on a raspberry where I can
create one mailbox and use this for testing purposes with GNU Mailutils
and ImapSync.

FWIW GNU Mailutils comes with an IMAP server too, which I use for
about the same purpose as what you seem to be doing. It seemed like
a good idea but in practice I rarely use it and read the mailbox
movemail writes to directly with an email client instead.

Something like this in /etc/mailutils.conf configures it:
"
program imap4d
{

logging
{
syslog yes;
facility mail;
severity debug;
};

#debug {
# level auth;
#};

auth
{
authentication generic;
authorization system;
};

login-disabled false;
homedir
{
create false;
}

mailbox
{
mailbox-type "mh";
folder "Mail/";
};

namespace personal
{
mailbox-mode g=;
prefix ""
{
directory "$home/Mail";
mailbox-type "mh";
};
};

};
"

You need a "mail" group and add users who can log via IMAP to that
group.

I've configured Dovecot before too but I find it difficult, so
you'd better get advice on that from one of the people who says
it's easy.

--
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#_ < |\| |< _#

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)