Jerry_Steiner

Self hosting email, FLOSS, Python ...

https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/35283952

Self hosting email, FLOSS, Python ... - SDF Chatter

Hi, I would like to host my own email server. I know the pros and cons of doing so, please do not post about the advantage or disadvantage, there is others open topics for it. I would like my setup fit those “requirements” - FLOSS [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLOSS] - Be able to create complex rules for incoming/outgoing email ( with 🐍 Python language preferably ). - based on any properties (subject, ip, header, size, attachment, signed, encrypted, etc… ) - able to modify, delete, fw, etc… the email   If you know a matrix comparison between email servers I’m all ears. If you have any feedback with a solution this is most welcome too. I plan to update this post to create a matrix/spreadsheet of all the solutions that I’ll gather. Thanks.

May 25, 2025 at 12:10pmWeb
Show threadShimitarMay 25, 2025

See my personal notes. I do selfhost mail server, but on a vps to have a good IP

Being doing so for 20+ years and recently rebuilt the entire stack.

See wiki.gardiol.org/doku.php?id=email%3Astart

4] E-Mail Hosting

E-Mail Concepts

Show threadhddsxMay 25, 2025
Too lazy to read wiki link, but I too postfix/dovecot
Show threadTFO WinderMay 25, 2025

I have heard people have successfully utilised Mailcow without any issues for many years.

Personally gave it a try once but setting up ports, firewalls, virus scans, anti spams, dns felt too much effort for what I was going to use it for

mailcow: dockerized - Blog

The mailserver suite with the 'moo' – 🐮 + 🐋 = 💕 | Official Blog Page

mailcow: dockerized - Blog
Show threadnixxMay 25, 2025

I second Mailcow. I use it on a residential IP and have a smarthost for relaying in/out since my isp blocks port 25.

For relay, I use mxroute.com, I have a lifetime account and Mailcow has a fetchmail option.

Show threadikiddMay 25, 2025
Using Mailcow for years now, love it, but I don’t think it checks the custom scripts box of OP. Since it’s all containers, you’d have to do some custom bind mounts to hook the underlying containers and keep the scripts, which might have some unintentional consequences depending on the upgrade.
Show threadaksdbMay 25, 2025
Use Stalwart as mailserver. Besides coming with sane defaults, it allows to put hooks into almost every mail stage. Those hooks can be sieve scripts, local binaries or http calls.
Show threaddblsaikoMay 25, 2025
From its web page it sounds like it is both a MTA and MDA, has a built-in spam filter, plus has calendar, contacts and file storage. Do you know how it compares to my current setup of Postfix, Dovecot, and rspamd (and Nextcloud for the others)?
Show threadaksdbMay 25, 2025
Well exactly as you say: it’s a single service instead of having to combine multiple. In my case dovecot was a lot faster for my mailboxes, but postfix was a piece of shit and I was happy to get rid of it and the many components (rspamd, dkimproxy, etc.) it required. It has far too many footguns, and I shot myself multiple times with them over the years. So the most important part (SMTP) is significantly simpler and IMO better with stalwart. And the mailbox part hopefully evolves as well (it already has JMAP, so that is already an advantage over dovecot as well).
Show threaddblsaikoMay 25, 2025
Tbh I haven’t had too many problems with Postfix – however it is certainly a footgun and it would be nice to have fewer parts to connect together, and better defaults. I might try it out, it looks interesting.
Show threadA_norny_mousseMay 25, 2025
All your requirements are a given, except for wanting to do things in Python.
Show threadTheoriginalthonMay 25, 2025

Postfix and write a milter (mail filter), you can get them to interact a various points in the mail delivery.

I think most things can be accomplished within postfix

Show threadNeoMay 25, 2025
Check out “Run your own mail server” by Michael W. Lucas (mwl.io/nonfiction/tools). I read it twice, highly recommend. I’ve been self hosting email for 20 years. No issues if you have half a brain. I applaud your enthusiasm, we need more independence email hosting. Thanks!
Sysadmin Tools – Michael W Lucas

Show threadquelshMay 25, 2025
Modoboa is made with Django iirc, so that might be a good starting point
Show threadInverseParallaxMay 25, 2025

Ran the stack manually for decades, but spam makes it harder.

Run mailinabox now, it takes care of everything pretty well.

Show threadLyricism6055May 26, 2025
I definitely don’t suggest self hosting email unless you don’t care about losing messages occasionally