# meli

> Terminal email client written in Rust with IMAP, JMAP, notmuch, Maildir, mbox and NNTP backends and TOML configuration.

meli is a full-screen terminal email client for Linux, macOS and the BSDs. It supports several accounts at once over IMAP, JMAP, notmuch, Maildir, read-only mbox and NNTP, sends through its built-in SMTP client or a shell command, and can run the editor inside an embedded terminal. Configuration is a single TOML file, and most settings can be overridden per account or per mailbox.

- Type: Email client
- Interface: Full-screen terminal interface
- Systems: Runs on Linux, macOS and BSD. Not available for Windows or Android.
- Language: Rust
- License: EUPL 1.2 or GPL 3.0 or later (EUPL-1.2 OR GPL-3.0-or-later)
- Latest version: 0.8.13
- Maintained: yes
- Website: https://meli-email.org/
- Source: https://git.meli-email.org/meli/meli
- Documentation: https://meli-email.org/documentation.html

## Install

### Linux

Native.

- apt: `sudo apt install meli`
- cargo: `cargo install meli`

### macOS

Native.

- Homebrew: `brew install meli`
- MacPorts: `sudo port install meli`
- cargo: `cargo install meli`

### Windows

Not supported. No Windows build; the project lists BSD, Linux and macOS.

### BSD

Native.

- OpenBSD: `pkg_add meli`
- NetBSD pkgsrc: `pkgin install meli`

### Android

Not supported.

## Protocols

- IMAP: Yes
- POP3: No
- SMTP: Yes
- JMAP: Yes
- Maildir: Yes
- mbox: Yes
- notmuch: Yes

## Features

- OpenPGP: Yes
- S/MIME: No
- OAuth2 sign-in: via script
- Threads: Yes
- Search: built-in; sqlite3 index by default; notmuch queries
- HTML mail: via filter command, w3m by default
- Mouse: Yes
- Multiple accounts: Yes
- Offline use: IMAP header cache in sqlite3; full offline use with Maildir and mbsync
- Calendar: No
- Contacts: built-in contact list; reads vCard and mutt alias files
- Vim-style keys: Yes
- Configuration: TOML file (config.toml)

## Pros

- Supports JMAP, notmuch, IMAP, Maildir and NNTP in one client
- Single TOML file with per-account and per-mailbox overrides
- Embedded terminal runs the editor inside the compose view

## Cons

- No POP3 or S/MIME support
- mbox support is read-only
- No Windows or Termux packages

## Use meli with Forward Email

File: `~/.config/meli/config.toml`

```
# Forward Email: IMAP over SSL/TLS (993), SMTP over SSL/TLS (465)
[accounts."forwardemail"]
format = "imap"
root_mailbox = "INBOX"
subscribed_mailboxes = ["*"]
identity = "you@example.com"
display_name = "Your Name"
server_hostname = "imap.forwardemail.net"
server_port = 993
use_tls = true
server_username = "you@example.com"
server_password_command = "pass show email/forwardemail"
send_mail = { hostname = "smtp.forwardemail.net", port = 465, auth = { type = "auto", username = "you@example.com", password = { type = "command_eval", value = "pass show email/forwardemail" } }, security = { type = "TLS" } }
```

| Protocol | Server | Port | Security |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IMAP | imap.forwardemail.net | 993 | SSL/TLS |
| POP3 | pop3.forwardemail.net | 995 | SSL/TLS |
| SMTP | smtp.forwardemail.net | 465 | SSL/TLS |
| SMTP | smtp.forwardemail.net | 587 | STARTTLS |

Username: your full alias address. Password: the one from Generate Password next to the alias. Folders: INBOX, Drafts, Sent Mail, Trash, Spam and Archive.

## Questions

### Does meli work on Windows?

No. No Windows build; the project lists BSD, Linux and macOS. See clients that run on Windows.

### Does meli support IMAP?

Yes, meli connects to IMAP servers directly.

### Is meli open source?

Yes, under the EUPL 1.2 or GPL 3.0 or later.

### How do I use meli with Forward Email?

Use the config in the Forward Email section on this page, saved as ~/.config/meli/config.toml, and replace the address and password with your own.

## Sources

- https://meli-email.org/
- https://meli-email.org/documentation.html
- https://git.meli-email.org/meli/meli
- https://github.com/meli/meli
- https://github.com/meli/meli/blob/master/COPYING
- https://github.com/meli/meli/blob/master/README.md
- https://github.com/meli/meli/blob/v0.8.13/meli/docs/meli.conf.5
- https://github.com/meli/meli/blob/master/meli/src/version_migrations/v0_9_0.rs
- https://crates.io/crates/meli
- https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/meli
- https://ports.macports.org/port/meli/
- https://sources.debian.org/src/meli/
- https://github.com/openbsd/ports/tree/master/mail/meli
- https://cdn.netbsd.org/pub/pkgsrc/current/pkgsrc/mail/meli/Makefile
- https://github.com/forwardemail/forwardemail.net/blob/master/helpers/ensure-default-mailboxes.js