aerc vs Notmuch Emacs interface
aerc: Terminal email client written in Go with IMAP, JMAP, Maildir and notmuch backends and an embedded terminal for editing.
Notmuch Emacs interface: Emacs front end for notmuch that reads, searches, tags and composes mail from a local Maildir.
Differences
- aerc is a full-screen terminal client; Notmuch Emacs interface is a mail client that runs inside Emacs.
- Only aerc has built-in IMAP, JMAP and mbox.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has S/MIME; aerc does not.
- aerc has Vim-style keys; Notmuch Emacs interface does not.
- aerc is written in Go; Notmuch Emacs interface in Emacs Lisp.
- Configuration: aerc uses INI-style files: accounts.conf, aerc.conf, binds.conf, and Notmuch Emacs interface uses Emacs Lisp in init.el plus the notmuch config file.
Side by side
| aerc | Notmuch Emacs interface | |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Full-screen terminal interface | Runs inside Emacs |
| Language | Go | Emacs Lisp |
| License | MIT | GPL 3.0 or later |
| Latest version | 0.22.0 | 0.40 |
| Linux | Native | Native |
| macOS | Native | Native |
| Windows | Through WSL | Through WSL |
| BSD | Native | Native |
| Android | Through Termux | Through Termux |
| IMAP | Yes | Through a separate tool |
| POP3 | No | Through a separate tool |
| SMTP | Yes | Yes |
| JMAP | Yes | No |
| Maildir | Yes | Yes |
| mbox | Yes | No |
| notmuch | Yes | Yes |
| OpenPGP | Yes | Yes |
| S/MIME | No | Yes |
| OAuth2 sign-in | Yes | via script |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Search | built-in; server-side for IMAP and JMAP; notmuch queries | notmuch Xapian full-text search with tags |
| HTML mail | via filters, w3m by default | built-in, rendered with the Emacs shr library |
| Mouse | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Offline use | with mbsync or OfflineIMAP through the Maildir backend; IMAP header cache | full; reads a local Maildir synced by mbsync or OfflineIMAP |
| Calendar | Yes | shows text/calendar parts; no invitation replies |
| Contacts | via address-book-cmd, e.g. khard or the bundled carddav-query | address completion from the notmuch index |
| Vim-style keys | Yes | No |
| Configuration | INI-style files: accounts.conf, aerc.conf, binds.conf | Emacs Lisp in init.el plus the notmuch config file |
Which to choose
Choose aerc for
- Embedded terminal runs the editor and other commands inside aerc
- Built-in commands for applying and reviewing git patch series
- Supports JMAP and notmuch as well as IMAP and Maildir
Watch out for
- No POP3 or S/MIME support
- mbox files open read-only
- No native Windows build
Choose Notmuch Emacs interface for
- Tag-based organization with fast full-text search over all local mail.
- Shows a whole thread in a single buffer.
- Handles PGP/MIME and S/MIME signatures and decryption through notmuch.
Watch out for
- No built-in IMAP; needs mbsync or a similar sync tool.
- Custom tags stay in the local index; only standard flags such as unread and replied reach the IMAP server.
- Requires Emacs and some Emacs Lisp to configure.
Questions
What is the difference between aerc and Notmuch Emacs interface?
aerc is a full-screen terminal client; Notmuch Emacs interface is a mail client that runs inside Emacs. Only aerc has built-in IMAP, JMAP and mbox. Notmuch Emacs interface has S/MIME; aerc does not.
Which runs on Windows, aerc or Notmuch Emacs interface?
On Windows, aerc runs through WSL. On Windows, Notmuch Emacs interface runs through WSL.
See also: aerc alternatives, Notmuch Emacs interface alternatives.