# docker-mailserver — Production-Ready Self-Hosted Email in Docker

> docker-mailserver is a full-featured mail server stack running inside a single Docker container. It bundles Postfix, Dovecot, Amavis, SpamAssassin, and OpenDKIM into a cohesive setup that is straightforward to deploy and maintain with environment variables and a helper CLI.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# docker-mailserver — Production-Ready Self-Hosted Email in Docker

## Quick Use
```bash
docker run -d --name mailserver 
  -p 25:25 -p 143:143 -p 587:587 -p 993:993 
  -v ./docker-data/dms/mail-data:/var/mail 
  -v ./docker-data/dms/mail-state:/var/mail-state 
  -v ./docker-data/dms/config:/tmp/docker-mailserver 
  -e ENABLE_SPAMASSASSIN=1 
  -e ENABLE_CLAMAV=1 
  ghcr.io/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver:latest
```

## Introduction
Running your own email server has a reputation for being complex. docker-mailserver packages the entire stack into a single container image with sensible defaults, so you can self-host email for a custom domain with SMTP, IMAP, spam filtering, DKIM signing, and TLS in a few minutes.

## What docker-mailserver Does
- Provides SMTP (Postfix) and IMAP (Dovecot) in one container
- Includes spam filtering via SpamAssassin and optional ClamAV virus scanning
- Handles DKIM, SPF, and DMARC signing and validation automatically
- Supports multiple domains and virtual mailbox users
- Ships a `setup.sh` CLI for managing accounts, aliases, and DKIM keys

## Architecture Overview
The container runs a supervisor process that manages Postfix, Dovecot, OpenDKIM, Amavis, and optional services like Fail2Ban and Fetchmail. Mail data, state, and configuration are stored in three bind-mounted volumes. Environment variables control which features are enabled, and the setup CLI writes config files inside the container that persist via volumes.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Requires Docker or Podman and a host with ports 25, 143, 587, and 993 open
- DNS must have MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records pointing to the server
- TLS certificates can be provided manually or obtained via Let's Encrypt integration
- User accounts and aliases are managed with `setup.sh email add user@domain`
- All tuning is done through environment variables in the Compose file

## Key Features
- Single-container deployment with no external database dependency
- Built-in Fail2Ban for brute-force protection on SMTP and IMAP
- Automatic DKIM key generation and DNS record guidance
- Optional Fetchmail support for pulling from external accounts
- Active community with detailed documentation and quick issue response

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Mailcow** — Full web UI with SOGo groupware; docker-mailserver is leaner with no web interface
- **Mail-in-a-Box** — Ubuntu-based all-in-one server; docker-mailserver runs in containers for easier isolation
- **Mailu** — Python-based containerized mail; docker-mailserver uses traditional MTA components (Postfix/Dovecot)
- **iRedMail** — Installs directly on a VM; docker-mailserver offers a more portable container-native approach

## FAQ
**Q: Do I need a static IP to run a mail server?**
A: Yes. Most receiving servers check reverse DNS, so a static IP with a matching PTR record is essential for deliverability.

**Q: Can I use this with an external SMTP relay like SendGrid?**
A: Yes. Set `RELAY_HOST` and related environment variables to route outbound mail through a relay.

**Q: How do I back up mailboxes?**
A: Back up the `mail-data` and `mail-state` volumes. Mailbox data is stored in standard Maildir format.

**Q: Does it support LDAP for user accounts?**
A: Yes. LDAP authentication is supported as an alternative to the built-in file-based user management.

## Sources
- https://github.com/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver
- https://docker-mailserver.github.io/docker-mailserver/latest/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/c1eeb468-4105-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot