Skip to main content
The deploy/mail-mbsync/ Compose recipe runs mbsync beside Suchi. mbsync mirrors selected folders into Maildir and fans new messages into Suchi’s watched directory. Suchi then ingests EML and attachment documents through its normal pipeline. Prefer the built-in Mail intake poller unless you need a local Maildir mirror, already operate mbsync, or want mailbox credentials kept outside Suchi. This producer uses the watcher’s captured INGEST_FS_SYSTEM destination (omission: original system 1), not mailbox addresses or sidecars as a router. Introduce the target via taxonomy import first and ensure the watcher owner can enter it. Messages and attachment children inherit that system; see Configuration.

​
Configure and start

setup.sh asks for provider, credentials, folders, limits, and local UID/GID. It writes config/.env for container settings and .env for Compose settings. Suchi binds to 127.0.0.1 only. Use a TLS reverse proxy for remote access. Compose scopes container and build-image names to the deployment project; use service names such as suchi and bridge in Compose commands. For Proton, initialize the Bridge profile first and use the Bridge-generated IMAP password:

​
Persistent paths

Back up config/.env, .env, Maildir state when needed, and the complete suchi-data/ directory. Restrict credentials to the deployment user.

​
Configuration changes

Re-run ./setup.sh or edit config/.env, then reload the external mbsync container:
This is not a Suchi restart. Built-in mailbox settings use live supervisor reload and do not need either command. The reference Compose file does not mount the Docker socket. Avoid adding that root-equivalent capability merely to automate a sidecar reload.

​
Verification

./smoke-test.sh exercises the generic provider handoff, EML ingest, and attachment fanout with synthetic data. It requires Docker, Go, curl, sqlite3, and ss; ImageMagick adds an optional HEIC check. It builds the current checkout in a temporary recipe directory with a unique Compose project and a loopback-only port. Existing recipe credentials, containers, mail, and archives are untouched. On exit it removes its test containers, project images, and temporary files. If teardown fails, it retains the temporary directory and prints its location and project name for recovery. Common issues:
  • The first sync is bounded by MAIL_MAX_MESSAGES; later runs are incremental.
  • MAIL_MAX_SIZE skips oversized messages.
  • Proton labels appear as IMAP folders through Bridge.
  • Gmail’s All Mail overlaps Inbox; select explicit folders to avoid duplicate local copies.
Stop containers with docker compose down. Remove local directories only when you intend to delete credentials, mirrored mail, and the Suchi archive.