In simple English
This program runs your own email server. It lets you send, receive and read messages through standard mail apps. Instead of saving files on a normal hard drive, it stores every message in a MongoDB database (a way to store information in flexible records rather than traditional tables). This makes it easy to run multiple copies on different computers so the mail keeps working if one breaks. It is free to use under an open-source licence, but you need a server and some technical skill to set it up.
What it is
WildDuck is an IMAP and POP3 mail server written in JavaScript. It mimics Gmail for design choices and keeps all account data and messages inside a database.
What it is good for
Solo builders who want to host their own email infrastructure for multiple users without relying on traditional file-based mail storage.
- Stores emails in a database for easy scaling and backup.
- Follows familiar design choices from major webmail providers.
- Includes an API for managing accounts and messages programmatically.
- Requires a running MongoDB cluster to store all data.
- Complex setup process for non-programmers with many moving parts.
- Uses the European Union Public License 1.2 which has specific legal terms.
Traditional file-based mail servers like Postfix and Dovecot
MongoDB
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git clone https://github.com/zone-eu/wildduck.git cd wildduck npm install