Getting Started
Relate Mail is a self-hosted, full-stack email platform. It provides production-grade SMTP, POP3, and IMAP servers alongside a REST API, and ships with clients for web, mobile, and desktop. All services share a single PostgreSQL database, giving you a complete email system you can run on your own infrastructure.
What You Get
- SMTP server for sending and receiving email (authenticated submission on ports 587/465, MX inbound on port 25)
- POP3 server for downloading messages (RFC 1939, ports 110/995)
- IMAP server for full mailbox access (IMAP4rev2 / RFC 9051, ports 143/993)
- REST API for programmatic access to inboxes, composing email, filters, labels, preferences, and more
- Web app built with React, TypeScript, and Vite
- Mobile app built with React Native and Expo
- Desktop app built with Tauri 2 (Rust + TypeScript)
- Real-time notifications via SignalR WebSocket hub and web push
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js | 20+ | For building frontend packages |
| .NET SDK | 10.0 | For building the backend services |
| PostgreSQL | 16+ | The shared database for all services |
| Docker | 24+ | Optional, but recommended for quick deployment |
If you just want to try Relate Mail without installing the full development toolchain, the Docker Quickstart is the fastest path.
Choose Your Path
I want to run Relate Mail quickly
Follow the Docker Quickstart guide. You will use pre-built container images from GitHub Container Registry and have the full platform running in minutes with a single docker compose up command.
I want to develop locally
- Start with Installation to clone the repository, install dependencies, and verify the build.
- Then follow Local Development to start each service and begin working on the codebase.
Next Steps
- Installation — Clone, install, and build
- Local Development — Run services locally for development
- Docker Quickstart — Deploy with Docker Compose
- Architecture Overview — Understand how the system fits together