notmuch
A fast, tag-based email indexing and search system used from a terminal or text editor.
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1 more ways to get notmuch
Package managers
- Homebrew
brew install notmuch
About notmuch
Notmuch indexes a local mail collection and lets you search all of it quickly and organise messages with arbitrary tags instead of folders. It is meant to be used within a text editor or a terminal, with several email clients and front ends built on top of it, and it suits people who like scripting their email from the shell.
Search runs locally, so a third party never needs access to your mail. Developers of other email programs can also use its library interface for global search and tagging.
Strengths
- Fast global search across very large mail archives
- Tag-based organisation instead of folders
- Scriptable from the shell
- Library interface for other email programs
Limitations
- Not a complete mail client on its own; needs a front end and a way to fetch mail
- Suited to terminal and editor users rather than beginners
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree to download and use.
- License
- Open source, license not stated
- Developer
- The notmuch contributors
- Platforms
- Command line
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Terminal and Emacs or Vim users who want fast local search and tagging of their email
- Categories
- Email clients, CLI tools
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to notmuch
Compare allSoftware that can replace notmuch for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
mu
A Maildir indexer and search tool with mu4e, an email client for GNU Emacs.
mu indexes and searches Maildir mail with a full Emacs client in mu4e and Guile scripting, but works only with Maildir storage rather than a general library.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
alot
A terminal mail reader built on the notmuch indexer, with a command-prompt-driven interface.
NeoMutt
A fork of Mutt that gathered decades of scattered patches into one maintained terminal mail client.
aerc
A terminal email client with vim-style keys, an embedded terminal for composing, and first-class support for git email workflows.
meli
A configurable terminal email client written in Rust with IMAP, Maildir, notmuch and JMAP support.
isync
Fast IMAP to Maildir mirroring, usually invoked as mbsync.
OfflineIMAP
Synchronises IMAP accounts into local Maildir folders.
