---
name: "error"
section: "8"
platform: "macos"
package: "postfix"
version: "1636"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/error"
---

# error(8)

Postfix error/retry mail delivery agent

## NAME

error - Postfix error/retry mail delivery agent

## SYNOPSIS

```
error [generic Postfix daemon options]
```

## DESCRIPTION

The Postfix [**error**(8)](/error/8.md) delivery agent processes delivery requests from the queue manager. Each request specifies a queue file, a sender address, the reason for non-delivery (specified as the next-hop destination), and recipient information. The reason may be prefixed with an RFC 3463-compatible detail code; if none is specified a default 4.0.0 or 5.0.0 code is used instead. This program expects to be run from the [**master**(8)](/master/8.md) process manager.

Depending on the service name in master.cf, **error** or **retry**, the server bounces or defers all recipients in the delivery request using the "next-hop" information as the reason for non-delivery. The **retry** service name is supported as of Postfix 2.4.

Delivery status reports are sent to the [**bounce**(8)](/bounce/8.md), [**defer**(8)](/defer/8.md) or [**trace**(8)](/trace/8.md) daemon as appropriate.

## SECURITY

```

```

The [**error**(8)](/error/8.md) mailer is not security-sensitive. It does not talk to the network, and can be run chrooted at fixed low privilege.

## STANDARDS

```
RFC 3463 (Enhanced Status Codes)
```

## DIAGNOSTICS

Problems and transactions are logged to [**syslogd**(8)](/syslogd/8.md).

Depending on the setting of the **notify\_classes** parameter, the postmaster is notified of bounces and of other trouble.

## CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS

```

```

Changes to **main.cf** are picked up automatically as [**error**(8)](/error/8.md) processes run for only a limited amount of time. Use the command "**postfix reload**" to speed up a change.

The text below provides only a parameter summary. See [**postconf**(5)](/postconf/5.md) for more details including examples.

- **2bounce\_notice\_recipient (postmaster)**

  The recipient of undeliverable mail that cannot be returned to the sender.

- **bounce\_notice\_recipient (postmaster)**

  The recipient of postmaster notifications with the message headers of mail that Postfix did not deliver and of SMTP conversation transcripts of mail that Postfix did not receive.

- **config\_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)**

  The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf configuration files.

- **daemon\_timeout (18000s)**

  How much time a Postfix daemon process may take to handle a request before it is terminated by a built-in watchdog timer.

- **delay\_logging\_resolution\_limit (2)**

  The maximal number of digits after the decimal point when logging sub-second delay values.

- **double\_bounce\_sender (double-bounce)**

  The sender address of postmaster notifications that are generated by the mail system.

- **ipc\_timeout (3600s)**

  The time limit for sending or receiving information over an internal communication channel.

- **max\_idle (100s)**

  The maximum amount of time that an idle Postfix daemon process waits for an incoming connection before terminating voluntarily.

- **max\_use (100)**

  The maximal number of incoming connections that a Postfix daemon process will service before terminating voluntarily.

- **notify\_classes (resource, software)**

  The list of error classes that are reported to the postmaster.

- **process\_id (read-only)**

  The process ID of a Postfix command or daemon process.

- **process\_name (read-only)**

  The process name of a Postfix command or daemon process.

- **queue\_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)**

  The location of the Postfix top-level queue directory.

- **syslog\_facility (mail)**

  The syslog facility of Postfix logging.

- **syslog\_name (see 'postconf -d' output)**

  A prefix that is prepended to the process name in syslog records, so that, for example, "smtpd" becomes "prefix/smtpd".

## SEE ALSO

```
qmgr(8), queue manager
bounce(8), delivery status reports
discard(8), Postfix discard delivery agent
postconf(5), configuration parameters
master(5), generic daemon options
master(8), process manager
syslogd(8), system logging
```

## LICENSE

```

```

The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.

## AUTHOR(S)

```
Wietse Venema
IBM T.J. Watson Research
P.O. Box 704
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
Wietse Venema
Google, Inc.
111 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10011, USA
```