---
name: "fastforward"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "fastforward"
version: "1:0.51-10"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fastforward"
---

# fastforward(1)

forward mail according to a cdb database

## NAME

fastforward - forward mail according to a cdb database

## SYNOPSIS

in **.qmail-default**: **\| fastforward** \[ **-nNpPdD** \] *cdb*

## DESCRIPTION

**fastforward** forwards each incoming message according to instructions in *cdb* created by **setforward**.

If there is no forwarding instruction in *cdb* for the incoming recipient address, **fastforward** will bounce the message.

You can override **.qmail-default** with a specific **.qmail-*recipient***; see [**dot-qmail**(5)](/dot-qmail/5.md).

Warning to system administrators: Messages do not reach **~alias/.qmail-default** unless they are controlled by the **alias** user. See [**qmail-getpw**(8)](/qmail-getpw/8.md).

**SECURITY WARNING:** If *cdb* includes instructions pointing to a mailing list owned by another user, that user gains some amount of control over **fastforward**'s behavior. In particular, he can force **fastforward** to open any file that you can access, and to read any world-readable file that you own, even if the file is in a world-inaccessible directory.

## OPTIONS

- **-n**

  No delivery. **fastforward** will print a description of its actions, but will not actually read or forward a message.

- **-N**

  (Default.) Forward a message as usual.

- **-p**

  Pass through. If **fastforward** does not find the recipient in *cdb*, it exits 0, giving the message to further commands in **.qmail-default**. If **fastforward** finds the recipient, it forwards the message and exits 99, so that further commands are skipped.

- **-P**

  (Default.) Do not pass through. If **fastforward** finds the recipient, it forwards the message and exits 0. Otherwise it bounces the message.

- **-d**

  Use **$DEFAULT@$HOST** as the recipient address, or **$EXT@$HOST** if **$DEFAULT** is not set.

- **-D**

  (Default.) Use **$RECIPIENT** as the recipient address.

## VERSION

This is **fastforward** 0.51. The **fastforward** home page is **http://pobox.com/~djb/fastforward.html**.

## SEE ALSO

[newaliases(1)](/newaliases/1.md), [printforward(1)](/printforward/1.md), [setforward(1)](/setforward/1.md), [dot-qmail(5)](/dot-qmail/5.md), [qmail-command(8)](/qmail-command/8.md), [qmail-local(8)](/qmail-local/8.md), [qmail-getpw(8)](/qmail-getpw/8.md)