---
name: "mda"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "mailutils-mda"
version: "1:3.19-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mda"
---

# mda(8)

the GNU local mail delivery agent.

## NAME

mda - the GNU local mail delivery agent.

## SYNOPSIS

**mda** \[*OPTION*...\] \[*recipient*...\]

## DESCRIPTION

mda **--** the GNU local mail delivery agent.

-

  General options

- **--stderr**

  log to standard error

-

  Global debugging settings

- **--debug-level**=*LEVEL*

  set Mailutils debugging level

**--\[no-\]debug-line-info** show source info with debugging messages

- **--log-facility**=*FACILITY*

  output logs to syslog FACILITY

- **-M**, **--mailer**=*MAILER*

  use specified URL as the default mailer

-

  Sieve options

- **--clear-include-path**

  clear Sieve include path

- **--clear-library-path**, **--clearpath**

  clear Sieve library path

- **-I**, **--includedir**=*DIR*

  append DIR to the list of directories searched for include files

- **-L**, **--libdir**=*DIR*

  append DIR to the list of directories searched for library files

- **--libdir-prefix**=*DIR*

  add DIR to the beginning of the list of directories searched for library files

-

  Delivery options

- **-f**, **-r**, **--from**=*EMAIL*

  specify the sender's name

-

  Scripting options

- **-l**, **--language**=*STRING*

  define scripting language for the next **--script** option

- **--message-id-header**=*STRING*

  use this header to identify messages when logging Sieve actions

- **-s**, **--script**=*PATTERN*

  set name pattern for user-defined mail filter

- **-x**, **--script-debug**=*FLAGS*

  enable script debugging; FLAGS are: g - guile stack traces t - sieve trace (MU\_SIEVE\_DEBUG\_TRACE) i - sieve instructions trace (MU\_SIEVE\_DEBUG\_INSTR) l - sieve action logs

-

  Configuration handling

- **--config-lint**

  check configuration file syntax and exit

- **--config-verbose**

  verbosely log parsing of the configuration files

-

  Informational options

- **--config-help**

  show configuration file summary

- **--show-config-options**

  show compilation options

- \-?, **--help**

  give this help list

- **--usage**

  give a short usage message

- **-V**, **--version**

  print program version

Mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or optional for any corresponding short options.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to \<bug-mailutils@gnu.org\>.\
 GNU Mailutils home page: \<http://mailutils.org\>\
 General help using GNU software: \<http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2007-2024 Free Software Foundation, inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later \<http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html\>\
 This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO

The complete GNU mailutils documentation is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the **mailutils-doc** package is installed, the command

-

  **info mailutils**

should give you access to the complete manual.\
 You can also find this manual online in the GNU mailutils webpage:\
 https://www.gnu.org/software/mailutils/manual/index.html.\
 Please note this manpage was automatically generated by the Debian mailutils packagers. Do not file bugs for its content to the GNU Mailutils upstream authors.