---
name: "public-inbox-mda"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "public-inbox"
version: "1.9.0-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/public-inbox-mda"
---

# public-inbox-mda(1)

mail delivery agent for public-inbox

## NAME

public-inbox-mda - mail delivery agent for public-inbox

## SYNOPSIS

```
  public-inbox-mda </path/to/RFC2822_message
```

## DESCRIPTION

Mail Delivery Agent (MDA) for public-inbox installations. Each system user may have their own public-inbox instances. This may be invoked via [**procmail**(1)](/procmail/1.md) or similar tools.

By default, it relies on [**spamc**(1)](/spamc/1.md) for filtering mail, but may be disabled via "publicinboxmda.spamcheck" in [**public-inbox-config**(5)](/public-inbox-config/5.md)

## OPTIONS

- \--no-precheck

  By default, public-inbox-mda does some simple checks before invoking [**spamc**(1)](/spamc/1.md) since it is intended to receive mail before it goes to a mailing list.

  However, some users prefer to use public-inbox-mda to mirror mailing lists.  This option exists to support those users.

  Using this option, the following prechecks are disabled:

  ```
    * multiple Message-IDs
    * non-existent Message-IDs
    * Message-IDs longer than 244 characters long
    * From: header shorter than 3 characters
    * Subject: header shorter than 2 characters
    * unusable Date: headers
    * inbox address specified in To: or Cc: header
  ```

## ENVIRONMENT

- ORIGINAL\_RECIPIENT

  The original recipient email address, set by the MTA.  Postfix sets it by default, untested on other MTAs.

  This does not have to be set if relying on `"publicinbox.$NAME.listid"` directives configured in [**public-inbox-config**(5)](/public-inbox-config/5.md).

- PI\_CONFIG

  Per-user config file parseable by [**git-config**(1)](/git-config/1.md). See [**public-inbox-config**(5)](/public-inbox-config/5.md).

  Default: ~/.public-inbox/config

- PI\_EMERGENCY

  emergency Maildir destination.

  Default: ~/.public-inbox/emergency/

## CONTACT

Feedback welcome via plain-text mail to \<mailto:meta@public-inbox.org\>

The mail archives are hosted at \<https://public-inbox.org/meta/\> and \<http://4uok3hntl7oi7b4uf4rtfwefqeexfzil2w6kgk2jn5z2f764irre7byd.onion/meta/\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2013-2021 all contributors \<mailto:meta@public-inbox.org\>

License: AGPL-3.0+ \<https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.txt\>

## SEE ALSO

[**git**(1)](/git/1.md), [**git-config**(1)](/git-config/1.md), [**public-inbox-v1-format**(5)](/public-inbox-v1-format/5.md)