---
name: "sensible-mda"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "sensible-mda"
version: "8.18.1-6+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sensible-mda"
---

# sensible-mda(8)

a generic local MDA router for Debian systems

## NAME

sensible-mda - a generic local MDA router for Debian systems

## SYNOPSIS

**sensible-mda** *from* *to* *detail* *client-addr*\

## DESCRIPTION

**sensible-mda** is used to simplify the installation and configuration of [**sendmail**(8)](/sendmail/8.md) , or other MTAs for use on Debian systems.  With sensible-mda, sendmail can support a plethora of MDAs (procmail, maildrop, deliver, etc.) without having  pick any *one* of them as required.

## FUNCTION

**sensible-mda** is called by sendmail as a local mailer when the following exists in sendmail.mc:\
 *define(\`LOCAL\_MAILER\_ARGS', \`sensible-mda $g $u $h ${client\_addr}')dnl*

sensible-mda will look for the following MDAs (in this order), and pass the mail on to the first SUID MDA found (Or first found MDA, if run w/euid=root): [**procmail**(1)](/procmail/1.md), [**maildrop**(1)](/maildrop/1.md), [**deliver**(8)](/deliver/8.md), [**mail.local**(8)](/mail.local/8.md)

## OPTIONS

Available command line options are the following:

- *from*

  The sender of this email (sendmail $g variable)

- *to*

  The recipient of this email (sendmail $u variable)

- *detail*

  The detail portion of the recipient userid (sendmail $h variable) - ie:\
   cowboy+*sendmail*@debian.org

- *client-addr*

  TCP/IP address of the sender (sendmail ${client\_addr} variable) Not used (for the nonce)

## FILES

- */etc/mail/sendmail.mc*

  sendmail m4 input to generate sendmail.cf

- */etc/mail/sendmail.cf*

  actual sendmail configuration file (treated as a binary file)

## SEE ALSO

[**sendmail**(8)](/sendmail/8.md), [**procmail**(1)](/procmail/1.md), [**maildrop**(1)](/maildrop/1.md), [**deliver**(8)](/deliver/8.md), [**mail.local**(8)](/mail.local/8.md)\

## BUGS

None known so far.

## AUTHOR

Richard Nelson \<cowboy@debian.org\>

## HISTORY