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zone-eu/wildduck

A scalable IMAP/POP3 mail server that stores all data, including emails, in a sharded and replicated MongoDB cluster.

Open-source alternative to:Gmail

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What is it?

WildDuck is an email server built around IMAP and POP3 access. It uses a distributed database, a sharded and replicated MongoDB setup, as the backend for all stored data, including messages, so that capacity and availability can be scaled out without a single point of failure.

The project aims to mirror Gmail's product behavior: where a design decision comes up, the default is to do what Gmail does. It is part of the Zone Mail Suite, a set of programs and modules for running an email server, and it is licensed under the EUPL-1.2.

The repository includes installation documentation, a website, and an API reference covering the server's management interface.

Key features

  • 01Uses sharded and replicated MongoDB to store all data, including emails.
  • 02Serves mail over IMAP and POP3 protocols.
  • 03Designed to avoid a single point of failure.
  • 04Product behavior is modeled on Gmail.

Use cases

  • Running a self-hosted mail service that needs to scale beyond a single server.
  • Operating a mail platform for many users where high availability matters.
  • Building a mail hosting service with IMAP/POP3 client access.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Read the installation instructions on the project documentation site

  2. 2

    Follow the install guide at docs.wildduck.email to set up the server and its MongoDB backend

Things to know

  • Requires a sharded and replicated MongoDB cluster as its backend, which adds operational complexity.
  • Self-hosting a mail server takes significant effort and mail-specific setup such as DNS and deliverability configuration.

In collections

Self-hosted email servers and newslettersSelf-hosted apps

Topics

#email#imap#pop3#mongodb#mail-server#lmtp#self-hosted#imap-server#pop3-server

FAQ

What is wildduck?
A scalable IMAP/POP3 mail server that stores all data, including emails, in a sharded and replicated MongoDB cluster. WildDuck is an email server built around IMAP and POP3 access. It uses a distributed database, a sharded and replicated MongoDB setup, as the backend for all stored data, including messages, so that capacity and availability can be scaled out without a single point of failure.
Is wildduck free to use? What license does it have?
wildduck is open source under the EUPL-1.2 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is wildduck still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to wildduck was on Nov 6, 2026.
What can I use wildduck for?
Running a self-hosted mail service that needs to scale beyond a single server. Operating a mail platform for many users where high availability matters. Building a mail hosting service with IMAP/POP3 client access.
How do I install wildduck?
Read the installation instructions on the project documentation site Follow the install guide at docs.wildduck.email to set up the server and its MongoDB backend
Where can I get wildduck?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/zone-eu/wildduck

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