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| Original author(s) | Timo Sirainen |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Timo Sirainen and contributors |
| Initial release | July 2002 |
| Stable release | 2.3.21.1[1] 
/ 14 August 2024 |
| Repository | |
| Written in | C |
| Operating system | Unix-like |
| Type | IMAP and POP3 server |
| License | Mostly MIT and LGPLv2[2] |
| Website | www |
Dovecot is an open-source IMAP and POP3 server for Unix-like operating systems, written primarily with security in mind.[3] Timo Sirainen originated Dovecot and first released it in July 2002. Dovecot developers primarily aim to produce a lightweight, fast and easy-to-set-up open-source email server.
The primary purpose of Dovecot is to act as a mail storage server. The mail is delivered to the server using some mail delivery agent (MDA) and is stored for later access with an email client (mail user agent, or MUA). Dovecot can also act as mail proxy server, forwarding connection to another mail server, or act as a lightweight MUA in order to retrieve and manipulate mail on remote server for e.g. mail migration.
According to the Open Email Survey, as of 2020, Dovecot has an installed base of at least 2.9 million IMAP servers, and has a global market share of 76.9% of all IMAP servers. The results of the same survey in 2019 gave figures of 2.6 million and 76.2%, respectively.[4]
- ^ "Release v2.3.21.1". 14 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ "COPYING.LGPL file in dovecot repository". Retrieved 2017-10-04.
- ^ "Dovecot website". Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ Sirainen, Timo (2019-03-01). "Dovecot's global market share grows to 76%". Open-Xchange. Archived from the original on 2020-03-05. Retrieved 2020-03-05.