As a Linux user constantly switching between email clients (we've all been there with Evolution, Thunderbird, Mutt, etc.), maintaining a centralized email archive becomes critical. Proprietary solutions like MXsense don't give you the transparency or control that open source alternatives provide.

Here are battle-tested solutions with varying architectures:

• imapfw - Python-based IMAP synchronization tool
• Mailpiler - Full-featured archival system with web UI
• Archivemail - Command-line tool for mbox/Maildir
• OfflineIMAP - Two-way sync with local Maildir

This combo gives you both archiving and client flexibility. First install OfflineIMAP:

sudo apt-get install offlineimap  # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo dnf install offlineimap      # Fedora

Sample ~/.offlineimaprc configuration:

[general]
accounts = Archive
maxsyncaccounts = 2

[Account Archive]
localrepository = LocalArchive
remoterepository = RemotePOP3

[Repository LocalArchive]
type = Maildir
localfolders = ~/Mail/Archive

[Repository RemotePOP3]
type = POP3
remotehost = mail.example.com
remoteuser = your_email
remotepass = your_password
ssl = yes
maxconnections = 1

For regular archiving, set up a cron job:

# Run every 6 hours
0 */6 * * * /usr/bin/offlineimap -o -u quiet

If you need browser access to archived emails:

• Roundcube - Configure with your Maildir path
• Rainloop - Lightweight webmail alternative
• Mailpiler - Dedicated archival web interface

For Mailpiler installation:

wget https://www.mailpiler.org/download/mailpiler-1.3.7.tar.gz
tar xvfz mailpiler-1.3.7.tar.gz
cd mailpiler-1.3.7
./configure --prefix=/usr/local/mailpiler
make
sudo make install

For programmers who want more control, here's a basic POP3 archiver:

import poplib
from email import parser

def archive_pop3(server, user, password, output_dir):
    mail = poplib.POP3_SSL(server)
    mail.user(user)
    mail.pass_(password)
    
    num_messages = len(mail.list()[1])
    for i in range(num_messages):
        raw_email = b"\n".join(mail.retr(i+1)[1])
        parsed_email = parser.Parser().parsestr(raw_email.decode())
        
        with open(f"{output_dir}/msg_{i}.eml", "w") as f:
            f.write(str(parsed_email))

archive_pop3("mail.example.com", "user", "password", "/path/to/archive")

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As a long-time Linux user, I've struggled with the lack of an Outlook-caliber email client. The constant switching between clients like Thunderbird, Evolution, and Mutt made me realize the critical need for a centralized email archive solution that's:

• Protocol-agnostic (works with POP3/IMAP/Maildir)
• Open source and Linux-native
• Preferably web-accessible

After extensive testing, these solutions stood out:

1. MailPile (Python-based)

A modern solution with search-centric design. Example setup for Maildir:

# Install via pip
pip install mailpile

# Basic configuration
mailpile --setup
set mail.maildir = ~/Maildir
set ui.port = 33411

2. Archivemail (Python)

Lightweight script for periodic archiving:

# Archive emails older than 365 days
archivemail --days=365 --delete --compress ~/mail/Inbox

3. Dovecot + Sieve (Enterprise-grade)

For server-side filtering and archiving:

# /etc/dovecot/conf.d/90-sieve.conf
plugin {
  sieve = ~/.dovecot.sieve
  sieve_dir = ~/sieve
}

For those wanting browser access:

Roundcube with Archive Plugin

# Install plugin via composer
composer require roundcube/archiveplugin

MailArchiva Open Source Edition

Java-based solution with Lucene search:

# Startup script
java -Xmx1024m -jar mailarchiva.jar \
  --http-port=8080 \
  --data-dir=/var/mailarchiva

For maximum control, I recommend this cron-powered solution:

# ~/.offlineimaprc
[general]
accounts = Gmail
maxsyncaccounts = 2

[Account Gmail]
localrepository = Local
remoterepository = Remote

[Repository Local]
type = Maildir
localfolders = ~/Mail/Gmail

[Repository Remote]
type = IMAP
remotehost = imap.gmail.com
ssl = yes

Combine with a simple cron job:

# /etc/cron.hourly/email-archive
#!/bin/sh
/usr/bin/offlineimap -u quiet

When dealing with large archives:

• Use Maildir over mbox for better performance
• Consider SQLite-backed solutions for metadata
• Index attachments separately with tools like Apache Tika