What's changed: Initial version (topic 2.10, subtopics 2.10.1–2.10.2)
4.2Configuring and Managing Dovecot
Learn to configure Dovecot (an MRA, mail retrieval agent): the configuration layout under /etc/dovecot/ and dovecot.conf, the verification command doveconf, the administration command doveadm, the difference between POP3 and IMAP, and encryption via TLS.
Even after Postfix (the MTA) delivers mail, users still need a way to retrieve it from their mail client. That role (MRA) is filled by Dovecot, which runs as a POP3 or IMAP server. Because the MTA and MRA have different responsibilities, their configuration files and commands belong to separate systems—worth keeping straight from the start.
4.2.1Configuration files and verification
- Configuration lives under /etc/dovecot/, centered on dovecot.conf (on many distributions split into per-feature files under
conf.d/and included from there). - doveconf expands and displays the currently effective configuration—useful for seeing the actual applied values after splitting/including files, which helps isolate misconfigurations.
- doveadm is the administration command for operating on users, mailboxes, and messages (listing mailboxes, searching, moving mail, and similar management tasks).
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