config: comment out values in chatmail.ini.f, so defaults take precedence

.github/workflows/test-and-deploy-ipv4only.yaml

@@ -85,12 +85,12 @@ jobs:
           ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "sed -i 's#disable_ipv6 = False#disable_ipv6 = True#' relay/chatmail.ini"
           ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "sed -i 's/#\s*mtail_address/mtail_address/' relay/chatmail.ini"
 
-      - run: ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy run --verbose --skip-dns-check"
+      - run: ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy run --verbose --skip-dns-check --ssh-host localhost"
 
       - name: set DNS entries
         run: |
           ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org chown opendkim:opendkim -R /etc/dkimkeys
-          ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy dns --zonefile staging-generated.zone"
+          ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy dns --zonefile staging-generated.zone --ssh-host localhost"
           ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org cat relay/staging-generated.zone >> .github/workflows/staging-ipv4.testrun.org-default.zone
           cat .github/workflows/staging-ipv4.testrun.org-default.zone
           scp .github/workflows/staging-ipv4.testrun.org-default.zone root@ns.testrun.org:/etc/nsd/staging-ipv4.testrun.org.zone
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ jobs:
           ssh root@ns.testrun.org systemctl reload nsd
 
       - name: cmdeploy test
-        run: ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2=ci-chatmail.testrun.org scripts/cmdeploy test --slow"
+        run: ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2=ci-chatmail.testrun.org scripts/cmdeploy test --slow --ssh-host localhost"
 
       - name: cmdeploy dns
-        run: ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy dns -v"
+        run: ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy dns -v --ssh-host localhost"
 

.github/workflows/test-and-deploy.yaml

@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ jobs:
 
       - run: |
           cmdeploy init staging2.testrun.org
-          sed -i 's/^ssh_host/#ssh_host/' chatmail.ini
           sed -i 's/#\s*mtail_address/mtail_address/' chatmail.ini
 
       - run: cmdeploy run --verbose --skip-dns-check

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py

@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ class Config:
     def __init__(self, inipath, params):
         self._inipath = inipath
         self.mail_domain = params["mail_domain"]
-        self.ssh_host = params.get("ssh_host", self.mail_domain)
         self.max_user_send_per_minute = int(params.get("max_user_send_per_minute", 60))
         self.max_user_send_burst_size = int(params.get("max_user_send_burst_size", 10))
         self.max_mailbox_size = params.get("max_mailbox_size", "500M")
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ class Config:
         self.delete_mails_after = params.get("delete_mails_after", "20")
         self.delete_large_after = params.get("delete_large_after", "7")
         self.delete_inactive_users_after = int(
-            params.get("delete_inactive_users_after", 100)
+            params.get("delete_inactive_users_after", 90)
         )
         self.username_min_length = int(params.get("username_min_length", 9))
         self.username_max_length = int(params.get("username_max_length", 9))

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f

@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
 # mail domain (MUST be set to fully qualified chat mail domain)
 mail_domain = {mail_domain}
 
-# Where to deploy the relay - if unspecified, mail_domain will be used.
-ssh_host = localhost
-
 #
 # If you only do private test deploys, you don't need to modify any settings below
 #
@@ -15,41 +12,41 @@ ssh_host = localhost
 #
 
 # email sending rate per user and minute
-max_user_send_per_minute = 60
+#max_user_send_per_minute = 60
 
 # per-user max burst size for sending rate limiting (GCRA bucket capacity)
-max_user_send_burst_size = 10
+#max_user_send_burst_size = 10
 
 # maximum mailbox size of a chatmail address
-max_mailbox_size = 500M
+#max_mailbox_size = 500M
 
 # maximum message size for an e-mail in bytes
-max_message_size = 31457280
+#max_message_size = 31457280
 
 # days after which mails are unconditionally deleted
-delete_mails_after = 20
+#delete_mails_after = 20
 
 # days after which large messages (>200k) are unconditionally deleted
-delete_large_after = 7
+#delete_large_after = 7
 
 # days after which users without a successful login are deleted (database and mails)
-delete_inactive_users_after = 90
+#delete_inactive_users_after = 90
 
 # minimum length a username must have
-username_min_length = 9
+#username_min_length = 9
 
 # maximum length a username can have
-username_max_length = 9
+#username_max_length = 9
 
 # minimum length a password must have
-password_min_length = 9
+#password_min_length = 9
 
 # list of chatmail addresses which can send outbound un-encrypted mail
-passthrough_senders =
+#passthrough_senders =
 
 # list of e-mail recipients for which to accept outbound un-encrypted mails
 # (space-separated, item may start with "@" to whitelist whole recipient domains)
-passthrough_recipients =
+#passthrough_recipients =
 
 # path to www directory - documented here: https://chatmail.at/doc/relay/getting_started.html#custom-web-pages
 #www_folder = www
@@ -59,18 +56,18 @@ passthrough_recipients =
 #
 
 # SMTP outgoing filtermail and reinjection 
-filtermail_smtp_port = 10080
+#filtermail_smtp_port = 10080
-postfix_reinject_port = 10025
+#postfix_reinject_port = 10025
 
 # SMTP incoming filtermail and reinjection 
-filtermail_smtp_port_incoming = 10081
+#filtermail_smtp_port_incoming = 10081
-postfix_reinject_port_incoming = 10026
+#postfix_reinject_port_incoming = 10026
 
 # if set to "True" IPv6 is disabled
-disable_ipv6 = False
+#disable_ipv6 = False
 
 # Your email adress, which will be used in acmetool to manage Let's Encrypt SSL certificates
-acme_email = 
+#acme_email =
 
 # Defaults to https://iroh.{{mail_domain}} and running `iroh-relay` on the chatmail
 # service.
@@ -103,13 +100,13 @@ acme_email =
 # in per-maildir ".in/.out" files. 
 # Note that you need to manually cleanup these files
 # so use this option with caution on production servers. 
-imap_rawlog = false 
+#imap_rawlog = false
 
 # set to true if you want to enable the IMAP COMPRESS Extension,
 # which allows IMAP connections to be efficiently compressed.
 # WARNING: Enabling this makes it impossible to hibernate IMAP
 # processes which will result in much higher memory/RAM usage.
-imap_compress = false
+#imap_compress = false
 
 
 #

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py

@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def run_cmd_options(parser):
 def run_cmd(args, out):
     """Deploy chatmail services on the remote server."""
 
-    ssh_host = args.ssh_host if args.ssh_host else args.config.ssh_host
+    ssh_host = args.ssh_host if args.ssh_host else args.config.mail_domain
     sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host)
     require_iroh = args.config.enable_iroh_relay
     strict_tls = args.config.tls_cert_mode == "acme"
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ def run_cmd(args, out):
     pyinf = "pyinfra --dry" if args.dry_run else "pyinfra"
 
     cmd = f"{pyinf} --ssh-user root {ssh_host} {deploy_path} -y"
-    if ssh_host in ["localhost", "@local", "@docker"]:
+    if ssh_host in ["localhost", "@docker"]:
         cmd = f"{pyinf} @local {deploy_path} -y"
 
     if version.parse(pyinfra.__version__) < version.parse("3"):
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def dns_cmd_options(parser):
 
 def dns_cmd(args, out):
     """Check DNS entries and optionally generate dns zone file."""
-    ssh_host = args.ssh_host if args.ssh_host else args.config.ssh_host
+    ssh_host = args.ssh_host if args.ssh_host else args.config.mail_domain
     sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host, verbose=args.verbose)
     tls_cert_mode = args.config.tls_cert_mode
     strict_tls = tls_cert_mode == "acme"
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ def status_cmd_options(parser):
 def status_cmd(args, out):
     """Display status for online chatmail instance."""
 
-    ssh_host = args.ssh_host if args.ssh_host else args.config.ssh_host
+    ssh_host = args.ssh_host if args.ssh_host else args.config.mail_domain
     sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host, verbose=args.verbose)
 
     out.green(f"chatmail domain: {args.config.mail_domain}")

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py

@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ def maildomain(chatmail_config):
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def sshdomain(chatmail_config):
+def sshdomain(maildomain):
-    return os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_SSH", chatmail_config.ssh_host)
+    return os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_SSH", maildomain)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture

doc/source/getting_started.rst

@@ -16,11 +16,18 @@ You will need the following:
 
 -  Control over a domain through a DNS provider of your choice.
 
--  A Debian 12 server with reachable SMTP/SUBMISSIONS/IMAPS/HTTPS ports.
+-  A Debian 12 **deployment server** with reachable SMTP/SUBMISSIONS/IMAPS/HTTPS ports.
    IPv6 is encouraged if available. Chatmail relay servers only require
    1GB RAM, one CPU, and perhaps 10GB storage for a few thousand active
    chatmail addresses.
 
+-  A Linux or Unix **build machine** with key-based SSH access to the root
+   user of the deployment server.
+   You must add a passphrase-protected private key to your local ssh-agent because you
+   can’t type in your passphrase during deployment.
+   (An ed25519 private key is required due to an `upstream bug in
+   paramiko <https://github.com/paramiko/paramiko/issues/2191>`_)
+
 
 Setup with ``scripts/cmdeploy``
 -------------------------------------
@@ -28,7 +35,7 @@ Setup with ``scripts/cmdeploy``
 We use ``chat.example.org`` as the chatmail domain in the following
 steps. Please substitute it with your own domain.
 
-1. Setup the initial DNS records for your relay.
+1. Setup the initial DNS records for your deployment server.
    The following is an example in the
    familiar BIND zone file format with a TTL of 1 hour (3600 seconds).
    Please substitute your domain and IP addresses.
@@ -48,25 +55,22 @@ steps. Please substitute it with your own domain.
       The ``mta-sts`` CNAME and ``_mta-sts`` TXT records
       are not needed for such domains.
 
-2. Login to the server with SSH, clone the repository and bootstrap the Python
+2. On your local PC, clone the repository and bootstrap the Python
    virtualenv.
 
    ::
 
-       ssh root@chat.example.org
        git clone https://github.com/chatmail/relay
        cd relay
        scripts/initenv.sh
 
-3. Then, create a chatmail configuration file
+3. On your local build machine (PC), create a chatmail configuration file
    ``chatmail.ini``:
 
    ::
 
        scripts/cmdeploy init chat.example.org  # <-- use your domain
 
-   .. note::
-
    To use self-signed TLS certificates
    instead of Let's Encrypt,
    use a domain name starting with ``_``
@@ -77,7 +81,13 @@ steps. Please substitute it with your own domain.
    See the :doc:`overview`
    for details on certificate provisioning.
 
-4. Now run the deployment script to install the relay to the server:
+4. Verify that SSH root login to the deployment server server works:
+
+   ::
+
+       ssh root@chat.example.org  # <-- use your domain
+
+5. From your local build machine, setup and configure the remote deployment server:
 
    ::
 
@@ -88,31 +98,26 @@ steps. Please substitute it with your own domain.
    configure at your DNS provider (it can take some time until they are
    public).
 
-Next Steps
+Other helpful commands
-----------
-
-Now you should display and check all recommended DNS records
-to enable federation with other relays:
-
-::
-
-   scripts/cmdeploy dns
-
-You should also test whether your chatmail service is working correctly:
-
-::
-
-   scripts/cmdeploy test
-
-Other Helpful Commands
 ----------------------
 
-To check the status of your chatmail relay:
+To check the status of your deployment server running the chatmail service:
 
 ::
 
    scripts/cmdeploy status
 
+To display and check all recommended DNS records:
+
+::
+
+   scripts/cmdeploy dns
+
+To test whether your chatmail service is working correctly:
+
+::
+
+   scripts/cmdeploy test
 
 To measure the performance of your chatmail service:
 
@@ -154,9 +159,8 @@ This starts a local live development cycle for chatmail web pages:
    directory and generating HTML files and copying assets to the
    ``www/build`` directory.
 
--  if you are running scripts/cmdeploy webdev on the relay itself,
+-  Starts a browser window automatically where you can “refresh” as
-   you need to configure a route in /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+   needed.
-   to expose the build directory.
 
 Custom web pages
 ----------------
@@ -174,7 +178,7 @@ Disable automatic address creation
 --------------------------------------------------------
 
 If you need to stop address creation, e.g. because some script is wildly
-creating addresses, login with ssh to the relay and run:
+creating addresses, login with ssh to the deployment machine and run:
 
 ::
 
@@ -194,3 +198,23 @@ and all other relays will accept connections from it
 without requiring certificate verification.
 This is useful for experimental setups and testing.
 
+Migrating to a new build machine
+----------------------------------
+
+To move or add a build machine,
+clone the relay repository on the new build machine, and copy the ``chatmail.ini`` file from the old build machine.
+Make sure ``rsync`` is installed, then initialize the environment:
+
+::
+
+   ./scripts/initenv.sh
+
+Run safety checks before a new deployment:
+
+::
+
+   ./scripts/cmdeploy dns
+   ./scripts/cmdeploy status
+
+If you keep multiple build machines (ie laptop and desktop), keep ``chatmail.ini`` in sync between
+them.