feat: add CI for docker

Docker and Compose support is provided through a standalone repo at
https://github.com/chatmail/docker, add reusable Docker build/test CI
jobs to staging workflows and a Docker docs stub pointing to the
chatmail/docker repository.

Requires CHATMAIL_DOCKER_DISPATCH_TOKEN secret in relay repo settings
(fine-grained PAT with contents:write on chatmail/docker).

.github/workflows/docker-deploy.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+name: Docker deploy
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      staging_host:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+        description: 'SSH hostname (e.g. staging2.testrun.org)'
+      mail_domain:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+        description: 'MAIL_DOMAIN for docker compose'
+      zone_file:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+        description: 'Default zone file basename (e.g. staging.testrun.org-default.zone)'
+
+jobs:
+  deploy-docker:
+    name: Docker deploy on ${{ inputs.staging_host }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 20
+    environment:
+      name: ${{ inputs.staging_host }}
+      url: https://${{ inputs.staging_host }}/
+    concurrency: ${{ inputs.staging_host }}
+    env:
+      VPS: root@${{ inputs.staging_host }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: true
+      - name: Setup SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir ~/.ssh
+          echo "${{ secrets.STAGING_SSH_KEY }}" >> ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
+          chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
+          ssh-keyscan ${{ inputs.staging_host }} > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+          # Reuse TCP connection for all subsequent ssh/scp calls
+          echo -e "Host ${{ inputs.staging_host }}\n  ControlMaster auto\n  ControlPath ~/.ssh/ctrl-%r@%h:%p\n  ControlPersist 10m" >> ~/.ssh/config
+
+      - name: stop bare services, install Docker, prepare mounts
+        run: |
+          ssh $VPS bash -s <<'EOF'
+          systemctl stop postfix dovecot nginx opendkim unbound filtermail doveauth chatmail-metadata iroh-relay mtail fcgiwrap acmetool 2>/dev/null || true
+          curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc && chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
+          echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/debian $(. /etc/os-release && echo $VERSION_CODENAME) stable" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list
+          apt-get update
+          apt-get install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin
+          mkdir -p /srv/chatmail/certs /srv/chatmail/dkim
+          cp -a /var/lib/acme/. /srv/chatmail/certs/ || true
+          cp -a /etc/dkimkeys/. /srv/chatmail/dkim/ || true
+          cp /etc/chatmail/chatmail.ini /srv/chatmail/chatmail.ini
+          EOF
+
+      - name: deploy with Docker
+        run: |
+          SHORT_SHA=$(echo "${{ github.sha }}" | cut -c1-7)
+          GHCR_IMAGE="ghcr.io/chatmail/docker:sha-${SHORT_SHA}"
+          rsync -avz --exclude='.git' --exclude='venv' --exclude='__pycache__' ./ $VPS:/srv/chatmail/relay/
+          echo "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}" | ssh $VPS "docker login ghcr.io -u ${{ github.actor }} --password-stdin && \
+            docker pull ${GHCR_IMAGE} && \
+            cd /srv/chatmail/relay && CHATMAIL_IMAGE=${GHCR_IMAGE} MAIL_DOMAIN=${{ inputs.mail_domain }} docker compose -f docker/docker-compose.yaml -f docker/docker-compose.ci.yaml up -d"
+
+      - name: wait for container healthy
+        run: |
+          ssh $VPS 'docker exec chatmail journalctl -f --no-pager' &
+          LOG_PID=$!
+          trap "kill $LOG_PID 2>/dev/null || true" EXIT
+          for i in $(seq 1 60); do
+            status=$(ssh $VPS 'docker inspect --format={{.State.Health.Status}} chatmail 2>/dev/null' || echo "missing")
+            echo "  [$i/60] status=$status"
+            if [ "$status" = "healthy" ]; then
+              echo "Container is healthy."
+              exit 0
+            fi
+            if [ "$status" = "unhealthy" ]; then
+              echo "Container is unhealthy!"
+              break
+            fi
+            sleep 5
+          done
+          echo "Container did not become healthy."
+          kill $LOG_PID 2>/dev/null || true
+          ssh $VPS bash -s <<'EOF'
+          echo "--- failed units ---"
+          docker exec chatmail systemctl --failed --no-pager || true
+          echo "--- service logs ---"
+          docker exec chatmail journalctl -u dovecot -u postfix -u nginx -u unbound --no-pager -n 50 || true
+          echo "--- listening ports ---"
+          docker exec chatmail ss -tlnp || true
+          echo "--- chatmail.ini ---"
+          docker exec chatmail cat /etc/chatmail/chatmail.ini || true
+          EOF
+          exit 1
+
+      - name: show container state
+        run: |
+          ssh $VPS bash -s <<'EOF'
+          echo "--- listening ports ---"
+          docker exec chatmail ss -tlnp
+          echo "--- chatmail.ini ---"
+          docker exec chatmail cat /etc/chatmail/chatmail.ini
+          EOF
+
+      - name: Docker integration tests
+        run: ssh $VPS 'docker exec chatmail cmdeploy test --slow --ssh-host @local'
+
+      - name: Docker DNS
+        run: |
+          git checkout .github/workflows/${{ inputs.zone_file }}
+          ssh $VPS bash -s <<'EOF'
+          docker exec chatmail chown opendkim:opendkim -R /etc/dkimkeys
+          docker exec chatmail cmdeploy dns --ssh-host @local --zonefile /opt/chatmail/staging.zone --verbose
+          docker cp chatmail:/opt/chatmail/staging.zone /tmp/staging.zone
+          EOF
+          scp $VPS:/tmp/staging.zone staging-generated.zone
+          cat staging-generated.zone >> .github/workflows/${{ inputs.zone_file }}
+          cat .github/workflows/${{ inputs.zone_file }}
+          scp .github/workflows/${{ inputs.zone_file }} root@ns.testrun.org:/etc/nsd/${{ inputs.staging_host }}.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org "nsd-checkzone ${{ inputs.staging_host }} /etc/nsd/${{ inputs.staging_host }}.zone && systemctl reload nsd"
+
+      - name: Docker final DNS check
+        run: ssh $VPS 'docker exec chatmail cmdeploy dns -v --ssh-host @local'

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

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
+      - j4n/docker-pr
   pull_request:
     paths-ignore:
       - 'scripts/**'
@@ -12,6 +13,11 @@ on:
       - 'LICENSE'
 
 jobs:
+  trigger-docker-build:
+    if: github.event_name == 'push'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/trigger-docker-build.yaml
+    secrets: inherit
+
   deploy:
     name: deploy on staging-ipv4.testrun.org, and run tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -22,6 +28,8 @@ jobs:
     concurrency: staging-ipv4.testrun.org
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: true
 
       - name: prepare SSH
         run: |
@@ -63,13 +71,13 @@ jobs:
           # download acme & dkim state from ns.testrun.org
           rsync -e "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new" -avz root@ns.testrun.org:/tmp/acme-ipv4/acme acme-restore || true
           rsync -avz root@ns.testrun.org:/tmp/dkimkeys-ipv4/dkimkeys dkimkeys-restore || true
-          # restore acme & dkim state to staging2.testrun.org
+          # restore acme & dkim state to staging-ipv4.testrun.org
           rsync -avz acme-restore/acme root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org:/var/lib/ || true
           rsync -avz dkimkeys-restore/dkimkeys root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org:/etc/ || true
           ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -v root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org chown root:root -R /var/lib/acme || true
 
-      - name: run deploy-chatmail offline tests 
+      - name: run deploy-chatmail offline tests
-        run: pytest --pyargs cmdeploy 
+        run: pytest --pyargs cmdeploy
 
       - name: setup dependencies
         run: |
@@ -102,3 +110,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: cmdeploy dns
         run: ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy dns -v --ssh-host localhost"
 
+  deploy-docker:
+    needs: [deploy, trigger-docker-build]
+    if: github.event_name == 'push'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/docker-deploy.yaml
+    with:
+      staging_host: staging-ipv4.testrun.org
+      mail_domain: staging-ipv4.testrun.org
+      zone_file: staging-ipv4.testrun.org-default.zone
+    secrets: inherit

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

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
+      - j4n/docker-pr
   pull_request:
     paths-ignore:
       - 'scripts/**'
@@ -12,6 +13,11 @@ on:
       - 'LICENSE'
 
 jobs:
+  trigger-docker-build:
+    if: github.event_name == 'push'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/trigger-docker-build.yaml
+    secrets: inherit
+
   deploy:
     name: deploy on staging2.testrun.org, and run tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -95,3 +101,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: cmdeploy dns
         run: cmdeploy dns -v
 
+  deploy-docker:
+    needs: [deploy, trigger-docker-build]
+    if: github.event_name == 'push'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/docker-deploy.yaml
+    with:
+      staging_host: staging2.testrun.org
+      mail_domain: staging2.testrun.org
+      zone_file: staging.testrun.org-default.zone
+    secrets: inherit

.github/workflows/trigger-docker-build.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+name: Trigger Docker image build
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+
+jobs:
+  trigger-docker-build:
+    name: Trigger Docker image build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.CHATMAIL_DOCKER_DISPATCH_TOKEN }}
+          script: |
+            await github.rest.repos.createDispatchEvent({
+              owner: 'chatmail',
+              repo: 'docker',
+              event_type: 'relay-updated',
+              client_payload: {
+                relay_ref: context.ref,
+                relay_sha: context.sha,
+                relay_sha_short: context.sha.slice(0, 7)
+              }
+            })

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/expire.py

@@ -145,10 +145,6 @@ class Expiry:
             changed = True
         if changed:
             self.remove_file(f"{mbox.basedir}/maildirsize")
-        for file in mbox.extrafiles:
-            if "dovecot.index.cache" in file.path.split("/")[-1]:
-                if file.size > 500 * 1024:
-                    self.remove_file(file.path)
 
     def get_summary(self):
         return (

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/basedeploy.py

@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import io
 import os
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 
+from pyinfra import host
+from pyinfra.facts.server import Command
 from pyinfra.operations import files, server, systemd
 
 
@@ -11,6 +13,17 @@ def has_systemd():
     return os.path.isdir("/run/systemd/system")
 
 
+def is_in_container() -> bool:
+    """Return True if running inside a container (Docker, LXC, etc.)."""
+    return (
+        host.get_fact(
+            Command,
+            "systemd-detect-virt --container --quiet 2>/dev/null && echo yes || true",
+        )
+        == "yes"
+    )
+
+
 @contextmanager
 def blocked_service_startup():
     """Prevent services from auto-starting during package installation.

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py

@@ -108,9 +108,7 @@ 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", "@docker"]:
+    if ssh_host == "localhost":
-        if ssh_host == "@docker":
-            env["CHATMAIL_NOPORTCHECK"] = "True"
         cmd = f"{pyinf} @local {deploy_path} -y"
 
     if version.parse(pyinfra.__version__) < version.parse("3"):
@@ -316,7 +314,7 @@ def add_ssh_host_option(parser):
     parser.add_argument(
         "--ssh-host",
         dest="ssh_host",
-        help="Run commands on 'localhost', via '@docker', or on a specific SSH host "
+        help="Run commands on 'localhost' or on a specific SSH host "
         "instead of chatmail.ini's mail_domain.",
     )
 
@@ -378,9 +376,7 @@ def get_parser():
 
 def get_sshexec(ssh_host: str, verbose=True):
     if ssh_host in ["localhost", "@local"]:
-        return LocalExec(verbose, docker=False)
+        return LocalExec(verbose)
-    elif ssh_host == "@docker":
-        return LocalExec(verbose, docker=True)
     if verbose:
         print(f"[ssh] login to {ssh_host}")
     return SSHExec(ssh_host, verbose=verbose)

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployers.py

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 Chat Mail pyinfra deploy.
 """
 
-import os
 import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@ from .basedeploy import (
     configure_remote_units,
     get_resource,
     has_systemd,
+    is_in_container,
 )
 from .dovecot.deployer import DovecotDeployer
 from .external.deployer import ExternalTlsDeployer
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path, disable_mail: bool, website_only: bool) -
             Out().red(f"Deploy failed: mtail_address {config.mtail_address} is not available (VPN up?).\n")
             exit(1)
 
-    if not os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_NOPORTCHECK"):
+    if not is_in_container():
         port_services = [
             (["master", "smtpd"], 25),
             ("unbound", 53),

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/deployer.py

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import urllib.request
 from chatmaild.config import Config
 from pyinfra import host
 from pyinfra.facts.deb import DebPackages
-from pyinfra.facts.server import Arch, Command, Sysctl
+from pyinfra.facts.server import Arch, Sysctl
 from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, server, systemd
 
 from cmdeploy.basedeploy import (
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@ from cmdeploy.basedeploy import (
     blocked_service_startup,
     configure_remote_units,
     get_resource,
+    is_in_container,
 )
 
-DOVECOT_VERSION = "2.3.21+dfsg1-3"
+DOVECOT_ARCHIVE_VERSION = "2.3.21+dfsg1-3"
+DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION = f"1:{DOVECOT_ARCHIVE_VERSION}"
 
 DOVECOT_SHA256 = {
     ("core", "amd64"): "dd060706f52a306fa863d874717210b9fe10536c824afe1790eec247ded5b27d",
@@ -40,11 +42,14 @@ class DovecotDeployer(Deployer):
         with blocked_service_startup():
             debs = []
             for pkg in ("core", "imapd", "lmtpd"):
-                deb = _download_dovecot_package(pkg, arch)
+                deb, changed = _download_dovecot_package(pkg, arch)
+                self.need_restart |= changed
                 if deb:
                     debs.append(deb)
             if debs:
                 deb_list = " ".join(debs)
+                # First dpkg may fail on missing dependencies (stderr suppressed);
+                # apt-get --fix-broken pulls them in, then dpkg retries cleanly.
                 server.shell(
                     name="Install dovecot packages",
                     commands=[
@@ -53,6 +58,7 @@ class DovecotDeployer(Deployer):
                         f"dpkg --force-confdef --force-confold -i {deb_list}",
                     ],
                 )
+                self.need_restart = True
         files.put(
             name="Pin dovecot packages to block Debian dist-upgrades",
             src=io.StringIO(
@@ -61,11 +67,15 @@ class DovecotDeployer(Deployer):
                 "Pin-Priority: -1\n"
             ),
             dest="/etc/apt/preferences.d/pin-dovecot",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
         )
 
     def configure(self):
         configure_remote_units(self.config.mail_domain, self.units)
-        self.need_restart, self.daemon_reload = _configure_dovecot(self.config)
+        config_restart, self.daemon_reload = _configure_dovecot(self.config)
+        self.need_restart |= config_restart
 
     def activate(self):
         activate_remote_units(self.units)
@@ -94,22 +104,22 @@ def _pick_url(primary, fallback):
         return fallback
 
 
-def _download_dovecot_package(package: str, arch: str):
+def _download_dovecot_package(package: str, arch: str) -> tuple[str | None, bool]:
-    """Download a dovecot .deb if needed, return its path (or None)."""
+    """Download a dovecot .deb if needed, return (path, changed)."""
     arch = "amd64" if arch == "x86_64" else arch
     arch = "arm64" if arch == "aarch64" else arch
 
     pkg_name = f"dovecot-{package}"
     sha256 = DOVECOT_SHA256.get((package, arch))
     if sha256 is None:
-        apt.packages(packages=[pkg_name])
+        op = apt.packages(packages=[pkg_name])
-        return None
+        return None, bool(getattr(op, "changed", False))
 
     installed_versions = host.get_fact(DebPackages).get(pkg_name, [])
-    if DOVECOT_VERSION in installed_versions:
+    if DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION in installed_versions:
-        return None
+        return None, False
 
-    url_version = DOVECOT_VERSION.replace("+", "%2B")
+    url_version = DOVECOT_ARCHIVE_VERSION.replace("+", "%2B")
     deb_base = f"{pkg_name}_{url_version}_{arch}.deb"
     primary_url = f"https://download.delta.chat/dovecot/{deb_base}"
     fallback_url = f"https://github.com/chatmail/dovecot/releases/download/upstream%2F{url_version}/{deb_base}"
@@ -124,18 +134,7 @@ def _download_dovecot_package(package: str, arch: str):
         cache_time=60 * 60 * 24 * 365 * 10,  # never redownload the package
     )
 
-    return deb_filename
+    return deb_filename, True
-
-
-def _can_set_inotify_limits() -> bool:
-    is_container = (
-        host.get_fact(
-            Command,
-            "systemd-detect-virt --container --quiet 2>/dev/null && echo yes || true",
-        )
-        == "yes"
-    )
-    return not is_container
 
 
 def _configure_dovecot(config: Config, debug: bool = False) -> tuple[bool, bool]:
@@ -173,7 +172,7 @@ def _configure_dovecot(config: Config, debug: bool = False) -> tuple[bool, bool]
 
     # as per https://doc.dovecot.org/2.3/configuration_manual/os/
     # it is recommended to set the following inotify limits
-    can_modify = _can_set_inotify_limits()
+    can_modify = not is_in_container()
     for name in ("max_user_instances", "max_user_watches"):
         key = f"fs.inotify.{name}"
         value = host.get_fact(Sysctl)[key]

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/dovecot.conf.j2

@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ userdb {
 # Mailboxes are stored in the "mail" directory of the vmail user home.
 mail_location = maildir:{{ config.mailboxes_dir }}/%u
 
+# index/cache files are not very useful for chatmail relay operations 
+# but it's not clear how to disable them completely. 
+# According to https://doc.dovecot.org/2.3/settings/advanced/#core_setting-mail_cache_max_size
+# if the cache file becomes larger than the specified size, it is truncated by dovecot 
+mail_cache_max_size = 500K
+
 namespace inbox {
   inbox = yes
 

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py

@@ -87,9 +87,8 @@ class SSHExec:
 class LocalExec:
     FuncError = FuncError
 
-    def __init__(self, verbose=False, docker=False):
+    def __init__(self, verbose=False):
         self.verbose = verbose
-        self.docker = docker
 
     def __call__(self, call, kwargs=None, log_callback=None):
         if kwargs is None:
@@ -101,10 +100,6 @@ class LocalExec:
         if not title:
             title = call.__name__
         where = "locally"
-        if self.docker:
-            if call == remote.rdns.perform_initial_checks:
-                kwargs["pre_command"] = "docker exec chatmail "
-                where = "in docker"
         if self.verbose:
             print_stderr(f"Running {where}: {title}(**{kwargs})")
             return self(call, kwargs, log_callback=print_stderr)

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_1_basic.py

@@ -71,6 +71,44 @@ class TestSSHExecutor:
         assert (now - since_date).total_seconds() < 60 * 60 * 51
 
 
+def test_dovecot_main_process_matches_installed_binary(sshdomain):
+    sshexec = get_sshexec(sshdomain)
+    main_pid = int(
+        sshexec(
+            call=remote.rshell.shell,
+            kwargs=dict(
+                command="timeout 10 systemctl show -p MainPID --value dovecot.service"
+            ),
+        ).strip()
+    )
+    assert main_pid != 0, "dovecot.service MainPID is 0 -- service not running?"
+
+    exe = sshexec(
+        call=remote.rshell.shell,
+        kwargs=dict(command=f"timeout 10 readlink /proc/{main_pid}/exe"),
+    ).strip()
+    status_text = sshexec(
+        call=remote.rshell.shell,
+        kwargs=dict(
+            command="timeout 10 systemctl show -p StatusText --value dovecot.service"
+        ),
+    ).strip()
+    installed_version = sshexec(
+        call=remote.rshell.shell, kwargs=dict(command="timeout 10 dovecot --version")
+    ).strip()
+
+    assert not exe.endswith("(deleted)"), (
+        f"running dovecot binary was deleted (stale after upgrade): {exe}"
+    )
+    expected_status_text = f"v{installed_version}"
+    assert status_text == expected_status_text or status_text.startswith(
+        f"{expected_status_text} "
+    ), (
+        f"dovecot status version mismatch: "
+        f"StatusText={status_text!r}, installed={installed_version!r}"
+    )
+
+
 def test_timezone_env(remote):
     for line in remote.iter_output("env"):
         print(line)

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_dovecot_deployer.py

@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+from contextlib import nullcontext
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import pytest
+
+from cmdeploy.dovecot import deployer as dovecot_deployer
+from pyinfra.facts.deb import DebPackages
+
+
+def make_host(*fact_pairs):
+    """Build a mock host; get_fact(cls) dispatches to the provided facts mapping.
+
+    Args:
+        *fact_pairs: tuples of (fact_class, fact_value) to register
+
+    Returns:
+        SimpleNamespace with get_fact that raises a clear error if an
+        unexpected fact type is requested.
+    """
+    facts = dict(fact_pairs)
+
+    def get_fact(cls):
+        if cls not in facts:
+            registered = ", ".join(c.__name__ for c in facts)
+            raise LookupError(
+                f"unexpected get_fact({cls.__name__}); "
+                f"only registered: {registered}"
+            )
+        return facts[cls]
+
+    return SimpleNamespace(get_fact=get_fact)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def deployer():
+    return dovecot_deployer.DovecotDeployer(
+        SimpleNamespace(mail_domain="chat.example.org"),
+        disable_mail=False,
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def patch_blocked(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(dovecot_deployer, "blocked_service_startup", nullcontext)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_files_put(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer.files,
+        "put",
+        lambda **kwargs: SimpleNamespace(changed=False),
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def track_shell(monkeypatch):
+    calls = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer.server,
+        "shell",
+        lambda **kwargs: calls.append(kwargs) or SimpleNamespace(changed=False),
+    )
+    return calls
+
+
+def test_download_dovecot_package_skips_epoch_matched_install(monkeypatch):
+    epoch_version = dovecot_deployer.DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION
+    downloads = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer,
+        "host",
+        make_host((DebPackages, {"dovecot-core": [epoch_version]})),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer,
+        "_pick_url",
+        lambda primary, fallback: primary,
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer.files,
+        "download",
+        lambda **kwargs: downloads.append(kwargs),
+    )
+
+    deb, changed = dovecot_deployer._download_dovecot_package("core", "amd64")
+
+    assert deb is None, f"expected no deb path when version matches, got {deb!r}"
+    assert changed is False, "should not flag changed when version already installed"
+    assert downloads == [], "should not download when version already installed"
+
+
+def test_download_dovecot_package_uses_archive_version_for_url_and_filename(
+    monkeypatch,
+):
+    downloads = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer,
+        "host",
+        make_host((DebPackages, {})),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer,
+        "_pick_url",
+        lambda primary, fallback: primary,
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer.files,
+        "download",
+        lambda **kwargs: downloads.append(kwargs),
+    )
+
+    deb, changed = dovecot_deployer._download_dovecot_package("core", "amd64")
+
+    archive_version = dovecot_deployer.DOVECOT_ARCHIVE_VERSION.replace("+", "%2B")
+    expected_deb = f"/root/dovecot-core_{archive_version}_amd64.deb"
+
+    # Verify the returned path uses archive version, not package version (with epoch)
+    assert changed is True, "should flag changed when package not yet installed"
+    assert deb == expected_deb, f"deb path mismatch: {deb!r} != {expected_deb!r}"
+    assert dovecot_deployer.DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION not in deb, (
+        f"deb path should use archive version (no epoch), got {deb!r}"
+    )
+    assert len(downloads) == 1, "files.download should be called exactly once"
+
+
+def test_install_skips_dpkg_path_when_epoch_matched_packages_present(
+    deployer, patch_blocked, mock_files_put, track_shell, monkeypatch
+):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer,
+        "host",
+        make_host(
+            (
+                dovecot_deployer.DebPackages,
+                {
+                    "dovecot-core": [dovecot_deployer.DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION],
+                    "dovecot-imapd": [dovecot_deployer.DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION],
+                    "dovecot-lmtpd": [dovecot_deployer.DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION],
+                },
+            ),
+            (dovecot_deployer.Arch, "x86_64"),
+        ),
+    )
+    downloads = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer.files,
+        "download",
+        lambda **kwargs: downloads.append(kwargs),
+    )
+
+    deployer.install()
+
+    assert downloads == [], "should not download when all packages epoch-matched"
+    assert track_shell == [], "should not run dpkg when all packages epoch-matched"
+    assert deployer.need_restart is False, (
+        "need_restart should be False when nothing changed"
+    )
+
+
+def test_install_unsupported_arch_falls_back_to_apt(
+    deployer, patch_blocked, mock_files_put, track_shell, monkeypatch
+):
+    # For unsupported architectures, all fact lookups return the arch string.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer,
+        "host",
+        SimpleNamespace(get_fact=lambda cls: "riscv64"),
+    )
+    apt_calls = []
+
+    # Mirrors apt.packages() return value: OperationMeta with .changed property.
+    # Only lmtpd triggers a change to verify |= accumulation of changed flags.
+    def fake_apt(**kwargs):
+        apt_calls.append(kwargs)
+        changed = "lmtpd" in kwargs["packages"][0]
+        return SimpleNamespace(changed=changed)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(dovecot_deployer.apt, "packages", fake_apt)
+
+    deployer.install()
+
+    actual_pkgs = [c["packages"] for c in apt_calls]
+    assert actual_pkgs == [["dovecot-core"], ["dovecot-imapd"], ["dovecot-lmtpd"]], (
+        f"expected apt install of core/imapd/lmtpd, got {actual_pkgs}"
+    )
+    assert track_shell == [], "should not run dpkg for unsupported arch"
+    assert deployer.need_restart is True, (
+        "need_restart should be True when apt installed a package"
+    )
+
+
+def test_install_runs_dpkg_when_packages_need_download(
+    deployer, patch_blocked, mock_files_put, track_shell, monkeypatch
+):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer,
+        "host",
+        make_host(
+            (dovecot_deployer.DebPackages, {}),
+            (dovecot_deployer.Arch, "x86_64"),
+        ),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer,
+        "_pick_url",
+        lambda primary, fallback: primary,
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dovecot_deployer.files,
+        "download",
+        lambda **kwargs: SimpleNamespace(changed=True),
+    )
+
+    deployer.install()
+
+    assert len(track_shell) == 1, (
+        f"expected one server.shell() call for dpkg install, got {len(track_shell)}"
+    )
+    cmds = track_shell[0]["commands"]
+    assert len(cmds) == 3, f"expected 3 dpkg/apt commands, got: {cmds}"
+    assert cmds[0].startswith("dpkg --force-confdef --force-confold -i ")
+    assert "apt-get -y --fix-broken install" in cmds[1]
+    assert cmds[2].startswith("dpkg --force-confdef --force-confold -i ")
+    assert deployer.need_restart is True, (
+        "need_restart should be True after dpkg install"
+    )
+
+
+def test_pick_url_falls_back_on_primary_error(monkeypatch):
+    def raise_error(req, timeout):
+        raise OSError("connection timeout")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(dovecot_deployer.urllib.request, "urlopen", raise_error)
+    result = dovecot_deployer._pick_url("http://primary", "http://fallback")
+    assert result == "http://fallback", (
+        f"should fall back when primary fails, got {result!r}"
+    )

doc/source/getting_started.rst

@@ -98,6 +98,13 @@ steps. Please substitute it with your own domain.
    configure at your DNS provider (it can take some time until they are
    public).
 
+Docker installation
+-------------------
+
+There is experimental support for running chatmail via Docker Compose.
+See the `chatmail/docker README <https://github.com/chatmail/docker>`_
+for full setup instructions.
+
 Other helpful commands
 ----------------------