fix off-by-one

fixes silent fail on invalid configuration file.

.github/workflows/ci.yaml

@@ -1,35 +1,21 @@
-name: Run unit-tests and container-based deploy+test verification
+name: CI
 
 on:
-  # Triggers when a PR is merged into main or a direct push occurs
-  push:
-    branches: [ "main" ]
-    
-  # Triggers for any PR (and its subsequent commits) targeting the main branch
   pull_request:
-    branches: [ "main" ]
+  push:
-
-permissions: {}
-
-# Newest push wins: Prevents multiple runs from clashing and wasting runner efforts
-concurrency:
-  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.event.pull_request.number || github.ref }}
-  cancel-in-progress: true
-
 
 jobs:
   tox:
     name: isolated chatmaild tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         # Checkout pull request HEAD commit instead of merge commit
         # Otherwise `test_deployed_state` will be unhappy.
         with:
           ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
-          persist-credentials: false
       - name: download filtermail
-        run: curl -L https://github.com/chatmail/filtermail/releases/download/v0.6.4/filtermail-x86_64 -o /usr/local/bin/filtermail && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/filtermail
+        run: curl -L https://github.com/chatmail/filtermail/releases/download/v0.6.0/filtermail-x86_64 -o /usr/local/bin/filtermail && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/filtermail
       - name: run chatmaild tests 
         working-directory: chatmaild
         run: pipx run tox
@@ -38,10 +24,7 @@ jobs:
     name: deploy-chatmail tests 
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
-          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: initenv 
         run: scripts/initenv.sh
@@ -55,24 +38,5 @@ jobs:
       - name: run deploy-chatmail offline tests 
         run: pytest --pyargs cmdeploy 
 
-  lxc-test:
+      # all other cmdeploy commands require a staging server 
-    name: LXC deploy and test
+      # see https://github.com/deltachat/chatmail/issues/100
-    uses: chatmail/cmlxc/.github/workflows/lxc-test.yml@v0.13.5
-    with:
-      cmlxc_version: v0.13.5
-      cmlxc_commands: |
-        cmlxc init 
-        # single cmdeploy relay test
-        cmlxc -v deploy-cmdeploy --source ./repo cm0
-        cmlxc -v test-mini cm0
-        cmlxc -v test-cmdeploy cm0
-
-        # cross cmdeploy relay test
-        cmlxc -v deploy-cmdeploy --source ./repo --ipv4-only cm1
-        cmlxc -v test-cmdeploy cm0 cm1
-
-        # cross cmdeploy/madmail relay tests
-        cmlxc -v deploy-madmail mad0
-        cmlxc -v test-cmdeploy cm0 mad0
-        cmlxc -v test-mini cm0 mad0
-        cmlxc -v test-mini mad0 cm0

.github/workflows/docker-dispatch.yaml

@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-# Notify the docker repo to build and test a new image after relay CI passes.
-#
-# Sends a repository_dispatch event to chatmail/docker with the relay ref
-# and short SHA, which triggers docker-ci.yaml to build, push to GHCR,
-# and run integration tests via cmlxc.
-
-name: Trigger Docker build
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches: [main]
-  workflow_dispatch:
-
-permissions: {}
-
-jobs:
-  dispatch:
-    name: Dispatch build to chatmail/docker
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.repository == 'chatmail/relay'
-    steps:
-      - name: Compute short SHA
-        id: sha
-        run: echo "short=$(echo '${{ github.sha }}' | cut -c1-7)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-
-      - name: Send repository_dispatch
-        uses: peter-evans/repository-dispatch@ff45666b9427631e3450c54a1bcbee4d9ff4d7c0 # v3
-        with:
-          token: ${{ secrets.CHATMAIL_DOCKER_DISPATCH_TOKEN }}
-          repository: chatmail/docker
-          event-type: relay-updated
-          client-payload: >-
-            {
-              "relay_ref": "${{ github.ref_name }}",
-              "relay_sha": "${{ github.sha }}",
-              "relay_sha_short": "${{ steps.sha.outputs.short }}"
-            }

.github/workflows/docs-preview.yaml

@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ on:
       - 'scripts/build-docs.sh'
       - '.github/workflows/docs-preview.yaml'
 
-permissions: {}
-
 jobs:
   scripts:
     name: build 
@@ -18,8 +16,6 @@ jobs:
       url: https://staging.chatmail.at/doc/relay/${{ steps.prepare.outputs.prid }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: initenv 
         run: scripts/initenv.sh
@@ -38,22 +34,18 @@ jobs:
       - name: Get Pullrequest ID
         id: prepare
         run: |
-          export PULLREQUEST_ID=$(echo "${GITHUB_REF}" | cut -d "/" -f3)
+          export PULLREQUEST_ID=$(echo "${{ github.ref }}" | cut -d "/" -f3)
           echo "prid=$PULLREQUEST_ID" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           if [ $(expr length "${{ secrets.USERNAME }}") -gt "1" ]; then echo "uploadtoserver=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT; fi
       - run: |
-          echo "baseurl: /${STEPS_PREPARE_OUTPUTS_PRID}" >> _config.yml
+          echo "baseurl: /${{ steps.prepare.outputs.prid }}" >> _config.yml
-        env:
-          STEPS_PREPARE_OUTPUTS_PRID: ${{ steps.prepare.outputs.prid }}
 
       - name: Upload preview
         run: |
           mkdir -p "$HOME/.ssh"
           echo "${{ secrets.CHATMAIL_STAGING_SSHKEY }}" > "$HOME/.ssh/key"
           chmod 600 "$HOME/.ssh/key"
-          rsync -rILvh -e "ssh -i $HOME/.ssh/key -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no" $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/doc/build/ "${{ secrets.USERNAME }}@chatmail.at:/var/www/html/staging.chatmail.at/doc/relay/${STEPS_PREPARE_OUTPUTS_PRID}/"
+          rsync -rILvh -e "ssh -i $HOME/.ssh/key -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no" $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/doc/build/ "${{ secrets.USERNAME }}@chatmail.at:/var/www/html/staging.chatmail.at/doc/relay/${{ steps.prepare.outputs.prid }}/"
-        env:
-          STEPS_PREPARE_OUTPUTS_PRID: ${{ steps.prepare.outputs.prid }}
 
       - name: check links 
         working-directory: doc

.github/workflows/docs.yaml

@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ on:
       - 'scripts/build-docs.sh'
       - '.github/workflows/docs.yaml'
 
-permissions: {}
-
 jobs:
   scripts:
     name: build 
@@ -21,8 +19,6 @@ jobs:
       url: https://chatmail.at/doc/relay/
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: initenv 
         run: scripts/initenv.sh

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

@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+name: deploy on staging-ipv4.testrun.org, and run tests
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  pull_request:
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'scripts/**'
+      - '**/README.md'
+      - 'CHANGELOG.md'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+
+jobs:
+  deploy:
+    name: deploy on staging-ipv4.testrun.org, and run tests
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    environment:
+      name: staging-ipv4.testrun.org
+      url: https://staging-ipv4.testrun.org/
+    concurrency: staging-ipv4.testrun.org
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: prepare SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir ~/.ssh
+          echo "${{ secrets.STAGING_SSH_KEY }}" >> ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
+          chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
+          ssh-keyscan staging-ipv4.testrun.org > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+          # save previous acme & dkim state
+          rsync -avz root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org:/var/lib/acme acme-ipv4 || true
+          rsync -avz root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org:/etc/dkimkeys dkimkeys-ipv4 || true
+          # store previous acme & dkim state on ns.testrun.org, if it contains useful certs
+          if [ -f dkimkeys-ipv4/dkimkeys/opendkim.private ]; then rsync -avz -e "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new" dkimkeys-ipv4 root@ns.testrun.org:/tmp/ || true; fi
+          if [ "$(ls -A acme-ipv4/acme/certs)" ]; then rsync -avz -e "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new" acme-ipv4 root@ns.testrun.org:/tmp/ || true; fi
+          # make sure CAA record isn't set
+          scp -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new .github/workflows/staging-ipv4.testrun.org-default.zone root@ns.testrun.org:/etc/nsd/staging-ipv4.testrun.org.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org sed -i '/CAA/d' /etc/nsd/staging-ipv4.testrun.org.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org nsd-checkzone staging-ipv4.testrun.org /etc/nsd/staging-ipv4.testrun.org.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org systemctl reload nsd
+
+      - name: rebuild staging-ipv4.testrun.org to have a clean VPS
+        run: |
+            curl -X POST \
+            -H "Authorization: Bearer ${{ secrets.HETZNER_API_TOKEN }}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            -d '{"image":"debian-12"}' \
+            "https://api.hetzner.cloud/v1/servers/${{ secrets.STAGING_IPV4_SERVER_ID }}/actions/rebuild"
+
+      - run: scripts/initenv.sh
+
+      - name: append venv/bin to PATH
+        run: echo venv/bin >>$GITHUB_PATH
+
+      - name: upload TLS cert after rebuilding
+        run: |
+          echo " --- wait until staging-ipv4.testrun.org VPS is rebuilt --- "
+          rm ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+          while ! ssh -o ConnectTimeout=180 -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -v root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org id -u ; do sleep 1 ; done
+          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -v root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org id -u
+          # 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
+          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 
+        run: pytest --pyargs cmdeploy 
+
+      - name: setup dependencies
+        run: |
+          ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org apt update
+          ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org apt install -y git python3.11-venv python3-dev gcc
+          ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org git clone https://github.com/chatmail/relay
+          ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && git checkout " ${{ github.head_ref }}
+          ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/initenv.sh"
+
+      - name: initialize config
+        run: |
+          ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy init staging-ipv4.testrun.org"
+          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 --ssh-host localhost"
+
+      - name: set DNS entries
+        run: |
+          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
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org nsd-checkzone staging-ipv4.testrun.org /etc/nsd/staging-ipv4.testrun.org.zone
+          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 --ssh-host localhost"
+
+      - name: cmdeploy dns
+        run: ssh root@staging-ipv4.testrun.org "cd relay && scripts/cmdeploy dns -v --ssh-host localhost"
+

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

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+name: deploy on staging2.testrun.org, and run tests
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  pull_request:
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'scripts/**'
+      - '**/README.md'
+      - 'CHANGELOG.md'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+
+jobs:
+  deploy:
+    name: deploy on staging2.testrun.org, and run tests
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    environment:
+      name: staging2.testrun.org
+      url: https://staging2.testrun.org/
+    concurrency: staging2.testrun.org
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: prepare SSH
+        run: |
+          mkdir ~/.ssh
+          echo "${{ secrets.STAGING_SSH_KEY }}" >> ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
+          chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
+          ssh-keyscan staging2.testrun.org > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+          # save previous acme & dkim state
+          rsync -avz root@staging2.testrun.org:/var/lib/acme . || true
+          rsync -avz root@staging2.testrun.org:/etc/dkimkeys . || true
+          # store previous acme & dkim state on ns.testrun.org, if it contains useful certs
+          if [ -f dkimkeys/opendkim.private ]; then rsync -avz -e "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new" dkimkeys root@ns.testrun.org:/tmp/ || true; fi
+          if [ "$(ls -A acme/certs)" ]; then rsync -avz -e "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new" acme root@ns.testrun.org:/tmp/ || true; fi
+          # make sure CAA record isn't set
+          scp -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new .github/workflows/staging.testrun.org-default.zone root@ns.testrun.org:/etc/nsd/staging2.testrun.org.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org sed -i '/CAA/d' /etc/nsd/staging2.testrun.org.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org nsd-checkzone staging2.testrun.org /etc/nsd/staging2.testrun.org.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org systemctl reload nsd
+
+      - name: rebuild staging2.testrun.org to have a clean VPS
+        run: |
+            curl -X POST \
+            -H "Authorization: Bearer ${{ secrets.HETZNER_API_TOKEN }}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            -d '{"image":"debian-12"}' \
+            "https://api.hetzner.cloud/v1/servers/${{ secrets.STAGING_SERVER_ID }}/actions/rebuild"
+
+      - run: scripts/initenv.sh
+
+      - name: append venv/bin to PATH
+        run: echo venv/bin >>$GITHUB_PATH
+
+      - name: upload TLS cert after rebuilding
+        run: |
+          echo " --- wait until staging2.testrun.org VPS is rebuilt --- "
+          rm ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+          while ! ssh -o ConnectTimeout=180 -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -v root@staging2.testrun.org id -u ; do sleep 1 ; done
+          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -v root@staging2.testrun.org id -u
+          # download acme & dkim state from ns.testrun.org
+          rsync -e "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new" -avz root@ns.testrun.org:/tmp/acme acme-restore || true
+          rsync -avz root@ns.testrun.org:/tmp/dkimkeys dkimkeys-restore || true
+          # restore acme & dkim state to staging2.testrun.org
+          rsync -avz acme-restore/acme root@staging2.testrun.org:/var/lib/ || true
+          rsync -avz dkimkeys-restore/dkimkeys root@staging2.testrun.org:/etc/ || true
+          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -v root@staging2.testrun.org chown root:root -R /var/lib/acme || true
+
+      - name: add hpk42 key to staging server
+        run: ssh root@staging2.testrun.org 'curl -s https://github.com/hpk42.keys >> .ssh/authorized_keys'
+
+      - name: run deploy-chatmail offline tests 
+        run: pytest --pyargs cmdeploy 
+
+      - run: |
+          cmdeploy init staging2.testrun.org
+          sed -i 's/#\s*mtail_address/mtail_address/' chatmail.ini
+
+      - run: cmdeploy run --verbose --skip-dns-check
+
+      - name: set DNS entries
+        run: |
+          cmdeploy dns --zonefile staging-generated.zone --verbose
+          cat staging-generated.zone >> .github/workflows/staging.testrun.org-default.zone
+          cat .github/workflows/staging.testrun.org-default.zone
+          scp .github/workflows/staging.testrun.org-default.zone root@ns.testrun.org:/etc/nsd/staging2.testrun.org.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org nsd-checkzone staging2.testrun.org /etc/nsd/staging2.testrun.org.zone
+          ssh root@ns.testrun.org systemctl reload nsd
+
+      - name: cmdeploy test
+        run: CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2=ci-chatmail.testrun.org cmdeploy test --slow
+
+      - name: cmdeploy dns
+        run: cmdeploy dns -v
+

.github/workflows/zizmor-scan.yml

@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-name: GitHub Actions Security Analysis with zizmor
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches: ["main"]
-  pull_request:
-    branches: ["**"]
-
-permissions: {}
-
-jobs:
-  zizmor:
-    name: Run zizmor
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      security-events: write # Required for upload-sarif (used by zizmor-action) to upload SARIF files.
-      contents: read
-      actions: read
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
-        with:
-          persist-credentials: false
-
-      - name: Run zizmor
-        uses: zizmorcore/zizmor-action@b1d7e1fb5de872772f31590499237e7cce841e8e # v0.5.3

.github/zizmor.yml

@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-rules:
-  unpinned-uses:
-    config:
-      policies:
-        actions/*: ref-pin
-        dependabot/*: ref-pin
-        chatmail/*: ref-pin

.gitignore

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ __pycache__/
 *.swp
 *qr-*.png
 chatmail*.ini
+lxconfigs/
 
 
 # C extensions

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,89 +1,5 @@
 # Changelog for chatmail deployment 
 
-## 1.10.0 2026-04-30
-
-* start mtail after networking is fully up <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/942>
-* support specifying custom filtermail binary through environment variable <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/941>
-* add automated zizmor scanning of github workflows <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/938>
-* added dispatch for *automated builds of chatmail relay docker images* <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/934>
-* do not bind SMTP client sockets to public addresses <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/932>
-* underline in docs that scripts/initenv.sh should be used for building the docs <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/933>
-* automatic oldest-first message removal from mailboxes to always stay under max_mailbox_size <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/929>
-* remove --slow from cmdeploy test <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/931>
-* handle missing inotify sysctl keys in containers <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/930>
-* replace resolvconf with static resolv.conf <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/928>
-* disable fsync for LMTP and IMAP services <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/925>
-* re-use cmlxc workflow, replacing CI with hetzner staging servers with local lxc containers <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/917>
-* explicitly install resolvconf <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/924>
-* detect stale dovecot binary and force restart in activate() <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/922>
-* Rename filtermail_http_port to filtermail_http_port_incoming <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/921>
-* consolidated is_in_container() check https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/920>
-* restart dovecot after package replacement (rebase, test condense) <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/913>
-* Set permissions on dovecot pin prefs <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/915>
-* Route `/mxdeliv/` to configurable port <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/901>
-* fix VM detection, automated testing fixes, use newer chatmail-turn and move to standard BIND DNS zone format <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/912>
-* Upgrade to filtermail 0.6.1 <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/910>
-* pin dovecot packages to prevent apt upgrades <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/908>
-* add rpc server to cmdeploy along with client <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/906>
-* remove unused deps from chatmaild <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/905>
-* set default smtp_tls_security_level to "verify" unconditionally <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/902>
-* featprefer IPv4 in SMTP client <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/900>
-* Install dovecot .deb packages atomically <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/899>
-* stop installing cron package <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/898>
-* Rewrite dovecot install logic, update <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/862>
-* fix a test and some linting fixes <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/897>
-* Disable IP verification on domain-literal addresses <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/895>
-* disable installing recommended packages globally on the relay <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/887>
-* multiple bug fixes across chatmaild and cmdeploy <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/883>
-* remove /metrics from the website <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/703>
-* add Prometheus textfile output to fsreport <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/881>
-* chown opendkim: private key <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/879>
-* make sure chatmail-metadata was started <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/882>
-* dovecot update url <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/880>
-* upgrade to filtermail v0.5.2 <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/876>
-* download dovecot packages from github release <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/875>
-* replace DKIM verification with filtermail v0.5 <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/831>
-* remove CFFI deltachat bindings usage, and consolidate test support with rpc-bindings <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/872>
-* prepare chatmaild/cmdeploy changes for Docker support <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/857>
-* stabilize online benchmark timing adding rate-limit-aware cooldown between iterations <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/867>
-* move rate-limit cooldown to benchmark fixture <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/868>
-* reconfigure acmetool from redirector to proxy mode <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/861>
-* make tests work with `--ssh-host localhost` <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/856>
-* mark f-string with f prefix in test_expunged <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/863>
-* install also if dovecot.service=False in SystemdEnabled Fact <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/841>
-* Introduce support for self-signed chatmail relays <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/855>
-* Strip Received headers before delivery <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/849>
-* upgrade to filtermail v0.3 <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/850>
-* fix link to Maddy and update madmail URL <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/847>
-* accept self-signed certificates for IP-only relays <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/846>
-* enforce sending from public IP addresses <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/845>
-* port check: check addresses, fix single services <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/844>
-* remediates issue with improper concat on resolver injection <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/834>
-* ipv6 boolean not being respected during operations <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/832>
-* upgrade to filtermail v0.2 by <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/825>
-* fix link to filtermail <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/824>
-* print timestamps when sending messages <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/823>
-* fix flaky test_exceed_rate_limit <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/822>
-* Replace filtermail with rust reimplementation <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/808>
-* Set default internal SMTP ports in Config <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/819>
-* separate metrics for incoming and outgoing messages <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/820>
-* disable appending the Received header <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/815>
-* fail on errors in postfix/dovecot config <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/813>
-* tweak idle/hibernate metrics some more <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/811>
-* add config flag to export statistics <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/806>
-* add --website-only option to run subcommand <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/768>
-* Strip DKIM-Signature header before LMTP <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/803>
-* properly make sure that postfix gets restarted on failure <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/802>
-* expire.py: use absolute path to maildirsize <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/807>
-* pin Dovecot documentation URLs to version 2.3 <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/800>
-* try to use "build machine" and "deployment server"  consistently  <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/797>
-* adds instructions for migrating control machines <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/795>
-* use consistent naming schema in getting started <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/793>
-* remove jsok/serialize-workflow-action dependency <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/790>
-* streamline migration guide wording, provide titled steps  <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/789>
-* increases default max mailbox size <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/792>
-* use daemon_name for OpenDKIM sign-verify decision instead of IP <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/784>
-
 ## 1.9.0 2025-12-18
 
 ### Documentation

chatmaild/pyproject.toml

@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 name = "chatmaild"
 version = "0.3"
 dependencies = [
+  "aiosmtpd",
   "iniconfig",
+  "deltachat-rpc-server",
+  "deltachat-rpc-client",
   "filelock",
   "requests",
   "crypt-r >= 3.13.1 ; python_version >= '3.11'",
@@ -21,10 +24,8 @@ where = ['src']
 [project.scripts]
 doveauth = "chatmaild.doveauth:main"
 chatmail-metadata = "chatmaild.metadata:main"
-chatmail-expire = "chatmaild.expire:daily_expire_main"
+chatmail-expire = "chatmaild.expire:main"
-chatmail-quota-expire = "chatmaild.expire:quota_expire_main"
 chatmail-fsreport = "chatmaild.fsreport:main"
-chatmail-deferred = "chatmaild.deferred:main"
 lastlogin = "chatmaild.lastlogin:main"
 turnserver = "chatmaild.turnserver:main"
 
@@ -69,7 +70,6 @@ commands =
 deps = pytest 
        pdbpp 
        pytest-localserver
-       aiosmtpd
        execnet
 commands = pytest -v -rsXx {posargs}
 """

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import iniconfig
@@ -37,18 +38,14 @@ class Config:
         self.filtermail_smtp_port_incoming = int(
             params.get("filtermail_smtp_port_incoming", "10081")
         )
-        self.filtermail_http_port_incoming = int(
-            params.get("filtermail_http_port_incoming", "10082")
-        )
-        self.filtermail_lmtp_port_transport = int(
-            params.get("filtermail_lmtp_port_transport", "10083")
-        )
         self.postfix_reinject_port = int(params.get("postfix_reinject_port", "10025"))
         self.postfix_reinject_port_incoming = int(
             params.get("postfix_reinject_port_incoming", "10026")
         )
         self.mtail_address = params.get("mtail_address")
         self.disable_ipv6 = params.get("disable_ipv6", "false").lower() == "true"
+        self.addr_v4 = os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_ADDR_V4", "")
+        self.addr_v6 = os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_ADDR_V6", "")
         self.acme_email = params.get("acme_email", "")
         self.imap_rawlog = params.get("imap_rawlog", "false").lower() == "true"
         self.imap_compress = params.get("imap_compress", "false").lower() == "true"
@@ -95,11 +92,6 @@ class Config:
         # old unused option (except for first migration from sqlite to maildir store)
         self.passdb_path = Path(params.get("passdb_path", "/home/vmail/passdb.sqlite"))
 
-    @property
-    def max_mailbox_size_mb(self):
-        """Return max_mailbox_size as an integer in megabytes."""
-        return parse_size_mb(self.max_mailbox_size)
-
     def _getbytefile(self):
         return open(self._inipath, "rb")
 
@@ -113,16 +105,6 @@ class Config:
         return User(maildir, addr, password_path, uid="vmail", gid="vmail")
 
 
-def parse_size_mb(limit):
-    """Parse a size string like ``500M`` or ``2G`` and return megabytes."""
-    value = limit.strip().upper().removesuffix("B")
-    if value.endswith("G"):
-        return int(value[:-1]) * 1024
-    if value.endswith("M"):
-        return int(value[:-1])
-    return int(value)
-
-
 def write_initial_config(inipath, mail_domain, overrides):
     """Write out default config file, using the specified config value overrides."""
     content = get_default_config_content(mail_domain, **overrides)

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/deferred.py

@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Analyze deferred mails and print most common failing destinations.
-
-Example:
-
-    python -m chatmaild.deferred
-"""
-
-import json
-import subprocess
-from collections import Counter, defaultdict
-
-
-def main():
-    p = subprocess.Popen(["postqueue", "-j"], text=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
-    domain_reasons = defaultdict(Counter)
-    domain_total = Counter()
-
-    for line in p.stdout:
-        item = json.loads(line)
-        if item["queue_name"] != "deferred":
-            continue
-
-        for recipient in item["recipients"]:
-            _, domain = recipient["address"].rsplit("@", 1)
-            reason = recipient["delay_reason"].removeprefix("host 127.0.0.1[127.0.0.1] said: ")
-            domain_total[domain] += 1
-            domain_reasons[domain][reason] += 1
-
-    for domain, total in reversed(domain_total.most_common()):
-        print(f"{domain} ({total} recipients)")
-        for reason, count in domain_reasons[domain].most_common():
-            print(f"  {count}: {reason}")
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/expire.py

@@ -4,26 +4,17 @@ Expire old messages and addresses.
 """
 
 import os
-import re
 import shutil
 import sys
 import time
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from collections import namedtuple
 from datetime import datetime
-from pathlib import Path
 from stat import S_ISREG
 
 from chatmaild.config import read_config
 
 FileEntry = namedtuple("FileEntry", ("path", "mtime", "size"))
-QuotaFileEntry = namedtuple("QuotaFileEntry", ("mtime", "quota_size", "path"))
-
-# Quota cleanup factor of max_mailbox_size. The mailbox is reset to this size.
-QUOTA_CLEANUP_FACTOR = 0.7
-
-# e.g. "cur/1775324677.M448978P3029757.exam,S=3235,W=3305:2,S"
-_dovecot_fn_rex = re.compile(r".+/(\d+)\..+,S=(\d+)")
 
 
 def iter_mailboxes(basedir, maxnum):
@@ -83,42 +74,6 @@ class MailboxStat:
         self.extrafiles.sort(key=lambda x: -x.size)
 
 
-def parse_dovecot_filename(relpath):
-    m = _dovecot_fn_rex.match(relpath)
-    if not m:
-        return None
-    return QuotaFileEntry(int(m.group(1)), int(m.group(2)), relpath)
-
-
-def scan_mailbox_messages(mbox):
-    messages = []
-    for sub in ("cur", "new"):
-        for name in os_listdir_if_exists(mbox / sub):
-            if entry := parse_dovecot_filename(f"{sub}/{name}"):
-                messages.append(entry)
-    return messages
-
-
-def expire_to_target(mbox, target_bytes):
-    messages = scan_mailbox_messages(mbox)
-    total_size = sum(m.quota_size for m in messages)
-    # Keep recent 24 hours of messages protected from expiry because
-    # likely something is wrong with interactions on that address
-    # and quota-full signal can help the address owner's device to notice it
-    undeletable_messages_cutoff = time.time() - (3600 * 24)
-    removed = 0
-    for entry in sorted(messages):
-        if total_size <= target_bytes:
-            break
-        if entry.mtime > undeletable_messages_cutoff:
-            break
-        (mbox / entry.path).unlink(missing_ok=True)
-        total_size -= entry.quota_size
-        removed += 1
-
-    return removed
-
-
 def print_info(msg):
     print(msg, file=sys.stderr)
 
@@ -188,19 +143,6 @@ class Expiry:
             else:
                 continue
             changed = True
-
-        target_bytes = (
-            self.config.max_mailbox_size_mb * 1024 * 1024 * QUOTA_CLEANUP_FACTOR
-        )
-        removed = expire_to_target(Path(mbox.basedir), target_bytes)
-        if removed:
-            changed = True
-            self.del_files += removed
-            if self.verbose:
-                print_info(
-                    f"quota-expire: removed {removed} message(s) from {mboxname}"
-                )
-
         if changed:
             self.remove_file(f"{mbox.basedir}/maildirsize")
 
@@ -212,9 +154,9 @@ class Expiry:
         )
 
 
-def daily_expire_main(args=None):
+def main(args=None):
     """Expire mailboxes and messages according to chatmail config"""
-    parser = ArgumentParser(description=daily_expire_main.__doc__)
+    parser = ArgumentParser(description=main.__doc__)
     ini = "/usr/local/lib/chatmaild/chatmail.ini"
     parser.add_argument(
         "chatmail_ini",
@@ -260,33 +202,5 @@ def daily_expire_main(args=None):
     print(exp.get_summary())
 
 
-def quota_expire_main(args=None):
+if __name__ == "__main__":
-    """Remove mailbox messages to stay within a megabyte target.
+    main(sys.argv[1:])
-
-    This entry point is called by dovecot when a quota threshold is passed.
-    """
-
-    parser = ArgumentParser(description=quota_expire_main.__doc__)
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "target_mb",
-        type=int,
-        help="target mailbox size in megabytes",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "mailbox_path",
-        type=Path,
-        help="path to a user mailbox",
-    )
-    args = parser.parse_args(args)
-
-    target_bytes = args.target_mb * 1024 * 1024
-
-    removed_count = expire_to_target(args.mailbox_path, target_bytes)
-    if removed_count:
-        (args.mailbox_path / "maildirsize").unlink(missing_ok=True)
-        print(
-            f"quota-expire: removed {removed_count} message(s)"
-            f" from {args.mailbox_path.name}",
-            file=sys.stderr,
-        )
-    return 0

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

@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ max_user_send_per_minute = 60
 max_user_send_burst_size = 10
 
 # maximum mailbox size of a chatmail address
-# Oldest messages will be removed automatically, so mailboxes never run full.
 max_mailbox_size = 500M
 
 # maximum message size for an e-mail in bytes

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py

@@ -70,9 +70,6 @@ class Metadata:
                 # Some tokens have expired, remove them.
                 with self._modify_tokens(addr) as _tokens:
                     pass
-        elif isinstance(tokens, list):
-            with self._modify_tokens(addr) as tokens:
-                token_list = list(tokens.keys())
         else:
             token_list = []
         return token_list

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/newemail.py

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 """CGI script for creating new accounts."""
 
-import ipaddress
 import json
 import secrets
 import string
@@ -15,16 +14,6 @@ ALPHANUMERIC = string.ascii_lowercase + string.digits
 ALPHANUMERIC_PUNCT = string.ascii_letters + string.digits + string.punctuation
 
 
-def wrap_ip(host):
-    if host.startswith("[") and host.endswith("]"):
-        return host
-    try:
-        ipaddress.ip_address(host)
-        return f"[{host}]"
-    except ValueError:
-        return host
-
-
 def create_newemail_dict(config: Config):
     user = "".join(
         secrets.choice(ALPHANUMERIC) for _ in range(config.username_max_length)
@@ -33,7 +22,7 @@ def create_newemail_dict(config: Config):
         secrets.choice(ALPHANUMERIC_PUNCT)
         for _ in range(config.password_min_length + 3)
     )
-    return dict(email=f"{user}@{wrap_ip(config.mail_domain)}", password=f"{password}")
+    return dict(email=f"{user}@{config.mail_domain}", password=f"{password}")
 
 
 def create_dclogin_url(email, password):

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/plugin.py

@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ def mockout():
         captured_green = []
         captured_plain = []
 
-        def red(self, msg):
+        def red(self, msg, **kw):
             self.captured_red.append(msg)
 
-        def green(self, msg):
+        def green(self, msg, **kw):
             self.captured_green.append(msg)
 
-        def __call__(self, msg):
+        def print(self, msg="", **kw):
             self.captured_plain.append(msg)
 
     return MockOut()

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_config.py

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
-from chatmaild.config import parse_size_mb, read_config
+from chatmaild.config import read_config
 
 
 def test_read_config_basic(example_config):
@@ -121,17 +121,3 @@ def test_config_tls_external_bad_format(make_config):
                 "tls_external_cert_and_key": "/only/one/path.pem",
             },
         )
-
-
-def test_parse_size_mb():
-    assert parse_size_mb("500M") == 500
-    assert parse_size_mb("2G") == 2048
-    assert parse_size_mb("  1g  ") == 1024
-    assert parse_size_mb("100MB") == 100
-    assert parse_size_mb("256") == 256
-
-
-def test_max_mailbox_size_mb(make_config):
-    config = make_config("chat.example.org")
-    assert config.max_mailbox_size == "500M"
-    assert config.max_mailbox_size_mb == 500

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_delete_inactive_users.py

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import time
 
 from chatmaild.doveauth import AuthDictProxy
-from chatmaild.expire import daily_expire_main as main_expire
+from chatmaild.expire import main as main_expire
 
 
 def test_login_timestamps(example_config):

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_expire.py

@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-import itertools
 import os
 import random
-import time
 from datetime import datetime
 from fnmatch import fnmatch
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -11,19 +9,13 @@ import pytest
 from chatmaild.expire import (
     FileEntry,
     MailboxStat,
-    expire_to_target,
     get_file_entry,
     iter_mailboxes,
     os_listdir_if_exists,
-    parse_dovecot_filename,
-    quota_expire_main,
-    scan_mailbox_messages,
 )
-from chatmaild.expire import daily_expire_main as expiry_main
+from chatmaild.expire import main as expiry_main
 from chatmaild.fsreport import main as report_main
 
-MB = 1024 * 1024
-
 
 def fill_mbox(folderdir):
     password = folderdir.joinpath("password")
@@ -204,51 +196,3 @@ def test_os_listdir_if_exists(tmp_path):
     tmp_path.joinpath("x").write_text("hello")
     assert len(os_listdir_if_exists(str(tmp_path))) == 1
     assert len(os_listdir_if_exists(str(tmp_path.joinpath("123123")))) == 0
-
-
-# --- quota expire tests ---
-
-_msg_counter = itertools.count(1)
-
-
-def _create_message(basedir, sub, size, days_old=0, disk_size=None):
-    seq = next(_msg_counter)
-    mtime = int(time.time() - days_old * 86400)
-    name = f"{mtime}.M1P1Q{seq}.hostname,S={size},W={size}:2,S"
-    path = basedir / sub / name
-    path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    path.write_bytes(b"x" * (disk_size if disk_size is not None else size))
-    os.utime(path, (mtime, mtime))
-    return path
-
-
-def test_parse_dovecot_filename():
-    e = parse_dovecot_filename("cur/1775324677.M448978P3029757.exam,S=3235,W=3305:2,S")
-    assert e.path == "cur/1775324677.M448978P3029757.exam,S=3235,W=3305:2,S"
-    assert e.mtime == 1775324677
-    assert e.quota_size == 3235
-    assert parse_dovecot_filename("cur/msg_without_structure") is None
-
-
-def test_expire_to_target(tmp_path):
-    _create_message(tmp_path, "cur", MB, days_old=10, disk_size=100)
-    _create_message(tmp_path, "new", MB, days_old=5)
-    _create_message(tmp_path, "cur", MB, days_old=0)  # undeletable (<1 hour)
-    assert len(scan_mailbox_messages(tmp_path)) == 3
-    # removes oldest first, uses S= size not disk size
-    removed = expire_to_target(tmp_path, MB)
-    assert removed == 2
-    msgs = scan_mailbox_messages(tmp_path)
-    assert len(msgs) == 1
-    # the surviving message is the fresh undeletable one
-    assert msgs[0].mtime > time.time() - 3600
-
-
-def test_quota_expire_main(tmp_path, capsys):
-    mbox = tmp_path / "user@example.org"
-    _create_message(mbox, "cur", 2 * MB, days_old=5)
-    (mbox / "maildirsize").write_text("x")
-    quota_expire_main([str(1), str(mbox)])
-    _, err = capsys.readouterr()
-    assert "quota-expire: removed 1 message(s) from user@example.org" in err
-    assert not (mbox / "maildirsize").exists()

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py

@@ -372,14 +372,3 @@ def test_iroh_relay(dictproxy):
     dictproxy.iroh_relay = "https://example.org/"
     dictproxy.loop_forever(rfile, wfile)
     assert wfile.getvalue() == b"Ohttps://example.org/\n"
-
-
-def test_legacy_token_migration(metadata, testaddr):
-    with metadata.get_metadata_dict(testaddr).modify() as data:
-        data[metadata.DEVICETOKEN_KEY] = ["oldtoken1", "oldtoken2"]
-
-    assert metadata.get_tokens_for_addr(testaddr) == ["oldtoken1", "oldtoken2"]
-    mdict = metadata.get_metadata_dict(testaddr).read()
-    tokens = mdict[metadata.DEVICETOKEN_KEY]
-    assert isinstance(tokens, dict)
-    assert "oldtoken1" in tokens and "oldtoken2" in tokens

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_migrate_db.py

@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@ def test_migration(tmp_path, example_config, caplog):
     assert passdb_path.stat().st_size > 10000
 
     example_config.passdb_path = passdb_path
-    # ensure logging.info records are captured regardless of global configuration
-    caplog.set_level("INFO")
 
     assert not caplog.records
 

chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_newmail.py

@@ -19,12 +19,6 @@ def test_create_newemail_dict(example_config):
     assert ac1["password"] != ac2["password"]
 
 
-def test_create_newemail_dict_ip(make_config):
-    config = make_config("1.2.3.4")
-    ac = create_newemail_dict(config)
-    assert ac["email"].endswith("@[1.2.3.4]")
-
-
 def test_create_dclogin_url():
     url = create_dclogin_url("user@example.org", "p@ss w+rd")
     assert url.startswith("dclogin:")

cmdeploy/pyproject.toml

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ dependencies = [
   "pillow",
   "qrcode",
   "markdown",
+  "pytest",
   "setuptools>=68",
   "termcolor",
   "build",
@@ -20,7 +21,6 @@ dependencies = [
   "execnet",
   "imap_tools",
   "deltachat-rpc-client",
-  "deltachat-rpc-server",
 ]
 
 [project.scripts]

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/acmetool/__init__.py

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-from pyinfra.operations import apt, server
+import importlib.resources
+
+from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, server, systemd
 
 from ..basedeploy import Deployer
 
@@ -7,6 +9,9 @@ class AcmetoolDeployer(Deployer):
     def __init__(self, email, domains):
         self.domains = domains
         self.email = email
+        self.need_restart_redirector = False
+        self.need_restart_reconcile_service = False
+        self.need_restart_reconcile_timer = False
 
     def install(self):
         apt.packages(
@@ -14,41 +19,121 @@ class AcmetoolDeployer(Deployer):
             packages=["acmetool"],
         )
 
-        self.remove_file("/etc/cron.d/acmetool")
+        files.file(
+            name="Remove old acmetool cronjob, it is replaced with systemd timer.",
+            path="/etc/cron.d/acmetool",
+            present=False,
+        )
 
-        self.put_executable("acmetool/acmetool.hook", "/etc/acme/hooks/nginx")
+        files.put(
-        self.remove_file("/usr/lib/acme/hooks/nginx")
+            name="Install acmetool hook.",
+            src=importlib.resources.files(__package__)
+            .joinpath("acmetool.hook")
+            .open("rb"),
+            dest="/etc/acme/hooks/nginx",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="755",
+        )
+        files.file(
+            name="Remove acmetool hook from the wrong location where it was previously installed.",
+            path="/usr/lib/acme/hooks/nginx",
+            present=False,
+        )
 
     def configure(self):
-        self.put_template(
+        files.template(
-            "acmetool/response-file.yaml.j2",
+            src=importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath(
-            "/var/lib/acme/conf/responses",
+                "response-file.yaml.j2"
+            ),
+            dest="/var/lib/acme/conf/responses",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
             email=self.email,
         )
 
-        self.put_template(
+        files.template(
-            "acmetool/target.yaml.j2",
+            src=importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("target.yaml.j2"),
-            "/var/lib/acme/conf/target",
+            dest="/var/lib/acme/conf/target",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
         )
 
         server.shell(
             name=f"Remove old acmetool desired files for {self.domains[0]}",
             commands=[f"rm -f /var/lib/acme/desired/{self.domains[0]}-*"],
         )
-        self.put_template(
+        files.template(
-            "acmetool/desired.yaml.j2",
+            src=importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("desired.yaml.j2"),
-            f"/var/lib/acme/desired/{self.domains[0]}",
+            dest=f"/var/lib/acme/desired/{self.domains[0]}",  # 0 is mailhost TLD
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
             domains=self.domains,
         )
 
-        self.ensure_systemd_unit("acmetool/acmetool-redirector.service")
+        service_file = files.put(
-        self.ensure_systemd_unit("acmetool/acmetool-reconcile.service")
+            src=importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath(
-        self.ensure_systemd_unit("acmetool/acmetool-reconcile.timer")
+                "acmetool-redirector.service"
+            ),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/acmetool-redirector.service",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
+        )
+        self.need_restart_redirector = service_file.changed
+
+        reconcile_service_file = files.put(
+            src=importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath(
+                "acmetool-reconcile.service"
+            ),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/acmetool-reconcile.service",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
+        )
+        self.need_restart_reconcile_service = reconcile_service_file.changed
+
+        reconcile_timer_file = files.put(
+            src=importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath(
+                "acmetool-reconcile.timer"
+            ),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/acmetool-reconcile.timer",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
+        )
+        self.need_restart_reconcile_timer = reconcile_timer_file.changed
 
     def activate(self):
-        self.ensure_service("acmetool-redirector.service")
+        systemd.service(
-        self.ensure_service("acmetool-reconcile.service", running=False, enabled=False)
+            name="Setup acmetool-redirector service",
-        self.ensure_service("acmetool-reconcile.timer")
+            service="acmetool-redirector.service",
+            running=True,
+            enabled=True,
+            restarted=self.need_restart_redirector,
+        )
+        self.need_restart_redirector = False
+
+        systemd.service(
+            name="Setup acmetool-reconcile service",
+            service="acmetool-reconcile.service",
+            running=False,
+            enabled=False,
+            daemon_reload=self.need_restart_reconcile_service,
+        )
+        self.need_restart_reconcile_service = False
+
+        systemd.service(
+            name="Setup acmetool-reconcile timer",
+            service="acmetool-reconcile.timer",
+            running=True,
+            enabled=True,
+            daemon_reload=self.need_restart_reconcile_timer,
+        )
+        self.need_restart_reconcile_timer = False
 
         server.shell(
             name=f"Reconcile certificates for: {', '.join(self.domains)}",

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/basedeploy.py

@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@ import io
 import os
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 
-from pyinfra import host
-from pyinfra.facts.files import Sha256File
-from pyinfra.facts.server import Command
 from pyinfra.operations import files, server, systemd
 
 
@@ -14,17 +11,6 @@ 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.
@@ -51,10 +37,11 @@ def get_resource(arg, pkg=__package__):
     return importlib.resources.files(pkg).joinpath(arg)
 
 
-def configure_remote_units(deployer, mail_domain, units) -> None:
+def configure_remote_units(mail_domain, units) -> None:
     remote_base_dir = "/usr/local/lib/chatmaild"
     remote_venv_dir = f"{remote_base_dir}/venv"
     remote_chatmail_inipath = f"{remote_base_dir}/chatmail.ini"
+    root_owned = dict(user="root", group="root", mode="644")
 
     # install systemd units
     for fn in units:
@@ -70,13 +57,15 @@ def configure_remote_units(deployer, mail_domain, units) -> None:
         source_path = get_resource(f"service/{basename}.f")
         content = source_path.read_text().format(**params).encode()
 
-        deployer.put_file(
+        files.put(
+            name=f"Upload {basename}",
             src=io.BytesIO(content),
             dest=f"/etc/systemd/system/{basename}",
+            **root_owned,
         )
 
 
-def activate_remote_units(deployer, units) -> None:
+def activate_remote_units(units) -> None:
     # activate systemd units
     for fn in units:
         basename = fn if "." in fn else f"{fn}.service"
@@ -86,8 +75,14 @@ def activate_remote_units(deployer, units) -> None:
             enabled = False
         else:
             enabled = True
-
+        systemd.service(
-        deployer.ensure_service(basename, running=enabled, enabled=enabled)
+            name=f"Setup {basename}",
+            service=basename,
+            running=enabled,
+            enabled=enabled,
+            restarted=enabled,
+            daemon_reload=True,
+        )
 
 
 class Deployment:
@@ -133,7 +128,6 @@ class Deployment:
 
 class Deployer:
     need_restart = False
-    daemon_reload = False
 
     def install(self):
         pass
@@ -143,113 +137,3 @@ class Deployer:
 
     def activate(self):
         pass
-
-    def ensure_service(self, service, running=True, enabled=True):
-        if running:
-            verb = "Start and enable"
-        else:
-            verb = "Stop"
-        systemd.service(
-            name=f"{verb} {service}",
-            service=service,
-            running=running,
-            enabled=enabled,
-            restarted=self.need_restart if running else False,
-            daemon_reload=self.daemon_reload,
-        )
-        self.daemon_reload = False
-
-    def ensure_systemd_unit(self, src, **kwargs):
-        dest_name = src.split("/")[-1].replace(".j2", "")
-        dest = f"/etc/systemd/system/{dest_name}"
-        if src.endswith(".j2"):
-            return self.put_template(src, dest, **kwargs)
-        return self.put_file(src, dest)
-
-    def put_file(self, src, dest, mode="644"):
-        if isinstance(src, str):
-            src = get_resource(src)
-        res = files.put(
-            name=f"Upload {dest}",
-            src=src,
-            dest=dest,
-            user="root",
-            group="root",
-            mode=mode,
-        )
-
-        return self._update_restart_signals(dest, res)
-
-    def put_executable(self, src, dest):
-        return self.put_file(src, dest, mode="755")
-
-    def put_template(self, src, dest, owner="root", **kwargs):
-        if isinstance(src, str):
-            src = get_resource(src)
-        res = files.template(
-            name=f"Upload {dest}",
-            src=src,
-            dest=dest,
-            user=owner,
-            group=owner,
-            mode="644",
-            **kwargs,
-        )
-
-        return self._update_restart_signals(dest, res)
-
-    def remove_file(self, dest):
-        res = files.file(name=f"Remove {dest}", path=dest, present=False)
-        return self._update_restart_signals(dest, res)
-
-    def ensure_line(self, path, line, **kwargs):
-        name = kwargs.pop("name", f"Ensure line in {path}")
-        res = files.line(name=name, path=path, line=line, **kwargs)
-        return self._update_restart_signals(path, res)
-
-    def ensure_directory(self, path, owner="root", mode="755", **kwargs):
-        name = kwargs.pop("name", f"Ensure directory {path}")
-        res = files.directory(
-            name=name,
-            path=path,
-            user=owner,
-            group=owner,
-            mode=mode,
-            present=True,
-            **kwargs,
-        )
-        return self._update_restart_signals(path, res)
-
-    def remove_directory(self, path, **kwargs):
-        name = kwargs.pop("name", f"Remove directory {path}")
-        res = files.directory(name=name, path=path, present=False, **kwargs)
-        return self._update_restart_signals(path, res)
-
-    def download_executable(self, url, dest, sha256sum, extract=None):
-        existing = host.get_fact(Sha256File, dest)
-        if existing == sha256sum:
-            return
-
-        tmp = f"{dest}.new"
-        if extract:
-            dl_cmd = f"curl -fSL {url} | {extract} >{tmp}"
-        else:
-            dl_cmd = f"curl -fSL {url} -o {tmp}"
-
-        server.shell(
-            name=f"Download {dest}",
-            commands=[
-                f"({dl_cmd}"
-                f" && echo '{sha256sum}  {tmp}' | sha256sum -c"
-                f" && mv {tmp} {dest})",
-                f"chmod 755 {dest}",
-            ],
-        )
-        self.need_restart = True
-
-    def _update_restart_signals(self, path, res):
-        if res.changed:
-            self.need_restart = True
-            if str(path).startswith("/etc/systemd/system/"):
-                self.daemon_reload = True
-        return res

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py

@@ -15,10 +15,27 @@ from pathlib import Path
 import pyinfra
 from chatmaild.config import read_config, write_initial_config
 from packaging import version
-from termcolor import colored
 
 from . import dns, remote
-from .sshexec import LocalExec, SSHExec
+from .lxc.cli import (
+    lxc_start_cmd,
+    lxc_start_cmd_options,
+    lxc_status_cmd,
+    lxc_status_cmd_options,
+    lxc_stop_cmd,
+    lxc_stop_cmd_options,
+    lxc_test_cmd,
+    lxc_test_cmd_options,
+)
+from .lxc.incus import DNSConfigurationError
+from .sshexec import (
+    LocalExec,
+    SSHExec,
+    resolve_host_from_ssh_config,
+    resolve_key_from_ssh_config,
+)
+from .util import Out
+from .www import main as webdev_main
 
 #
 # cmdeploy sub commands and options
@@ -82,18 +99,21 @@ def run_cmd_options(parser):
         help="disable checks nslookup for dns",
     )
     add_ssh_host_option(parser)
+    add_ssh_config_option(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.mail_domain
-    sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host)
+    sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host, ssh_config=args.ssh_config)
     require_iroh = args.config.enable_iroh_relay
     strict_tls = args.config.tls_cert_mode == "acme"
     if not args.dns_check_disabled:
         remote_data = dns.get_initial_remote_data(sshexec, args.config.mail_domain)
-        if not dns.check_initial_remote_data(remote_data, strict_tls=strict_tls, print=out.red):
+        if not dns.check_initial_remote_data(
+            remote_data, strict_tls=strict_tls, print=out.red
+        ):
             return 1
 
     env = os.environ.copy()
@@ -101,11 +121,31 @@ def run_cmd(args, out):
     env["CHATMAIL_WEBSITE_ONLY"] = "True" if args.website_only else ""
     env["CHATMAIL_DISABLE_MAIL"] = "True" if args.disable_mail else ""
     env["CHATMAIL_REQUIRE_IROH"] = "True" if require_iroh else ""
+    if not args.dns_check_disabled:
+        env["CHATMAIL_ADDR_V4"] = remote_data.get("A") or ""
+        env["CHATMAIL_ADDR_V6"] = remote_data.get("AAAA") or ""
+    env["DEBIAN_FRONTEND"] = "noninteractive"
+    env["TERM"] = "linux"
     deploy_path = importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("run.py").resolve()
     pyinf = "pyinfra --dry" if args.dry_run else "pyinfra"
 
     cmd = f"{pyinf} --ssh-user root {ssh_host} {deploy_path} -y"
-    if ssh_host == "localhost":
+    ssh_config = args.ssh_config
+    if ssh_config:
+        ssh_config = str(Path(ssh_config).resolve())
+
+        # Use pyinfra's native SSH data keys to configure the connection directly
+        # rather than relying on paramiko config parsing (see also sshexec.py)
+        ip = resolve_host_from_ssh_config(ssh_host, ssh_config)
+        key = resolve_key_from_ssh_config(ssh_host, ssh_config)
+        data_args = f"--data ssh_hostname={ip} --data ssh_known_hosts_file=/dev/null"
+        if key:
+            data_args += f" --data ssh_key={key}"
+        cmd = f"{pyinf} --ssh-user root {ssh_host} {deploy_path} -y {data_args}"
+    if ssh_host in ["localhost", "@docker"]:
+        if ssh_host == "@docker":
+            env["CHATMAIL_NOPORTCHECK"] = "True"
+            env["CHATMAIL_NOSYSCTL"] = "True"
         cmd = f"{pyinf} @local {deploy_path} -y"
 
     if version.parse(pyinfra.__version__) < version.parse("3"):
@@ -113,10 +153,17 @@ def run_cmd(args, out):
         return 1
 
     try:
-        out.check_call(cmd, env=env)
+        ret = out.shell(cmd, env=env)
+        if ret:
+            out.red("Deploy failed")
+            return 1
         if args.website_only:
             out.green("Website deployment completed.")
-        elif not args.dns_check_disabled and strict_tls and not remote_data["acme_account_url"]:
+        elif (
+            not args.dns_check_disabled
+            and strict_tls
+            and not remote_data["acme_account_url"]
+        ):
             out.red("Deploy completed but letsencrypt not configured")
             out.red("Run 'cmdeploy run' again")
         else:
@@ -133,15 +180,16 @@ def dns_cmd_options(parser):
         dest="zonefile",
         type=pathlib.Path,
         default=None,
-        help="write out a zonefile",
+        help="write DNS records in standard BIND format to the given file",
     )
     add_ssh_host_option(parser)
+    add_ssh_config_option(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.mail_domain
-    sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host, verbose=args.verbose)
+    sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host, verbose=args.verbose, ssh_config=args.ssh_config)
     tls_cert_mode = args.config.tls_cert_mode
     strict_tls = tls_cert_mode == "acme"
     remote_data = dns.get_initial_remote_data(sshexec, args.config.mail_domain)
@@ -172,13 +220,14 @@ def dns_cmd(args, out):
 
 def status_cmd_options(parser):
     add_ssh_host_option(parser)
+    add_ssh_config_option(parser)
 
 
 def status_cmd(args, out):
     """Display status for online chatmail instance."""
 
     ssh_host = args.ssh_host if args.ssh_host else args.config.mail_domain
-    sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host, verbose=args.verbose)
+    sshexec = get_sshexec(ssh_host, verbose=args.verbose, ssh_config=args.ssh_config)
 
     out.green(f"chatmail domain: {args.config.mail_domain}")
     if args.config.privacy_mail:
@@ -191,16 +240,21 @@ def status_cmd(args, out):
 
 
 def test_cmd_options(parser):
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--slow",
+        dest="slow",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="also run slow tests",
+    )
     add_ssh_host_option(parser)
+    add_ssh_config_option(parser)
 
 
 def test_cmd(args, out):
     """Run local and online tests for chatmail deployment."""
 
     env = os.environ.copy()
-    env["CHATMAIL_INI"] = str(args.inipath.absolute())
+    env["CHATMAIL_INI"] = str(args.inipath.resolve())
-    if args.ssh_host:
-        env["CHATMAIL_SSH"] = args.ssh_host
 
     pytest_path = shutil.which("pytest")
     pytest_args = [
@@ -212,7 +266,13 @@ def test_cmd(args, out):
         "-v",
         "--durations=5",
     ]
-    ret = out.run_ret(pytest_args, env=env)
+    if args.slow:
+        pytest_args.append("--slow")
+    if args.ssh_host:
+        pytest_args.extend(["--ssh-host", args.ssh_host])
+    if args.ssh_config:
+        pytest_args.extend(["--ssh-config", str(Path(args.ssh_config).resolve())])
+    ret = out.shell(" ".join(pytest_args), env=env)
     return ret
 
 
@@ -249,8 +309,8 @@ def fmt_cmd(args, out):
     format_args.extend(sources)
     check_args.extend(sources)
 
-    out.check_call(" ".join(format_args), quiet=not args.verbose)
+    out.shell(" ".join(format_args), quiet=not args.verbose)
-    out.check_call(" ".join(check_args), quiet=not args.verbose)
+    out.shell(" ".join(check_args), quiet=not args.verbose)
 
 
 def bench_cmd(args, out):
@@ -263,9 +323,7 @@ def bench_cmd(args, out):
 
 def webdev_cmd(args, out):
     """Run local web development loop for static web pages."""
-    from .www import main
+    webdev_main()
-
-    main()
 
 
 #
@@ -273,41 +331,25 @@ def webdev_cmd(args, out):
 #
 
 
-class Out:
-    """Convenience output printer providing coloring."""
-
-    def red(self, msg, file=sys.stderr):
-        print(colored(msg, "red"), file=file)
-
-    def green(self, msg, file=sys.stderr):
-        print(colored(msg, "green"), file=file)
-
-    def __call__(self, msg, red=False, green=False, file=sys.stdout):
-        color = "red" if red else ("green" if green else None)
-        print(colored(msg, color), file=file)
-
-    def check_call(self, arg, env=None, quiet=False):
-        if not quiet:
-            self(f"[$ {arg}]", file=sys.stderr)
-        return subprocess.check_call(arg, shell=True, env=env)
-
-    def run_ret(self, args, env=None, quiet=False):
-        if not quiet:
-            cmdstring = " ".join(args)
-            self(f"[$ {cmdstring}]", file=sys.stderr)
-        proc = subprocess.run(args, env=env, check=False)
-        return proc.returncode
-
-
 def add_ssh_host_option(parser):
     parser.add_argument(
         "--ssh-host",
         dest="ssh_host",
-        help="Run commands on 'localhost' or on a specific SSH host "
+        help="Run commands on 'localhost', via '@docker', or on a specific SSH host "
         "instead of chatmail.ini's mail_domain.",
     )
 
 
+def add_ssh_config_option(parser):
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--ssh-config",
+        dest="ssh_config",
+        type=Path,
+        default=None,
+        help="Path to an SSH config file (e.g. lxconfigs/ssh-config).",
+    )
+
+
 def add_config_option(parser):
     parser.add_argument(
         "--config",
@@ -317,25 +359,26 @@ def add_config_option(parser):
         type=Path,
         help="path to the chatmail.ini file",
     )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--verbose",
-        "-v",
-        dest="verbose",
-        action="store_true",
-        default=False,
-        help="provide verbose logging",
-    )
 
 
-def add_subcommand(subparsers, func):
+def add_subcommand(subparsers, func, add_config=True):
     name = func.__name__
     assert name.endswith("_cmd")
-    name = name[:-4]
+    name = name[:-4].replace("_", "-")
     doc = func.__doc__.strip()
     help = doc.split("\n")[0].strip(".")
     p = subparsers.add_parser(name, description=doc, help=help)
     p.set_defaults(func=func)
-    add_config_option(p)
+    if add_config:
+        add_config_option(p)
+    p.add_argument(
+        "-v",
+        "--verbose",
+        dest="verbose",
+        action="count",
+        default=0,
+        help="increase verbosity (can be repeated: -v, -vv)",
+    )
     return p
 
 
@@ -344,43 +387,60 @@ Setup your chatmail server configuration and
 deploy it via SSH to your remote location.
 """
 
+# Explicit subcommand registry: (cmd_func, options_func_or_None, needs_config).
+# LXC commands don't need a chatmail.ini (no config); all others do.
+SUBCOMMANDS = [
+    (init_cmd, init_cmd_options, True),
+    (run_cmd, run_cmd_options, True),
+    (dns_cmd, dns_cmd_options, True),
+    (status_cmd, status_cmd_options, True),
+    (test_cmd, test_cmd_options, True),
+    (fmt_cmd, fmt_cmd_options, True),
+    (bench_cmd, None, True),
+    (webdev_cmd, None, True),
+    (lxc_start_cmd, lxc_start_cmd_options, False),
+    (lxc_stop_cmd, lxc_stop_cmd_options, False),
+    (lxc_status_cmd, lxc_status_cmd_options, False),
+    (lxc_test_cmd, lxc_test_cmd_options, False),
+]
+
 
 def get_parser():
     """Return an ArgumentParser for the 'cmdeploy' CLI"""
 
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=description.strip())
+    parser.set_defaults(func=None, inipath=None)
     subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(title="subcommands")
 
-    # find all subcommands in the module namespace
+    for func, addopts, needs_config in SUBCOMMANDS:
-    glob = globals()
+        subparser = add_subcommand(subparsers, func, add_config=needs_config)
-    for name, func in glob.items():
+        if addopts is not None:
-        if name.endswith("_cmd"):
+            addopts(subparser)
-            subparser = add_subcommand(subparsers, func)
-            addopts = glob.get(name + "_options")
-            if addopts is not None:
-                addopts(subparser)
 
     return parser
 
 
-def get_sshexec(ssh_host: str, verbose=True):
+def get_sshexec(ssh_host: str, verbose=True, ssh_config=None):
     if ssh_host in ["localhost", "@local"]:
-        return LocalExec(verbose)
+        return LocalExec(verbose, docker=False)
+    elif ssh_host == "@docker":
+        return LocalExec(verbose, docker=True)
     if verbose:
         print(f"[ssh] login to {ssh_host}")
-    return SSHExec(ssh_host, verbose=verbose)
+    return SSHExec(ssh_host, verbose=verbose, ssh_config=ssh_config)
 
 
 def main(args=None):
     """Provide main entry point for 'cmdeploy' CLI invocation."""
     parser = get_parser()
     args = parser.parse_args(args=args)
-    if not hasattr(args, "func"):
+    if args.func is None:
         return parser.parse_args(["-h"])
 
-    out = Out()
+    out = Out(verbosity=args.verbose)
     kwargs = {}
-    if args.func.__name__ not in ("init_cmd", "fmt_cmd"):
+
+    if args.inipath is not None and args.func.__name__ not in ("init_cmd", "fmt_cmd"):
         if not args.inipath.exists():
             out.red(f"expecting {args.inipath} to exist, run init first?")
             raise SystemExit(1)
@@ -395,6 +455,9 @@ def main(args=None):
         if res is None:
             res = 0
         return res
+    except DNSConfigurationError as exc:
+        out.red(str(exc))
+        return 1
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         out.red("KeyboardInterrupt")
         sys.exit(130)

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployers.py

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Chat Mail pyinfra deploy.
 """
 
+import os
 import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -12,11 +13,10 @@ from chatmaild.config import read_config
 from pyinfra import facts, host, logger
 from pyinfra.api import FactBase
 from pyinfra.facts import hardware
+from pyinfra.facts.files import Sha256File
 from pyinfra.facts.systemd import SystemdEnabled
 from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, pip, server, systemd
 
-from cmdeploy.cmdeploy import Out
-
 from .acmetool import AcmetoolDeployer
 from .basedeploy import (
     Deployer,
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ from .basedeploy import (
     activate_remote_units,
     blocked_service_startup,
     configure_remote_units,
+    get_resource,
     has_systemd,
-    is_in_container,
 )
 from .dovecot.deployer import DovecotDeployer
 from .external.deployer import ExternalTlsDeployer
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from .nginx.deployer import NginxDeployer
 from .opendkim.deployer import OpendkimDeployer
 from .postfix.deployer import PostfixDeployer
 from .selfsigned.deployer import SelfSignedTlsDeployer
+from .util import Out, get_version_string
 from .www import build_webpages, find_merge_conflict, get_paths
 
 
@@ -80,22 +81,25 @@ def remove_legacy_artifacts():
         )
 
 
-def _install_remote_venv_with_chatmaild(deployer) -> None:
+def _install_remote_venv_with_chatmaild() -> None:
     remove_legacy_artifacts()
     dist_file = _build_chatmaild(dist_dir=Path("chatmaild/dist"))
     remote_base_dir = "/usr/local/lib/chatmaild"
     remote_dist_file = f"{remote_base_dir}/dist/{dist_file.name}"
     remote_venv_dir = f"{remote_base_dir}/venv"
+    root_owned = dict(user="root", group="root", mode="644")
 
     apt.packages(
         name="apt install python3-virtualenv",
         packages=["python3-virtualenv"],
     )
 
-    deployer.ensure_directory(f"{remote_base_dir}/dist")
+    files.put(
-    deployer.put_file(
+        name="Upload chatmaild source package",
         src=dist_file.open("rb"),
         dest=remote_dist_file,
+        create_remote_dir=True,
+        **root_owned,
     )
 
     pip.virtualenv(
@@ -117,24 +121,37 @@ def _install_remote_venv_with_chatmaild(deployer) -> None:
     )
 
 
-def _configure_remote_venv_with_chatmaild(deployer, config) -> None:
+def _configure_remote_venv_with_chatmaild(config) -> None:
     remote_base_dir = "/usr/local/lib/chatmaild"
     remote_chatmail_inipath = f"{remote_base_dir}/chatmail.ini"
+    root_owned = dict(user="root", group="root", mode="644")
 
-    deployer.put_file(
+    files.put(
+        name=f"Upload {remote_chatmail_inipath}",
         src=config._getbytefile(),
         dest=remote_chatmail_inipath,
+        **root_owned,
     )
 
-    deployer.remove_file("/etc/cron.d/chatmail-metrics")
+    files.file(
-    deployer.remove_file("/var/www/html/metrics")
+        path="/etc/cron.d/chatmail-metrics",
+        present=False,
+    )
+    files.file(
+        path="/var/www/html/metrics",
+        present=False,
+    )
 
 
 class UnboundDeployer(Deployer):
     def __init__(self, config):
         self.config = config
+        self.need_restart = False
 
     def install(self):
+        # Run local DNS resolver `unbound`. `resolvconf` takes care of
+        # setting up /etc/resolv.conf to use 127.0.0.1 as the resolver.
+
         # On an IPv4-only system, if unbound is started but not configured,
         # it causes subsequent steps to fail to resolve hosts.
         with blocked_service_startup():
@@ -144,27 +161,6 @@ class UnboundDeployer(Deployer):
             )
 
     def configure(self):
-        # Remove dynamic resolver managers that compete for /etc/resolv.conf.
-        apt.packages(
-            name="Purge resolvconf",
-            packages=["resolvconf"],
-            present=False,
-            extra_uninstall_args="--purge",
-        )
-        # systemd-resolved can't be purged due to dependencies; stop and mask.
-        server.shell(
-            name="Stop and mask systemd-resolved",
-            commands=[
-                "systemctl stop systemd-resolved.service || true",
-                "systemctl mask systemd-resolved.service",
-            ],
-        )
-        # Configure unbound resolver with Quad9 fallback and a trailing newline
-        # (SolusVM bug).
-        self.put_file(
-            src=BytesIO(b"nameserver 127.0.0.1\nnameserver 9.9.9.9\n"),
-            dest="/etc/resolv.conf",
-        )
         server.shell(
             name="Generate root keys for validating DNSSEC",
             commands=[
@@ -172,15 +168,26 @@ class UnboundDeployer(Deployer):
             ],
         )
         if self.config.disable_ipv6:
-            self.ensure_directory(
+            files.directory(
                 path="/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d",
+                present=True,
+                user="root",
+                group="root",
+                mode="755",
             )
-            self.put_template(
+            conf = files.put(
-                "unbound/unbound.conf.j2",
+                src=get_resource("unbound/unbound.conf.j2"),
-                "/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/chatmail.conf",
+                dest="/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/chatmail.conf",
+                user="root",
+                group="root",
+                mode="644",
             )
         else:
-            self.remove_file("/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/chatmail.conf")
+            conf = files.file(
+                path="/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/chatmail.conf",
+                present=False,
+            )
+        self.need_restart |= conf.changed
 
     def activate(self):
         server.shell(
@@ -190,25 +197,27 @@ class UnboundDeployer(Deployer):
             ],
         )
 
-        self.ensure_service("unbound.service")
+        systemd.service(
-
+            name="Start and enable unbound",
-        self.ensure_service(
+            service="unbound.service",
-            "unbound-resolvconf.service",
+            running=True,
-            running=False,
+            enabled=True,
-            enabled=False,
+            restarted=self.need_restart,
         )
 
 
 class MtastsDeployer(Deployer):
     def configure(self):
         # Remove configuration.
-        self.remove_file("/etc/mta-sts-daemon.yml")
+        files.file("/etc/mta-sts-daemon.yml", present=False)
-        self.remove_directory("/usr/local/lib/postfix-mta-sts-resolver")
+        files.directory("/usr/local/lib/postfix-mta-sts-resolver", present=False)
-        self.remove_file("/etc/systemd/system/mta-sts-daemon.service")
+        files.file("/etc/systemd/system/mta-sts-daemon.service", present=False)
 
     def activate(self):
-        self.ensure_service(
+        systemd.service(
-            "mta-sts-daemon.service",
+            name="Stop MTA-STS daemon",
+            service="mta-sts-daemon.service",
+            daemon_reload=True,
             running=False,
             enabled=False,
         )
@@ -219,7 +228,14 @@ class WebsiteDeployer(Deployer):
         self.config = config
 
     def install(self):
-        self.ensure_directory("/var/www")
+        files.directory(
+            name="Ensure /var/www exists",
+            path="/var/www",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="755",
+            present=True,
+        )
 
     def configure(self):
         www_path, src_dir, build_dir = get_paths(self.config)
@@ -238,8 +254,14 @@ class WebsiteDeployer(Deployer):
                     logger.warning("Web page build failed, skipping website deployment")
                     return
             # if it is not a hugo page, upload it as is
-            files.rsync(
+            # pyinfra files.rsync (experimental) causes problems with ssh-config configuration
-                f"{www_path}/", "/var/www/html", flags=["-avz", "--chown=www-data"]
+            # the stable files.sync should do
+            files.sync(
+                src=str(www_path),
+                dest="/var/www/html",
+                user="www-data",
+                group="www-data",
+                delete=True,
             )
 
 
@@ -249,11 +271,15 @@ class LegacyRemoveDeployer(Deployer):
 
         # remove historic expunge script
         # which is now implemented through a systemd timer (chatmail-expire)
-        self.remove_file("/etc/cron.d/expunge")
+        files.file(
+            path="/etc/cron.d/expunge",
+            present=False,
+        )
 
         # Remove OBS repository key that is no longer used.
-        self.remove_file("/etc/apt/keyrings/obs-home-deltachat.gpg")
+        files.file("/etc/apt/keyrings/obs-home-deltachat.gpg", present=False)
-        self.ensure_line(
+        files.line(
+            name="Remove DeltaChat OBS home repository from sources.list",
             path="/etc/apt/sources.list",
             line="deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/obs-home-deltachat.gpg] https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/deltachat/Debian_12/ ./",
             escape_regex_characters=True,
@@ -261,7 +287,11 @@ class LegacyRemoveDeployer(Deployer):
         )
 
         # prior relay versions used filelogging
-        self.remove_directory("/var/log/journal/")
+        files.directory(
+            name="Ensure old logs on disk are deleted",
+            path="/var/log/journal/",
+            present=False,
+        )
         # remove echobot if it is still running
         if has_systemd() and host.get_fact(SystemdEnabled).get("echobot.service"):
             systemd.service(
@@ -303,13 +333,22 @@ class TurnDeployer(Deployer):
                 "0fb3e792419494e21ecad536464929dba706bb2c88884ed8f1788141d26fc756",
             ),
         }[host.get_fact(facts.server.Arch)]
-        self.download_executable(url, "/usr/local/bin/chatmail-turn", sha256sum)
+
+        existing_sha256sum = host.get_fact(Sha256File, "/usr/local/bin/chatmail-turn")
+        if existing_sha256sum != sha256sum:
+            server.shell(
+                name="Download chatmail-turn",
+                commands=[
+                    f"(curl -L {url} >/usr/local/bin/chatmail-turn.new && (echo '{sha256sum} /usr/local/bin/chatmail-turn.new' | sha256sum -c) && mv /usr/local/bin/chatmail-turn.new /usr/local/bin/chatmail-turn)",
+                    "chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/chatmail-turn",
+                ],
+            )
 
     def configure(self):
-        configure_remote_units(self, self.mail_domain, self.units)
+        configure_remote_units(self.mail_domain, self.units)
 
     def activate(self):
-        activate_remote_units(self, self.units)
+        activate_remote_units(self.units)
 
 
 class IrohDeployer(Deployer):
@@ -327,30 +366,72 @@ class IrohDeployer(Deployer):
                 "f8ef27631fac213b3ef668d02acd5b3e215292746a3fc71d90c63115446008b1",
             ),
         }[host.get_fact(facts.server.Arch)]
-        self.download_executable(
+
-            url,
+        existing_sha256sum = host.get_fact(Sha256File, "/usr/local/bin/iroh-relay")
-            "/usr/local/bin/iroh-relay",
+        if existing_sha256sum != sha256sum:
-            sha256sum,
+            server.shell(
-            extract="gunzip | tar -xf - ./iroh-relay -O",
+                name="Download iroh-relay",
-        )
+                commands=[
+                    f"(curl -L {url} | gunzip | tar -x -f - ./iroh-relay -O >/usr/local/bin/iroh-relay.new && (echo '{sha256sum} /usr/local/bin/iroh-relay.new' | sha256sum -c) && mv /usr/local/bin/iroh-relay.new /usr/local/bin/iroh-relay)",
+                    "chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/iroh-relay",
+                ],
+            )
+
+            self.need_restart = True
 
     def configure(self):
-        self.ensure_systemd_unit("iroh-relay.service")
+        systemd_unit = files.put(
-        self.put_file("iroh-relay.toml", "/etc/iroh-relay.toml")
+            name="Upload iroh-relay systemd unit",
+            src=get_resource("iroh-relay.service"),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/iroh-relay.service",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
+        )
+        self.need_restart |= systemd_unit.changed
+
+        iroh_config = files.put(
+            name="Upload iroh-relay config",
+            src=get_resource("iroh-relay.toml"),
+            dest="/etc/iroh-relay.toml",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
+        )
+        self.need_restart |= iroh_config.changed
 
     def activate(self):
-        self.ensure_service(
+        systemd.service(
-            "iroh-relay.service",
+            name="Start and enable iroh-relay",
+            service="iroh-relay.service",
+            running=True,
             enabled=self.enable_iroh_relay,
+            restarted=self.need_restart,
         )
+        self.need_restart = False
 
 
 class JournaldDeployer(Deployer):
     def configure(self):
-        self.put_file("journald.conf", "/etc/systemd/journald.conf")
+        journald_conf = files.put(
+            name="Configure journald",
+            src=get_resource("journald.conf"),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/journald.conf",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
+        )
+        self.need_restart = journald_conf.changed
 
     def activate(self):
-        self.ensure_service("systemd-journald.service")
+        systemd.service(
+            name="Start and enable journald",
+            service="systemd-journald.service",
+            running=True,
+            enabled=True,
+            restarted=self.need_restart,
+        )
+        self.need_restart = False
 
 
 class ChatmailVenvDeployer(Deployer):
@@ -366,14 +447,14 @@ class ChatmailVenvDeployer(Deployer):
         )
 
     def install(self):
-        _install_remote_venv_with_chatmaild(self)
+        _install_remote_venv_with_chatmaild()
 
     def configure(self):
-        _configure_remote_venv_with_chatmaild(self, self.config)
+        _configure_remote_venv_with_chatmaild(self.config)
-        configure_remote_units(self, self.config.mail_domain, self.units)
+        configure_remote_units(self.config.mail_domain, self.units)
 
     def activate(self):
-        activate_remote_units(self, self.units)
+        activate_remote_units(self.units)
 
 
 class ChatmailDeployer(Deployer):
@@ -387,9 +468,13 @@ class ChatmailDeployer(Deployer):
         self.mail_domain = config.mail_domain
 
     def install(self):
-        self.put_file(
+        files.put(
+            name="Disable installing recommended packages globally",
             src=BytesIO(b'APT::Install-Recommends "false";\n'),
             dest="/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/00InstallRecommends",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
         )
         apt.update(name="apt update", cache_time=24 * 3600)
         apt.upgrade(name="upgrade apt packages", auto_remove=True)
@@ -403,13 +488,21 @@ class ChatmailDeployer(Deployer):
             name="Install rsync",
             packages=["rsync"],
         )
+        apt.packages(
+            name="Ensure cron is installed",
+            packages=["cron"],
+        )
 
     def configure(self):
-        # metadata crashes if the mailboxes dir does not exist
+        # Ensure the per-domain mailbox directory exists before
-        self.ensure_directory(
+        # chatmail-metadata starts (it crashes without it).
-            str(self.config.mailboxes_dir),
+        files.directory(
-            owner="vmail",
+            name="Ensure vmail mailbox directory exists",
+            path=f"/home/vmail/mail/{self.mail_domain}",
+            user="vmail",
+            group="vmail",
             mode="700",
+            present=True,
         )
 
         # This file is used by auth proxy.
@@ -421,6 +514,15 @@ class ChatmailDeployer(Deployer):
             ],
         )
 
+        files.directory(
+            name=f"Ensure mailboxes directory {self.config.mailboxes_dir} exists",
+            path=str(self.config.mailboxes_dir),
+            user="vmail",
+            group="vmail",
+            mode="700",
+            present=True,
+        )
+
 
 class FcgiwrapDeployer(Deployer):
     def install(self):
@@ -430,20 +532,22 @@ class FcgiwrapDeployer(Deployer):
         )
 
     def activate(self):
-        self.ensure_service("fcgiwrap.service")
+        systemd.service(
+            name="Start and enable fcgiwrap",
+            service="fcgiwrap.service",
+            running=True,
+            enabled=True,
+        )
 
 
 class GithashDeployer(Deployer):
     def activate(self):
-        try:
+        files.put(
-            git_hash = subprocess.check_output(["git", "rev-parse", "HEAD"]).decode()
+            name="Upload chatmail relay git commit hash",
-        except Exception:
+            src=StringIO(get_version_string()),
-            git_hash = "unknown\n"
+            dest="/etc/chatmail-version",
-        try:
+            mode="700",
-            git_diff = subprocess.check_output(["git", "diff"]).decode()
+        )
-        except Exception:
-            git_diff = ""
-        self.put_file(src=StringIO(git_hash + git_diff), dest="/etc/chatmail-version")
 
 
 def get_tls_deployer(config, mail_domain):
@@ -475,6 +579,14 @@ def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path, disable_mail: bool, website_only: bool) -
         Deployment().perform_stages([WebsiteDeployer(config)])
         return
 
+    if host.get_fact(Port, port=53) != "unbound":
+        files.line(
+            name="Add 9.9.9.9 to resolv.conf",
+            path="/etc/resolv.conf",
+            # Guard against resolv.conf missing a trailing newline (SolusVM bug).
+            line="\nnameserver 9.9.9.9",
+        )
+
     # Check if mtail_address interface is available (if configured)
     if config.mtail_address and config.mtail_address not in (
         "127.0.0.1",
@@ -489,7 +601,7 @@ def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path, disable_mail: bool, website_only: bool) -
             )
             exit(1)
 
-    if not is_in_container():
+    if not os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_NOPORTCHECK"):
         port_services = [
             (["master", "smtpd"], 25),
             ("unbound", 53),

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dns.py

@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ from . import remote
 
 
 def parse_zone_records(text):
-    """Yield ``(name, ttl, rtype, rdata)`` from standard BIND-format text."""
+    """Yield ``(name, ttl, rtype, rdata)`` from standard BIND-format text.
+
+    Skips comment lines (starting with ``;``) and blank lines.
+    Each record line must have the format ``name TTL IN type rdata``.
+    """
     for raw_line in text.splitlines():
         line = raw_line.strip()
         if not line or line.startswith(";"):
@@ -43,36 +47,33 @@ def get_filled_zone_file(remote_data):
         remote_data["sts_id"] = datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M")
 
     d = remote_data["mail_domain"]
-
-    def append_record(name, rtype, rdata, ttl=3600):
-        lines.append(f"{name:<40} {ttl:<6} IN  {rtype:<5}  {rdata}")
-
     lines = ["; Required DNS entries"]
     if remote_data.get("A"):
-        append_record(f"{d}.", "A", remote_data["A"])
+        lines.append(f"{d}.  3600  IN  A  {remote_data['A']}")
     if remote_data.get("AAAA"):
-        append_record(f"{d}.", "AAAA", remote_data["AAAA"])
+        lines.append(f"{d}.  3600  IN  AAAA  {remote_data['AAAA']}")
-    append_record(f"{d}.", "MX", f"10 {d}.")
+    lines.append(f"{d}.  3600  IN  MX  10 {d}.")
     if remote_data.get("strict_tls"):
-        append_record(f"_mta-sts.{d}.", "TXT", f'"v=STSv1; id={remote_data["sts_id"]}"')
+        lines.append(
-        append_record(f"mta-sts.{d}.", "CNAME", f"{d}.")
+            f'_mta-sts.{d}.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=STSv1; id={remote_data["sts_id"]}"'
-    append_record(f"www.{d}.", "CNAME", f"{d}.")
+        )
+        lines.append(f"mta-sts.{d}.  3600  IN  CNAME  {d}.")
+    lines.append(f"www.{d}.  3600  IN  CNAME  {d}.")
     lines.append(remote_data["dkim_entry"])
     lines.append("")
     lines.append("; Recommended DNS entries")
-    append_record(f"{d}.", "TXT", '"v=spf1 a ~all"')
+    lines.append(f'{d}.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=spf1 a ~all"')
-    append_record(f"_dmarc.{d}.", "TXT", '"v=DMARC1;p=reject;adkim=s;aspf=s"')
+    lines.append(f'_dmarc.{d}.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=DMARC1;p=reject;adkim=s;aspf=s"')
     if remote_data.get("acme_account_url"):
-        append_record(
+        lines.append(
-            f"{d}.",
+            f"{d}.  3600  IN  CAA  0 issue"
-            "CAA",
+            f' "letsencrypt.org;accounturi={remote_data["acme_account_url"]}"'
-            f'0 issue "letsencrypt.org;accounturi={remote_data["acme_account_url"]}"',
         )
-    append_record(f"_adsp._domainkey.{d}.", "TXT", '"dkim=discardable"')
+    lines.append(f'_adsp._domainkey.{d}.  3600  IN  TXT  "dkim=discardable"')
-    append_record(f"_submission._tcp.{d}.", "SRV", f"0 1 587 {d}.")
+    lines.append(f"_submission._tcp.{d}.  3600  IN  SRV  0 1 587 {d}.")
-    append_record(f"_submissions._tcp.{d}.", "SRV", f"0 1 465 {d}.")
+    lines.append(f"_submissions._tcp.{d}.  3600  IN  SRV  0 1 465 {d}.")
-    append_record(f"_imap._tcp.{d}.", "SRV", f"0 1 143 {d}.")
+    lines.append(f"_imap._tcp.{d}.  3600  IN  SRV  0 1 143 {d}.")
-    append_record(f"_imaps._tcp.{d}.", "SRV", f"0 1 993 {d}.")
+    lines.append(f"_imaps._tcp.{d}.  3600  IN  SRV  0 1 993 {d}.")
     lines.append("")
     return "\n".join(lines)
 
@@ -90,19 +91,19 @@ def check_full_zone(sshexec, remote_data, out, zonefile) -> int:
     if required_diff:
         out.red("Please set required DNS entries at your DNS provider:\n")
         for line in required_diff:
-            out(line)
+            out.print(line)
-        out("")
+        out.print()
         returncode = 1
     if remote_data.get("dkim_entry") in required_diff:
-        out(
+        out.print(
             "If the DKIM entry above does not work with your DNS provider,"
             " you can try this one:\n"
         )
-        out(remote_data.get("web_dkim_entry") + "\n")
+        out.print(remote_data.get("web_dkim_entry") + "\n")
     if recommended_diff:
-        out("WARNING: these recommended DNS entries are not set:\n")
+        out.print("WARNING: these recommended DNS entries are not set:\n")
         for line in recommended_diff:
-            out(line)
+            out.print(line)
 
     if not (recommended_diff or required_diff):
         out.green("Great! All your DNS entries are verified and correct.")

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/deployer.py

@@ -1,32 +1,20 @@
-import io
 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.operations import apt, files, server
+from pyinfra.facts.systemd import SystemdEnabled
+from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, server, systemd
 
 from cmdeploy.basedeploy import (
     Deployer,
     activate_remote_units,
     blocked_service_startup,
     configure_remote_units,
-    is_in_container,
+    get_resource,
+    has_systemd,
 )
 
-DOVECOT_ARCHIVE_VERSION = "2.3.21+dfsg1-3"
-DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION = f"1:{DOVECOT_ARCHIVE_VERSION}"
-
-DOVECOT_SHA256 = {
-    ("core", "amd64"): "dd060706f52a306fa863d874717210b9fe10536c824afe1790eec247ded5b27d",
-    ("core", "arm64"): "e7548e8a82929722e973629ecc40fcfa886894cef3db88f23535149e7f730dc9",
-    ("imapd", "amd64"): "8d8dc6fc00bbb6cdb25d345844f41ce2f1c53f764b79a838eb2a03103eebfa86",
-    ("imapd", "arm64"): "178fa877ddd5df9930e8308b518f4b07df10e759050725f8217a0c1fb3fd707f",
-    ("lmtpd", "amd64"): "2f69ba5e35363de50962d42cccbfe4ed8495265044e244007d7ccddad77513ab",
-    ("lmtpd", "arm64"): "89f52fb36524f5877a177dff4a713ba771fd3f91f22ed0af7238d495e143b38f",
-}
-
 
 class DovecotDeployer(Deployer):
     daemon_reload = False
@@ -38,59 +26,34 @@ class DovecotDeployer(Deployer):
 
     def install(self):
         arch = host.get_fact(Arch)
+        if has_systemd() and "dovecot.service" in host.get_fact(SystemdEnabled):
+            return  # already installed and running
+
         with blocked_service_startup():
-            debs = []
+            _install_dovecot_package("core", arch)
-            for pkg in ("core", "imapd", "lmtpd"):
+            _install_dovecot_package("imapd", arch)
-                deb, changed = _download_dovecot_package(pkg, arch)
+            _install_dovecot_package("lmtpd", 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=[
-                        f"dpkg --force-confdef --force-confold -i {deb_list} 2> /dev/null || true",
-                        "DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -y --fix-broken install",
-                        f"dpkg --force-confdef --force-confold -i {deb_list}",
-                    ],
-                )
-                self.need_restart = True
-        self.put_file(
-            src=io.StringIO(
-                "Package: dovecot-*\n"
-                "Pin: version *\n"
-                "Pin-Priority: -1\n"
-            ),
-            dest="/etc/apt/preferences.d/pin-dovecot",
-        )
 
     def configure(self):
-        configure_remote_units(self, self.config.mail_domain, self.units)
+        configure_remote_units(self.config.mail_domain, self.units)
-        _configure_dovecot(self, self.config)
+        self.need_restart, self.daemon_reload = _configure_dovecot(self.config)
 
     def activate(self):
-        activate_remote_units(self, self.units)
+        activate_remote_units(self.units)
 
-        # Detect stale binary: package installed but service still runs old (deleted) binary.
+        restart = False if self.disable_mail else self.need_restart
-        if not self.disable_mail and not self.need_restart:
-            stale = host.get_fact(
-                Command,
-                'pid=$(systemctl show -p MainPID --value dovecot.service 2>/dev/null);'
-                ' [ "${pid:-0}" != "0" ] && readlink "/proc/$pid/exe" 2>/dev/null | grep -q "(deleted)"'
-                " && echo STALE || true",
-            )
-            if stale == "STALE":
-                self.need_restart = True
 
-        active = not self.disable_mail
+        systemd.service(
-        self.ensure_service(
+            name="Disable dovecot for now"
-            "dovecot.service",
+            if self.disable_mail
-            running=active,
+            else "Start and enable Dovecot",
-            enabled=active,
+            service="dovecot.service",
+            running=False if self.disable_mail else True,
+            enabled=False if self.disable_mail else True,
+            restarted=restart,
+            daemon_reload=self.daemon_reload,
         )
+        self.need_restart = False
 
 
 def _pick_url(primary, fallback):
@@ -102,63 +65,86 @@ def _pick_url(primary, fallback):
         return fallback
 
 
-def _download_dovecot_package(package: str, arch: str) -> tuple[str | None, bool]:
+def _install_dovecot_package(package: str, arch: str):
-    """Download a dovecot .deb if needed, return (path, changed)."""
     arch = "amd64" if arch == "x86_64" else arch
     arch = "arm64" if arch == "aarch64" else arch
-
+    primary_url = f"https://download.delta.chat/dovecot/dovecot-{package}_2.3.21%2Bdfsg1-3_{arch}.deb"
-    pkg_name = f"dovecot-{package}"
+    fallback_url = f"https://github.com/chatmail/dovecot/releases/download/upstream%2F2.3.21%2Bdfsg1/dovecot-{package}_2.3.21%2Bdfsg1-3_{arch}.deb"
-    sha256 = DOVECOT_SHA256.get((package, arch))
-    if sha256 is None:
-        op = apt.packages(packages=[pkg_name])
-        return None, bool(getattr(op, "changed", False))
-
-    installed_versions = host.get_fact(DebPackages).get(pkg_name, [])
-    if DOVECOT_PACKAGE_VERSION in installed_versions:
-        return None, False
-
-    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}"
     url = _pick_url(primary_url, fallback_url)
-    deb_filename = f"/root/{deb_base}"
+    deb_filename = "/root/" + url.split("/")[-1]
+
+    match (package, arch):
+        case ("core", "amd64"):
+            sha256 = "dd060706f52a306fa863d874717210b9fe10536c824afe1790eec247ded5b27d"
+        case ("core", "arm64"):
+            sha256 = "e7548e8a82929722e973629ecc40fcfa886894cef3db88f23535149e7f730dc9"
+        case ("imapd", "amd64"):
+            sha256 = "8d8dc6fc00bbb6cdb25d345844f41ce2f1c53f764b79a838eb2a03103eebfa86"
+        case ("imapd", "arm64"):
+            sha256 = "178fa877ddd5df9930e8308b518f4b07df10e759050725f8217a0c1fb3fd707f"
+        case ("lmtpd", "amd64"):
+            sha256 = "2f69ba5e35363de50962d42cccbfe4ed8495265044e244007d7ccddad77513ab"
+        case ("lmtpd", "arm64"):
+            sha256 = "89f52fb36524f5877a177dff4a713ba771fd3f91f22ed0af7238d495e143b38f"
+        case _:
+            apt.packages(packages=[f"dovecot-{package}"])
+            return
 
     files.download(
-        name=f"Download {pkg_name}",
+        name=f"Download dovecot-{package}",
         src=url,
         dest=deb_filename,
         sha256sum=sha256,
         cache_time=60 * 60 * 24 * 365 * 10,  # never redownload the package
     )
 
-    return deb_filename, True
+    apt.deb(name=f"Install dovecot-{package}", src=deb_filename)
 
-def _configure_dovecot(deployer, config: Config, debug: bool = False):
+
+def _configure_dovecot(config: Config, debug: bool = False) -> (bool, bool):
     """Configures Dovecot IMAP server."""
-    deployer.put_template(
+    need_restart = False
-        "dovecot/dovecot.conf.j2",
+    daemon_reload = False
-        "/etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf",
+
+    main_config = files.template(
+        src=get_resource("dovecot/dovecot.conf.j2"),
+        dest="/etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf",
+        user="root",
+        group="root",
+        mode="644",
         config=config,
         debug=debug,
         disable_ipv6=config.disable_ipv6,
     )
-    deployer.put_file("dovecot/auth.conf", "/etc/dovecot/auth.conf")
+    need_restart |= main_config.changed
-    deployer.put_file(
+    auth_config = files.put(
-        "dovecot/push_notification.lua", "/etc/dovecot/push_notification.lua"
+        src=get_resource("dovecot/auth.conf"),
+        dest="/etc/dovecot/auth.conf",
+        user="root",
+        group="root",
+        mode="644",
     )
+    need_restart |= auth_config.changed
+    lua_push_notification_script = files.put(
+        src=get_resource("dovecot/push_notification.lua"),
+        dest="/etc/dovecot/push_notification.lua",
+        user="root",
+        group="root",
+        mode="644",
+    )
+    need_restart |= lua_push_notification_script.changed
 
     # as per https://doc.dovecot.org/2.3/configuration_manual/os/
     # it is recommended to set the following inotify limits
-    can_modify = not is_in_container()
+    can_modify = host.get_fact(Command, "systemd-detect-virt -c || true") == "none"
     for name in ("max_user_instances", "max_user_watches"):
         key = f"fs.inotify.{name}"
-        value = host.get_fact(Sysctl).get(key, 0)
+        value = host.get_fact(Sysctl)[key]
         if value > 65534:
             continue
         if not can_modify:
             print(
-                "\n!!!! refusing to attempt sysctl setting in containers\n"
+                "\n!!!! refusing to attempt sysctl setting in shared-kernel containers\n"
                 f"!!!! dovecot: sysctl {key!r}={value}, should be >65534 for production setups\n"
                 "!!!!"
             )
@@ -170,20 +156,25 @@ def _configure_dovecot(deployer, config: Config, debug: bool = False):
             persist=True,
         )
 
-    deployer.ensure_line(
+    timezone_env = files.line(
         name="Set TZ environment variable",
         path="/etc/environment",
         line="TZ=:/etc/localtime",
     )
+    need_restart |= timezone_env.changed
 
-    deployer.put_file(
+    restart_conf = files.put(
-        "service/10_restart_on_failure.conf",
+        name="dovecot: restart automatically on failure",
-        "/etc/systemd/system/dovecot.service.d/10_restart.conf",
+        src=get_resource("service/10_restart.conf"),
+        dest="/etc/systemd/system/dovecot.service.d/10_restart.conf",
     )
+    daemon_reload |= restart_conf.changed
 
     # Validate dovecot configuration before restart
-    if deployer.need_restart:
+    if need_restart:
         server.shell(
             name="Validate dovecot configuration",
             commands=["doveconf -n >/dev/null"],
         )
+
+    return need_restart, daemon_reload

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

@@ -133,11 +133,6 @@ protocol lmtp {
   # mail_lua and push_notification_lua are needed for Lua push notification handler.
   # <https://doc.dovecot.org/2.3/configuration_manual/push_notification/#configuration>
   mail_plugins = $mail_plugins mail_lua notify push_notification push_notification_lua
-
-  # Disable fsync for LMTP. May lose delivered message,
-  # but unlikely to cause problems with multiple relays.
-  # https://doc.dovecot.org/2.3/admin_manual/mailbox_formats/#fsyncing
-  mail_fsync = never
 }
 
 plugin {
@@ -149,26 +144,12 @@ plugin {
 }
 
 plugin {
+  # for now we define static quota-rules for all users 
   quota = maildir:User quota
+  quota_rule = *:storage={{ config.max_mailbox_size }}
   quota_max_mail_size={{ config.max_message_size }}
   quota_grace = 0
-
+  # quota_over_flag_value = TRUE
-  quota_rule = *:storage={{ config.max_mailbox_size_mb }}M
-
-  # Trigger at 75%% of quota, expire oldest messages down to 70%%.
-  # The percentages are chosen to prevent current Delta Chat users
-  # from seeing "quota warnings" which trigger at 80% and 95%.
-
-  quota_warning = storage=75%% quota-warning {{ config.max_mailbox_size_mb * 70 // 100 }} {{ config.mailboxes_dir }}/%u
-}
-
-service quota-warning {
-  executable = script /usr/local/lib/chatmaild/venv/bin/chatmail-quota-expire
-  user = vmail
-  unix_listener quota-warning {
-     user = vmail
-     mode = 0600
-  }
 }
 
 # push_notification configuration
@@ -271,9 +252,6 @@ protocol imap {
   # sort -sn <(sed 's/ / C: /' *.in) <(sed 's/ / S: /' cat *.out)
 
   rawlog_dir = %h 
-
-  # Disable fsync for IMAP. May lose IMAP changes like setting flags. 
-  mail_fsync = never
 } 
 {% endif %}
 

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/external/deployer.py

@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import io
 
 from pyinfra import host
 from pyinfra.facts.files import File
+from pyinfra.operations import files, systemd
 
-from ..basedeploy import Deployer
+from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer, get_resource
 
 
 class ExternalTlsDeployer(Deployer):
@@ -21,24 +23,45 @@ class ExternalTlsDeployer(Deployer):
     def configure(self):
         # Verify cert and key exist on the remote host using pyinfra facts.
         for path in (self.cert_path, self.key_path):
-                if host.get_fact(File, path=path) is None:
+            info = host.get_fact(File, path=path)
-                    raise Exception(f"External TLS file not found on server: {path}")
+            if info is None:
+                raise Exception(f"External TLS file not found on server: {path}")
 
-        self.ensure_systemd_unit(
+        # Deploy the .path unit (templated with the cert path).
-            "external/tls-cert-reload.path.j2",
+        # pkg=__package__ is required here because the resource files
-            cert_path=self.cert_path,
+        # live in cmdeploy.external, not the default cmdeploy package.
+        source = get_resource("tls-cert-reload.path.f", pkg=__package__)
+        content = source.read_text().format(cert_path=self.cert_path).encode()
+
+        path_unit = files.put(
+            name="Upload tls-cert-reload.path",
+            src=io.BytesIO(content),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/tls-cert-reload.path",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
         )
-        self.ensure_systemd_unit(
+
-            "external/tls-cert-reload.service",
+        service_unit = files.put(
+            name="Upload tls-cert-reload.service",
+            src=get_resource("tls-cert-reload.service", pkg=__package__),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/tls-cert-reload.service",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
         )
 
+        if path_unit.changed or service_unit.changed:
+            self.need_restart = True
+
     def activate(self):
-        # No explicit reload needed here: dovecot/nginx read the cert
+        systemd.service(
-        # on startup, and the .path watcher handles live changes.
+            name="Enable tls-cert-reload path watcher",
-        self.ensure_service(
+            service="tls-cert-reload.path",
-            "tls-cert-reload.path",
             running=True,
             enabled=True,
+            restarted=self.need_restart,
+            daemon_reload=self.need_restart,
         )
-
+        # No explicit reload needed here: dovecot/nginx read the cert
-
+        # on startup, and the .path watcher handles live changes.

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/external/tls-cert-reload.path.f

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 Description=Watch TLS certificate for changes
 
 [Path]
-PathChanged={{ cert_path }}
+PathChanged={cert_path}
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/filtermail/deployer.py

@@ -1,40 +1,52 @@
-import os
-
 from pyinfra import facts, host
+from pyinfra.operations import files, systemd
 
-from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer
+from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer, get_resource
 
 
 class FiltermailDeployer(Deployer):
-    services = ["filtermail", "filtermail-incoming", "filtermail-transport"]
+    services = ["filtermail", "filtermail-incoming"]
     bin_path = "/usr/local/bin/filtermail"
     config_path = "/usr/local/lib/chatmaild/chatmail.ini"
 
-    def install(self):
+    def __init__(self):
-        local_bin = os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_FILTERMAIL_BINARY")
+        self.need_restart = False
-        if local_bin:
-            self.put_executable(
-                src=local_bin,
-                dest=self.bin_path,
-            )
-            return
 
+    def install(self):
         arch = host.get_fact(facts.server.Arch)
-        url = f"https://github.com/chatmail/filtermail/releases/download/v0.6.4/filtermail-{arch}"
+        url = f"https://github.com/chatmail/filtermail/releases/download/v0.6.0/filtermail-{arch}"
         sha256sum = {
-            "x86_64": "5295115952c72e4c4ec3c85546e094b4155a4c702c82bd71fcdcb744dc73adf6",
+            "x86_64": "3fd8b18282252c75a5bbfa603d8c1b65f6563e5e920bddf3e64e451b7cdb43ce",
-            "aarch64": "6892244f17b8f26ccb465766e96028e7222b3c8adefca9fc6bfe9ff332ca8dff",
+            "aarch64": "2bd191de205f7fd60158dd8e3516ab7e3efb14627696f3d7dc186bdcd9e10a43",
         }[arch]
-        self.download_executable(url, self.bin_path, sha256sum)
+        self.need_restart |= files.download(
+            name="Download filtermail",
+            src=url,
+            sha256sum=sha256sum,
+            dest=self.bin_path,
+            mode="755",
+        ).changed
 
     def configure(self):
         for service in self.services:
-            self.ensure_systemd_unit(
+            self.need_restart |= files.template(
-                f"filtermail/{service}.service.j2",
+                src=get_resource(f"filtermail/{service}.service.j2"),
+                dest=f"/etc/systemd/system/{service}.service",
+                user="root",
+                group="root",
+                mode="644",
                 bin_path=self.bin_path,
                 config_path=self.config_path,
-            )
+            ).changed
 
     def activate(self):
         for service in self.services:
-            self.ensure_service(f"{service}.service")
+            systemd.service(
+                name=f"Start and enable {service}",
+                service=f"{service}.service",
+                running=True,
+                enabled=True,
+                restarted=self.need_restart,
+                daemon_reload=True,
+            )
+        self.need_restart = False

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/filtermail/filtermail-transport.service.j2

@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-[Unit]
-Description=Chatmail transport service
-
-[Service]
-ExecStart={{ bin_path }} {{ config_path }} transport
-Restart=always
-RestartSec=30
-User=vmail
-
-[Install]
-WantedBy=multi-user.target

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/lxc/cli.py

@@ -0,0 +1,475 @@
+"""lxc-start/stop/status/test subcommands for testing with local containers."""
+
+import os
+import time
+
+from ..util import get_git_hash, get_version_string, shell
+from .incus import RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS, Incus, RelayContainer
+
+RELAY_NAMES = ("test0", "test1")
+
+
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+# lxc-start
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def lxc_start_cmd_options(parser):
+    _add_name_args(
+        parser,
+        help_text="User relay name(s) to create (default: test0).",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--ipv4-only",
+        dest="ipv4_only",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Create an IPv4-only container.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--run",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Run 'cmdeploy run' on each container after starting it.",
+    )
+
+
+def lxc_start_cmd(args, out):
+    """Create/Ensure and start LXC relay and DNS containers."""
+
+    with out.section("Preparing container setup"):
+        _lxc_start_cmd(args, out)
+
+
+def _lxc_start_cmd(args, out):
+    ix = Incus(out)
+    sub = out.new_prefixed_out()
+    out.green("Ensuring base image ...")
+    ix.ensure_base_image()
+    out.green("Ensuring DNS container (ns-localchat) ...")
+    dns_ct = ix.get_dns_container()
+    dns_ct.ensure()
+    sub.print(f"DNS container IP: {dns_ct.ipv4}")
+
+    names = args.names if args.names else RELAY_NAMES
+    relays = list(ix.get_container(n) for n in names)
+    for ct in relays:
+        out.green(f"Ensuring container {ct.name!r} ({ct.domain}) ...")
+        ct.ensure()
+        ip = ct.ipv4
+
+        sub.print("Configuring container hostname ...")
+        ct.configure_hosts(ip)
+
+        sub.print(f"Writing {ct.ini.name} ...")
+        ct.write_ini(disable_ipv6=args.ipv4_only)
+        sub.print(f"Config: {ct.ini}")
+        if args.ipv4_only:
+            ct.disable_ipv6()
+            ipv6 = None
+        else:
+            output = ct.bash(
+                "ip -6 addr show scope global -deprecated"
+                " | grep -oP '(?<=inet6 )[^/]+'",
+                check=False,
+            )
+            ipv6 = output.strip() if output else None
+        sub.print(f"{_format_addrs(ip, ipv6)}")
+
+        sub.green(f"Container {ct.name!r} ready: {ct.domain} -> {ip}")
+        out.print()
+
+    # Reset DNS zones only for the containers we just started
+    started_cnames = {ct.name for ct in relays}
+    managed = ix.list_managed()
+    started = [c for c in managed if c["name"] in started_cnames]
+
+    if started:
+        out.print(
+            f"Resetting DNS zones for {len(started)} domain(s) (A + AAAA records) ..."
+        )
+        dns_ct.reset_dns_records(dns_ct.ipv4, started)
+
+        for ct in relays:
+            if ct.name in started_cnames:
+                sub.print(f"Configuring DNS in {ct.name} ...")
+                ct.configure_dns(dns_ct.ipv4)
+
+    # Generate the unified SSH config
+    out.green("Writing ssh-config ...")
+    ssh_cfg = ix.write_ssh_config()
+    sub.print(f"{ssh_cfg}")
+
+    # Verify SSH via the generated config
+    for ct in relays:
+        sub.print(f"Verifying SSH to {ct.name} via ssh-config ...")
+        if ct.verify_ssh(ssh_cfg):
+            sub.print(f"SSH OK: ssh -F lxconfigs/ssh-config {ct.domain}")
+        else:
+            sub.red(f"WARNING: SSH verification failed for {ct.name}")
+
+    # Print integration suggestions
+    ssh_cfg = ix.ssh_config_path
+    if not ix.check_ssh_include():
+        sub.green(
+            "\n(Optional) To use containers from any SSH client, add to ~/.ssh/config:"
+        )
+        sub.green(f"    Include {ssh_cfg}")
+
+    # Optionally run cmdeploy run + dns on each relay
+    if args.run:
+        for ct in relays:
+            with out.section(f"cmdeploy run: {ct.sname} ({ct.domain})"):
+                ret = _run_cmdeploy("run", ct, ix, out, extra=["--skip-dns-check"])
+                if ret:
+                    out.red(f"Deploy to {ct.sname} failed (exit {ret})")
+                    return ret
+
+        with out.section("loading DNS zones"):
+            for ct in relays:
+                ret = _run_cmdeploy(
+                    "dns", ct, ix, out,
+                    extra=["--zonefile", str(ct.zone)],
+                )
+                if ret:
+                    out.red(f"DNS for {ct.sname} failed (exit {ret})")
+                    return ret
+                if ct.zone.exists():
+                    dns_ct.set_dns_records(ct.zone.read_text())
+                out.print(f"Restarting filtermail-incoming on {ct.name}")
+                ct.bash("systemctl restart filtermail-incoming")
+
+
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+# lxc-stop
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def lxc_stop_cmd_options(parser):
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--destroy",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Delete containers and their config files after stopping.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--destroy-all",
+        dest="destroy_all",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Like --destroy, but also remove the ns-localchat DNS container.",
+    )
+    _add_name_args(
+        parser,
+        help_text="Container name(s) to stop (default: test0 + test1).",
+    )
+
+
+def lxc_stop_cmd(args, out):
+    """Stop (and optionally destroy) local LXC relay containers."""
+    ix = Incus(out)
+    names = args.names or RELAY_NAMES
+    destroy = args.destroy or args.destroy_all
+
+    for ct in map(ix.get_container, names):
+        if destroy:
+            out.green(f"Destroying container {ct.name!r} ...")
+            ct.destroy()
+        else:
+            out.green(f"Stopping container {ct.name!r} ...")
+            ct.stop(force=True)
+
+    if args.destroy_all:
+        dns_ct = ix.get_dns_container()
+        out.green(f"Destroying DNS container {dns_ct.name!r} ...")
+        dns_ct.destroy()
+        ix.delete_images()
+
+    if destroy:
+        ix.write_ssh_config()
+        out.green("LXC containers destroyed.")
+    else:
+        out.green("LXC containers stopped.")
+
+
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+# lxc-test
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def lxc_test_cmd_options(parser):
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--one",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Only deploy and test against test0 (skip test1).",
+    )
+
+
+def lxc_test_cmd(args, out):
+    """Run full LXC pipeline: start, deploy, DNS, zone files, and tests.
+
+    All commands run directly on the host using
+    ``--ssh-config lxconfigs/ssh-config`` for SSH access.
+    """
+    ix = Incus(out)
+    t_total = time.time()
+    relay_names = list(RELAY_NAMES)
+    if args.one:
+        relay_names = relay_names[:1]
+
+    local_hash = get_git_hash()
+
+    # Per-relay: start, deploy, then snapshot the first relay as a
+    # reusable image so the second relay launches pre-deployed.
+    ipv4_only_flags = {RELAY_NAMES[0]: False, RELAY_NAMES[1]: True}
+
+    for ct in map(ix.get_container, relay_names):
+        name = ct.sname
+        ipv4_only = ipv4_only_flags.get(name, False)
+        v_flag = " -" + "v" * out.verbosity if out.verbosity > 0 else ""
+        start_cmd = f"cmdeploy lxc-start{v_flag} {name}"
+        if ipv4_only:
+            start_cmd += " --ipv4-only"
+        with out.section(f"cmdeploy lxc-start: {name}"):
+            ret = out.shell(start_cmd, cwd=str(ix.project_root))
+            if ret:
+                return ret
+
+        status = _deploy_status(ct, local_hash, ix)
+        with out.section(f"cmdeploy run: {name}"):
+            if "IN-SYNC" in status:
+                out.print(f"{name} is {status}, skipping")
+            else:
+                ret = _run_cmdeploy("run", ct, ix, out, extra=["--skip-dns-check"])
+                if ret:
+                    out.red(f"Deploy to {name} failed (exit {ret})")
+                    return ret
+
+        # Snapshot the first relay so subsequent ones launch pre-deployed
+        if not ix.find_image([RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS]):
+            with out.section("lxc-test: caching relay image"):
+                ct.publish_as_relay_image()
+
+    for ct in map(ix.get_container, relay_names):
+        with out.section(f"cmdeploy dns: {ct.sname} ({ct.domain})"):
+            ret = _run_cmdeploy("dns", ct, ix, out, extra=["--zonefile", str(ct.zone)])
+            if ret:
+                out.red(f"DNS for {ct.sname} failed (exit {ret})")
+                return ret
+
+    with out.section(f"lxc-test: loading DNS zones {' & '.join(relay_names)}"):
+        dns_ct = ix.get_dns_container()
+        for ct in map(ix.get_container, relay_names):
+            if ct.zone.exists():
+                zone_data = ct.zone.read_text()
+                out.print(f"Loading {ct.zone} into PowerDNS ...")
+                dns_ct.set_dns_records(zone_data)
+
+        # Restart filtermail so its in-process DNS cache
+        # does not hold stale negative DKIM responses
+        # from before the zones were loaded.
+        for ct in map(ix.get_container, relay_names):
+            out.print(f"Restarting filtermail-incoming on {ct.name} ...")
+            ct.bash("systemctl restart filtermail-incoming")
+
+    with out.section("cmdeploy test"):
+        first = ix.get_container(relay_names[0])
+        env = None
+        if len(relay_names) > 1:
+            env = os.environ.copy()
+            env["CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2"] = ix.get_container(relay_names[1]).domain
+        ret = _run_cmdeploy("test", first, ix, out, **({"env": env} if env else {}))
+        if ret:
+            out.red(f"Tests failed (exit {ret})")
+            return ret
+
+    elapsed = time.time() - t_total
+    out.section_line(f"lxc-test complete ({elapsed:.1f}s)")
+    if out.section_timings:
+        out.print("Section timings:")
+        for name, secs in out.section_timings:
+            out.print(f"  {name:.<50s} {secs:5.1f}s")
+        out.print(f"  {'total':.<50s} {elapsed:5.1f}s")
+    out.section_timings.clear()
+    return 0
+
+
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+# lxc-status
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def lxc_status_cmd_options(parser):
+    pass
+
+
+def lxc_status_cmd(args, out):
+    """Show status of local LXC chatmail containers."""
+    ix = Incus(out)
+    containers = ix.list_managed()
+    if not containers:
+        out.red("No LXC containers found.  Run 'cmdeploy lxc-start' first.")
+        return 1
+
+    local_hash = get_git_hash()
+
+    # Get storage pool path for display
+    storage_path = None
+    data = ix.run_json(["storage", "show", "default"], check=False)
+    if data:
+        storage_path = data.get("config", {}).get("source")
+    msg = "Container status"
+    if storage_path:
+        msg += f": {storage_path}"
+    out.section_line(msg)
+
+    dns_ip = None
+    for c in containers:
+        _print_container_status(out, c, ix, local_hash)
+        if c["name"] == ix.get_dns_container().name:
+            dns_ip = c["ip"]
+
+    out.section_line("Host ssh and DNS configuration")
+    _print_ssh_status(out, ix)
+    _print_dns_forwarding_status(out, dns_ip)
+    return 0
+
+
+def _print_container_status(out, c, ix, local_hash):
+    """Print name/status, domain/IPs, and RAM for one container."""
+    cname = c["name"]
+    is_running = c.get("status") == "Running"
+    ct = ix.get_container(cname)
+
+    # First line: name + running/STOPPED + deploy status
+    if not is_running:
+        tag = "STOPPED"
+    elif not isinstance(ct, RelayContainer):
+        tag = "running"
+    else:
+        tag = f"running {_deploy_status(ct, local_hash, ix)}"
+    out.print(f"{cname:20s} {tag}")
+
+    # Second line: domain, IPv4, IPv6
+    domain = c.get("domain", "")
+    ip = c.get("ip") or "?"
+    ipv6 = c.get("ipv6")
+    out.print(f"{domain:20s} {_format_addrs(ip, ipv6)}")
+
+    # Third line: RAM (RSS), config
+    detail_out = out.new_prefixed_out(" " * 21)
+    try:
+        used, total = ct.rss_mib()
+    except Exception:
+        ram_str = "RSS ?"
+    else:
+        ram_str = f"RSS {used}/{total} MiB ({used * 100 // total}%)"
+
+    if isinstance(ct, RelayContainer):
+        detail = f"{ram_str}, config: {os.path.relpath(ct.ini)}"
+    else:
+        detail = ram_str
+
+    detail_out.print(detail)
+    out.print()
+
+
+def _print_ssh_status(out, ix):
+    """Print SSH integration status."""
+    ssh_cfg = ix.ssh_config_path
+    if ix.check_ssh_include():
+        out.green("SSH: ~/.ssh/config includes lxconfigs/ssh-config ✓")
+    else:
+        out.red("SSH: ~/.ssh/config does NOT include lxconfigs/ssh-config")
+        sub = out.new_prefixed_out()
+        sub.print("Add to ~/.ssh/config:")
+        sub.print(f"    Include {ssh_cfg}")
+
+
+def _print_dns_forwarding_status(out, dns_ip):
+    """Print host DNS forwarding status for .localchat."""
+    sub = out.new_prefixed_out()
+    if not dns_ip:
+        out.red("DNS: ns-localchat container not found")
+        return
+    try:
+        rv = shell("resolvectl status incusbr0")
+        dns_ok = dns_ip in rv.stdout and "localchat" in rv.stdout
+    except Exception:
+        dns_ok = None
+    if dns_ok is True:
+        out.green(f"DNS: .localchat forwarding to {dns_ip} ✓")
+    elif dns_ok is False:
+        out.red("DNS: .localchat forwarding NOT configured")
+        sub.print("Run:")
+        sub.print(f"    sudo resolvectl dns incusbr0 {dns_ip}")
+        sub.print("    sudo resolvectl domain incusbr0 ~localchat")
+    else:
+        sub.print("DNS: .localchat forwarding status UNKNOWN")
+
+
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Internal helpers
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def _format_addrs(ip, ipv6=None):
+    parts = [f"IPv4 {ip}"]
+    if ipv6:
+        parts.append(f"IPv6 {ipv6}")
+    return ", ".join(parts)
+
+
+def _deploy_status(ct, local_hash, ix):
+    """Return a human-readable deploy status string.
+
+    Compares the full deployed version (hash + diff) against
+    the local state built by :func:`~cmdeploy.util.get_version_string`.
+    """
+    deployed = ct.deployed_version()
+    if deployed is None:
+        return "NOT DEPLOYED"
+
+    # A container launched from the relay image has the same
+    # git hash but a different domain — always redeploy.
+    deployed_domain = ct.deployed_domain()
+    if deployed_domain and deployed_domain != ct.domain:
+        return f"DOMAIN-MISMATCH (deployed: {deployed_domain})"
+
+    deployed_lines = deployed.splitlines()
+    deployed_hash = deployed_lines[0] if deployed_lines else ""
+    short = deployed_hash[:12]
+
+    if not local_hash:
+        return f"UNKNOWN (deployed: {short})"
+
+    local_short = local_hash[:12]
+    if deployed_hash != local_hash:
+        return f"STALE (deployed: {short}, local: {local_short})"
+
+    # Hash matches — check for uncommitted diffs
+    local_version = get_version_string()
+    if deployed != local_version:
+        return f"DIRTY ({local_short}, undeployed changes)"
+
+    return f"IN-SYNC ({short})"
+
+
+def _add_name_args(parser, help_text):
+    parser.add_argument("names", nargs="*", metavar="NAME", help=help_text)
+
+
+def _run_cmdeploy(subcmd, ct, ix, out, extra=None, **kwargs):
+    """Run ``cmdeploy <subcmd>`` with standard --config/--ssh flags.
+
+    *ct* is a Container (uses ``ct.ini`` and ``ct.domain``).
+    Returns the subprocess exit code.
+    """
+    extra_str = " ".join(extra) if extra else ""
+    v_flag = " -" + "v" * out.verbosity if out.verbosity > 0 else ""
+    cmd = f"""
+        cmdeploy {subcmd}{v_flag}
+        --config {ct.ini}
+        --ssh-config {ix.ssh_config_path}
+        --ssh-host {ct.domain}
+        {extra_str}
+    """
+    if "cwd" not in kwargs:
+        kwargs["cwd"] = str(ix.project_root)
+    return out.shell(cmd, **kwargs)

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/lxc/incus.py

@@ -0,0 +1,768 @@
+"""Core Incus operations for local chatmail LXC containers."""
+
+import json
+import subprocess
+import textwrap
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from ..util import shell
+
+LABEL_KEY = "user.localchat-managed"
+SSH_KEY_NAME = "id_localchat"
+DOMAIN_SUFFIX = ".localchat"
+UPSTREAM_IMAGE = "images:debian/12"
+BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS = "localchat-base"
+BASE_SETUP_NAME = "localchat-base-setup"
+RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS = "localchat-relay"
+
+DNS_CONTAINER_NAME = "ns-localchat"
+DNS_DOMAIN = "ns.localchat"
+
+
+class DNSConfigurationError(Exception):
+    """Raised when the DNS container is not reachable or not answering."""
+
+
+def _extract_ip(net_data, family="inet"):
+    """Extract the first global-scope IP of *family* from network state data.
+
+    *net_data* is the ``state.network`` dict from ``incus list --format=json``.
+    *family* is ``"inet"`` for IPv4 or ``"inet6"`` for IPv6.
+    Returns the address string, or None.
+    """
+    for iface_name, iface in net_data.items():
+        if iface_name == "lo":
+            continue
+        for addr in iface.get("addresses", []):
+            if addr["family"] == family and addr["scope"] == "global":
+                return addr["address"]
+    return None
+
+
+class Incus:
+    """Gateway for all Incus container operations.
+
+    Instantiated once per CLI command and passed around so that
+    all modules share a single entry point for Incus interactions.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, out):
+        self.out = out
+        self.project_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent.parent.parent
+        self.lxconfigs_dir = self.project_root / "lxconfigs"
+        self.lxconfigs_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+        self.ssh_key_path = self.lxconfigs_dir / SSH_KEY_NAME
+        if not self.ssh_key_path.exists():
+            shell(
+                f"ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f {self.ssh_key_path} -N '' -C localchat",
+                check=True,
+            )
+        self.ssh_config_path = self.lxconfigs_dir / "ssh-config"
+
+    def write_ssh_config(self):
+        """Write ``lxconfigs/ssh-config`` mapping all containers to their IPs.
+
+        Each Host block maps the container name, the domain name, and the
+        short relay name (e.g. ``_test0``) to the container's IP, using the
+        shared localchat SSH key.  Returns the path to the file.
+        """
+        containers = self.list_managed()
+        key_path = self.ssh_key_path
+        lines = ["# Auto-generated by cmdeploy lxc-start — do not edit\n"]
+        for c in containers:
+            hosts = [c["name"]]
+            domain = c.get("domain", "")
+            if domain and domain != c["name"]:
+                hosts.append(domain)
+                short = domain.split(".")[0]
+                if short and short not in hosts:
+                    hosts.append(short)
+            lines.append(f"\nHost {' '.join(hosts)}\n")
+            lines.append(f"    Hostname {c['ip']}\n")
+            lines.append("    User root\n")
+            lines.append(f"    IdentityFile {key_path}\n")
+            lines.append("    IdentitiesOnly yes\n")
+            lines.append("    StrictHostKeyChecking accept-new\n")
+            lines.append("    UserKnownHostsFile /dev/null\n")
+            lines.append("    LogLevel ERROR\n")
+        path = self.ssh_config_path
+        path.write_text("".join(lines))
+        return path
+
+    def check_ssh_include(self):
+        """Check if the user's ~/.ssh/config already includes our ssh-config."""
+        user_ssh_config = Path.home() / ".ssh" / "config"
+        if not user_ssh_config.exists():
+            return False
+        lines = user_ssh_config.read_text().splitlines()
+        target = f"include {self.ssh_config_path}".lower()
+        return any(line.strip().lower() == target for line in lines)
+
+    def get_host_nameservers(self):
+        """Return upstream nameservers found on the host."""
+        ns = []
+        for path in ["/run/systemd/resolve/resolv.conf", "/etc/resolv.conf"]:
+            p = Path(path)
+            if p.exists():
+                for line in p.read_text().splitlines():
+                    if line.strip().startswith("nameserver "):
+                        addr = line.split()[1]
+                        if addr not in ("127.0.0.1", "127.0.0.53", "::1"):
+                            if addr not in ns:
+                                ns.append(addr)
+                if ns:
+                    break
+        return ns
+
+    def run(self, args, check=True, capture=True, input=None):
+        """Run an incus command.
+
+        When *capture* is True and *verbosity* >= 1, output is streamed
+        to the terminal line-by-line while also being captured for
+        later return via result.stdout.
+        """
+        cmd = ["incus", "--quiet"] + list(args)
+        sub = self.out.new_prefixed_out("  ")
+
+        if not capture:
+            # Simple case: let subprocess handle streams (no capture)
+            if self.out.verbosity >= 1:
+                sub.print(f"$ {' '.join(cmd)}")
+            return subprocess.run(
+                cmd, text=True, input=input, check=check, stdout=None, stderr=None
+            )
+
+        # Capture case: we may need to stream while capturing
+        if sub.verbosity >= 1:
+            cmd_lines = " ".join(cmd).splitlines()
+            sub.print(f"$ {cmd_lines.pop(0)}")
+            if sub.verbosity >= 2:
+                for line in cmd_lines:
+                    sub.print(f"  {line}")
+
+        proc = subprocess.Popen(
+            cmd,
+            text=True,
+            stdin=subprocess.PIPE if input else subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+        )
+
+        stdout_lines = []
+        if input:
+            proc.stdin.write(input)
+            proc.stdin.close()
+
+        for line in proc.stdout:
+            stdout_lines.append(line)
+            if sub.verbosity >= 2:
+                sub.print(f"  > {line.rstrip()}")
+
+        stderr = proc.stderr.read()
+        ret = proc.wait()
+        stdout = "".join(stdout_lines)
+        if check and ret != 0:
+            full_output = stdout + stderr
+            for line in full_output.splitlines():
+                if sub.verbosity < 1:  # and we haven't printed it yet
+                    sub.red(line)
+            raise subprocess.CalledProcessError(ret, cmd, output=stdout, stderr=stderr)
+
+        return subprocess.CompletedProcess(cmd, ret, stdout=stdout, stderr=stderr)
+
+    def run_json(self, args, check=True):
+        """Run an incus command with ``--format=json``.
+
+        Returns the parsed JSON on success.
+        When *check* is True raises ``subprocess.CalledProcessError``
+        on non-zero exit; when False returns *None* instead.
+        """
+        result = self.run(
+            list(args) + ["--format=json"],
+            check=check,
+        )
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            return None
+        return json.loads(result.stdout)
+
+    def run_output(self, args, check=True):
+        """Run an incus command and return its stripped stdout.
+
+        When *check* is False, returns *None* on non-zero exit
+        instead of raising.
+        """
+        result = self.run(args, check=check)
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            return None
+        return result.stdout.strip()
+
+    def find_image(self, aliases):
+        """Return the first alias from *aliases* that exists, else None."""
+        images = self.run_json(["image", "list"], check=False) or []
+        existing = {a.get("name") for img in images for a in img.get("aliases", [])}
+        for alias in aliases:
+            if alias in existing:
+                return alias
+        return None
+
+    def delete_images(self):
+        """Delete the cached base and relay images."""
+        for alias in (RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS, BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS):
+            self.run(["image", "delete", alias], check=False)  # ok if absent
+
+    def list_managed(self):
+        """Return list of dicts with name, ip, ipv6, domain, status, memory_usage."""
+        containers = []
+        for ct in self.run_json(["list"]):
+            config = ct.get("config", {})
+            if config.get(LABEL_KEY) != "true":
+                continue
+            name = ct["name"]
+            state = ct.get("state", {})
+            net = state.get("network") or {}
+            containers.append(
+                {
+                    "name": name,
+                    "ip": _extract_ip(net, "inet"),
+                    "ipv6": _extract_ip(net, "inet6"),
+                    "domain": config.get(
+                        "user.localchat-domain", f"{name}{DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+                    ),
+                    "status": ct.get("status", "Unknown"),
+                    "memory_usage": state.get("memory", {}).get("usage", 0),
+                }
+            )
+        return containers
+
+    def ensure_base_image(self):
+        """Build and cache a base image with openssh and the SSH key.
+
+        The image is published as a local incus image with alias
+        'localchat-base'.  Subsequent container launches use this
+        image instead of the upstream Debian 12, skipping the
+        slow apt-get install step.
+        Returns the image alias.
+        """
+        if self.find_image([BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS]):
+            self.out.print(f"  Base image '{BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS}' already cached.")
+            return BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS
+
+        self.out.print("  Building base image (one-time setup) ...")
+
+        self.run(["delete", BASE_SETUP_NAME, "--force"], check=False)
+        self.run(["image", "delete", BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS], check=False)
+        self.run(["launch", UPSTREAM_IMAGE, BASE_SETUP_NAME])
+
+        ct = Container(self, BASE_SETUP_NAME)
+        ct.wait_ready()
+
+        key_path = self.ssh_key_path
+        pub_key = key_path.with_suffix(".pub").read_text().strip()
+        host_ns = self.get_host_nameservers()
+        ns_lines = "\n".join(f"nameserver {n}" for n in host_ns)
+        ct.bash(f"""
+            printf '{ns_lines}\n' > /etc/resolv.conf
+            apt-get -o DPkg::Lock::Timeout=60 update
+            DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y openssh-server python3
+            systemctl enable ssh
+            apt-get clean
+            mkdir -p /root/.ssh
+            chmod 700 /root/.ssh
+            echo '{pub_key}' > /root/.ssh/authorized_keys
+            chmod 600 /root/.ssh/authorized_keys
+        """)
+
+        self.run(["stop", BASE_SETUP_NAME])
+        self.run(["publish", BASE_SETUP_NAME, f"--alias={BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS}"])
+        self.run(["delete", BASE_SETUP_NAME, "--force"])
+        self.out.print(f"  Base image '{BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS}' ready.")
+        return BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS
+
+    def get_container(self, name):
+        """Return a container handle for the given name.
+
+        Accepts both short relay names (``test0``) and full Incus
+        container names (``test0-localchat``).  Returns
+        ``DNSContainer`` for the DNS container and
+        ``RelayContainer`` for everything else.
+        """
+        if name == DNS_CONTAINER_NAME:
+            return DNSContainer(self)
+        return RelayContainer(self, name.removesuffix("-localchat"))
+
+    def get_dns_container(self):
+        """Return a DNSContainer handle."""
+        return DNSContainer(self)
+
+
+class Container:
+    """The base container handle wraps all interactions with incus."""
+
+    def __init__(self, incus, name, domain=None):
+        self.incus = incus
+        self.out = incus.out
+        self.name = name
+        self.domain = domain or f"{name}{DOMAIN_SUFFIX}"
+        self.ipv4 = None
+        self.ipv6 = None
+
+    def bash(self, script, check=True):
+        """Returns stdout from executing ``bash -ec <script>`` inside this container.
+
+        *script* is dedented and stripped so callers can use triple-quoted strings.
+        When *check* is False, returns *None* on non-zero exit instead of raising.
+        """
+        script = textwrap.dedent(script).strip()
+        cmd = ["exec", self.name, "--", "bash", "-ec", script]
+        return self.incus.run_output(cmd, check=check)
+
+    def run_cmd(self, *args, check=True):
+        """Return stdout from running a command directly in the container (no shell).
+
+        When *check* is False, returns *None* on non-zero exit instead of raising.
+        """
+        return self.incus.run_output(
+            ["exec", self.name, "--", *args],
+            check=check,
+        )
+
+    def start(self):
+        self.incus.run(["start", self.name])
+
+    def stop(self, force=False):
+        cmd = ["stop", self.name]
+        if force:
+            cmd.append("--force")
+        self.incus.run(cmd, check=False)
+
+    def launch(self):
+        """Launch from the best available image, return the alias used."""
+        image = self.incus.find_image([RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS, BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS])
+        if not image:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"No base image '{BASE_IMAGE_ALIAS}' found. "
+                "Call ensure_base_image() before launching containers."
+            )
+        self.out.print(f"  Launching from '{image}' image ...")
+        cfg = []
+        cfg += ("-c", f"{LABEL_KEY}=true")
+        cfg += ("-c", f"user.localchat-domain={self.domain}")
+        self.incus.run(["launch", image, self.name, *cfg])
+        return image
+
+    def ensure(self):
+        """Create/start this container from the cached base image.
+
+        On first call, builds the base image (~30s).
+        Subsequent containers launch in ~2s from the cached image.
+        Returns ``self`` for chaining.
+        """
+        data = self.incus.run_json(["list", self.name], check=False) or []
+
+        existing = [c for c in data if c["name"] == self.name]
+        if existing:
+            if existing[0]["status"] != "Running":
+                self.start()
+        else:
+            self.launch()
+        self.wait_ready()
+        return self
+
+    def destroy(self):
+        """Stop, delete, and clean up config files."""
+        self.stop(force=True)
+        self.incus.run(["delete", self.name, "--force"], check=False)
+
+    def push_file_content(self, dest_path, content):
+        """Write *content* to *dest_path* inside the container.
+
+        *content* is dedented and stripped so callers can use
+        indented triple-quoted strings.
+        """
+        content = textwrap.dedent(content).strip() + "\n"
+        self.incus.run(
+            ["file", "push", "-", f"{self.name}{dest_path}"],
+            input=content,
+        )
+        self.bash(f"chmod 644 {dest_path}")
+
+    def wait_ready(self, timeout=60):
+        """Wait until the container is running with an IPv4 address.
+
+        Sets ``self.ipv4`` and ``self.ipv6`` (may be *None*),
+        or raises ``TimeoutError``.
+        """
+        deadline = time.time() + timeout
+        while time.time() < deadline:
+            data = self.incus.run_json(
+                ["list", self.name],
+                check=False,
+            )
+            if data and data[0].get("status") == "Running":
+                net = data[0].get("state", {}).get("network", {})
+                self.ipv4 = _extract_ip(net, "inet")
+                self.ipv6 = _extract_ip(net, "inet6")
+                if self.ipv4:
+                    return
+            time.sleep(1)
+        raise TimeoutError(
+            f"Container {self.name!r} did not become ready within {timeout}s"
+        )
+
+    def rss_mib(self):
+        """Return ``(used, total)`` memory from container (or None if unobtainable)."""
+        output = self.bash("free -m", check=False)
+        if output:
+            for line in output.splitlines():
+                if line.startswith("Mem:"):
+                    parts = line.split()
+                    return int(parts[2]), int(parts[1])
+
+
+class RelayContainer(Container):
+    """Container handle for a chatmail relay.
+
+    Accepts the short relay name (e.g. ``test0``) and derives
+    the Incus container name and mail domain automatically.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, incus, name):
+        super().__init__(
+            incus,
+            f"{name}-localchat",
+            domain=f"_{name}{DOMAIN_SUFFIX}",
+        )
+        self.sname = name
+        self.ini = incus.lxconfigs_dir / f"chatmail-{name}.ini"
+        self.zone = incus.lxconfigs_dir / f"{name}.zone"
+
+    def launch(self):
+        """Launch (from a potentially cached image) and clear inherited chatmail-version."""
+        image = super().launch()
+        self.bash("rm -f /etc/chatmail-version")
+        return image
+
+    def destroy(self):
+        """Stop, delete, and clean up config files."""
+        super().destroy()
+        if self.ini.exists():
+            self.ini.unlink()
+
+    def disable_ipv6(self):
+        """Disable IPv6 inside the container via sysctl."""
+        # incus provides net.* virtualization for LXC containers so that
+        # these sysctls only affect the container's network namespace.
+        self.bash("""
+            sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=1
+            sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6=1
+        """)
+        self.push_file_content(
+            "/etc/sysctl.d/99-disable-ipv6.conf",
+            """
+            net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=1
+            net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6=1
+            """,
+        )
+
+    def configure_hosts(self, ip):
+        """Set hostname and /etc/hosts inside the container."""
+        self.bash(f"""
+            echo '{self.name}' > /etc/hostname
+            hostname {self.name}
+            sed -i '/ {self.domain}$/d' /etc/hosts
+            echo '{ip} {self.name} {self.domain}' >> /etc/hosts
+        """)
+
+    def publish_as_relay_image(self):
+        """Publish this container as a reusable relay image.
+
+        Stops the container, 'publishes' it as 'localchat-relay', then restarts it.
+        """
+        if self.incus.find_image([RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS]):
+            return
+        self.out.print(
+            f"  Locally caching {self.name!r} as '{RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS}' image ..."
+        )
+        self.incus.run(
+            ["publish", self.name, f"--alias={RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS}", "--force"]
+        )
+        self.wait_ready()
+        self.out.print(f"  Relay image '{RELAY_IMAGE_ALIAS}' ready.")
+
+    def deployed_version(self):
+        """Read /etc/chatmail-version, or None if absent."""
+        return self.bash("cat /etc/chatmail-version", check=False)
+
+    def deployed_domain(self):
+        """Read the domain deployed on the container (postfix myhostname)."""
+        return self.bash(
+            "postconf -h myhostname 2>/dev/null",
+            check=False,
+        )
+
+    def verify_ssh(self, ssh_config):
+        """Verify SSH connectivity to this container."""
+        cmd = f"ssh -F {ssh_config} -o ConnectTimeout=60 root@{self.domain} hostname"
+        return shell(cmd, timeout=60).returncode == 0
+
+    def configure_dns(self, dns_ip):
+        """Point this container's resolver at *dns_ip* and verify DNS is reachable."""
+        self.bash(f"""
+            systemctl disable --now systemd-resolved 2>/dev/null || true
+            rm -f /etc/resolv.conf
+            printf 'nameserver {dns_ip}\\n' >/etc/resolv.conf
+            mkdir -p /etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d
+        """)
+        self.push_file_content(
+            "/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/localchat-forward.conf",
+            f"""
+            server:
+              domain-insecure: "localchat"
+
+            forward-zone:
+              name: "localchat"
+              forward-addr: {dns_ip}
+            """,
+        )
+        self.bash("systemctl restart unbound 2>/dev/null || true")
+        self._wait_dns_reachable(dns_ip)
+
+    def _wait_dns_reachable(self, dns_ip, timeout=10):
+        """Poll until *dns_ip* answers a DNS query from this container."""
+        if self.bash("which dig", check=False) is None:
+            self.bash(
+                "DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive "
+                "apt-get install -y dnsutils 2>/dev/null || true"
+            )
+        deadline = time.time() + timeout
+        while time.time() < deadline:
+            result = self.bash(
+                f"dig @{dns_ip} . SOA +short +time=1 +tries=1",
+                check=False,
+            )
+            if result and result.strip():
+                return
+            time.sleep(0.5)
+        raise DNSConfigurationError(
+            f"DNS at {dns_ip} not reachable from {self.name} after {timeout}s"
+        )
+
+    def write_ini(self, disable_ipv6=False):
+        """Generate a chatmail.ini config file in lxconfigs/."""
+        from chatmaild.config import write_initial_config
+
+        overrides = {
+            "max_user_send_per_minute": 600,
+            "max_user_send_burst_size": 100,
+            "mtail_address": "127.0.0.1",
+        }
+        if disable_ipv6:
+            overrides["disable_ipv6"] = "True"
+        write_initial_config(self.ini, self.domain, overrides)
+        return self.ini
+
+
+class DNSContainer(Container):
+    """Container handle for the PowerDNS name server.
+
+    Manages the authoritative and recursive DNS services required for
+    name resolution in the local testing environment.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, incus):
+        super().__init__(incus, DNS_CONTAINER_NAME, domain=DNS_DOMAIN)
+
+    def pdnsutil(self, *args, check=True):
+        """Run ``pdnsutil <args>`` inside the DNS container."""
+        return self.run_cmd("pdnsutil", *args, check=check)
+
+    def replace_rrset(self, zone, name, rtype, ttl, rdata):
+        """Shortcut for ``pdnsutil replace-rrset``."""
+        self.pdnsutil("replace-rrset", zone, name, rtype, ttl, rdata)
+
+    def restart_services(self):
+        """Restart pdns and pdns-recursor, then wait until DNS is answering."""
+        self.bash("""
+            systemctl restart pdns
+            systemctl restart pdns-recursor || true
+        """)
+        self._wait_dns_ready()
+
+    def _wait_dns_ready(self, timeout=60):
+        """Poll until the recursor answers a query on port 53."""
+        deadline = time.time() + timeout
+        while time.time() < deadline:
+            result = self.bash(
+                "dig @127.0.0.1 . SOA +short +time=1 +tries=1",
+                check=False,
+            )
+            if result and result.strip():
+                return
+            time.sleep(0.5)
+        raise DNSConfigurationError(f"DNS recursor not answering after {timeout}s")
+
+    def ensure(self):
+        """Create the DNS container with PowerDNS if needed.
+
+        Calls ``super().ensure()`` to create/start the container
+        and set up SSH, then installs PowerDNS and configures
+        the Incus bridge to use this container as DNS.
+        """
+        super().ensure()
+        self._install_powerdns()
+        self.incus.run(
+            ["network", "set", "incusbr0", "dns.mode=none"],
+            check=False,
+        )
+        self.incus.run(
+            ["network", "set", "incusbr0", f"raw.dnsmasq=dhcp-option=6,{self.ipv4}"],
+            check=False,
+        )
+
+    def destroy(self):
+        """Stop, delete, and reset bridge DNS config."""
+        super().destroy()
+        self.incus.run(["network", "unset", "incusbr0", "dns.mode"], check=False)
+        self.incus.run(["network", "unset", "incusbr0", "raw.dnsmasq"], check=False)
+
+    def _install_powerdns(self):
+        """Install and configure PowerDNS if not already present."""
+        if self.run_cmd("which", "pdns_server", check=False) is not None:
+            return
+
+        host_ns = self.incus.get_host_nameservers()
+        ns_lines = "\n".join(f"nameserver {n}" for n in host_ns)
+
+        self.bash(f"""
+            systemctl disable --now systemd-resolved 2>/dev/null || true
+            rm -f /etc/resolv.conf
+            printf '{ns_lines}\n' > /etc/resolv.conf
+
+            # Block automatic service startup during package installation
+            printf '#!/bin/sh\\nexit 101\\n' > /usr/sbin/policy-rc.d
+            chmod +x /usr/sbin/policy-rc.d
+
+            apt-get -o DPkg::Lock::Timeout=60 update
+            DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y \
+                pdns-server pdns-backend-sqlite3 sqlite3 pdns-recursor dnsutils
+
+            # Remove the startup block
+            rm /usr/sbin/policy-rc.d
+
+            systemctl stop pdns pdns-recursor || true
+            mkdir -p /var/lib/powerdns
+            sqlite3 /var/lib/powerdns/pdns.sqlite3 \
+                </usr/share/doc/pdns-backend-sqlite3/schema.sqlite3.sql
+            chown -R pdns:pdns /var/lib/powerdns
+        """)
+
+        self.push_file_content(
+            "/etc/powerdns/pdns.conf",
+            """
+            launch=gsqlite3
+            gsqlite3-database=/var/lib/powerdns/pdns.sqlite3
+            local-address=127.0.0.1
+            local-port=5353
+            """,
+        )
+
+        self.push_file_content(
+            "/etc/powerdns/recursor.conf",
+            """
+            local-address=0.0.0.0
+            local-port=53
+            forward-zones=localchat=127.0.0.1:5353
+            allow-from=0.0.0.0/0
+            dont-query=
+            dnssec=off
+            """,
+        )
+
+        self.bash("""
+            systemctl start pdns
+            systemctl start pdns-recursor
+            echo 'nameserver 127.0.0.1' > /etc/resolv.conf
+        """)
+        self._wait_dns_ready()
+
+    def reset_dns_records(self, dns_ip, domains):
+        """Create DNS zones with initial A records via pdnsutil.
+
+        Only sets SOA, NS, and A records as the minimal set
+        needed for SSH connectivity.  Full records (MX, TXT, SRV,
+        CNAME, DKIM) are added later by ``cmdeploy dns``.
+
+        Args:
+            dns_ip: IP of the DNS container
+            domains: list of dicts with 'name', 'domain', 'ip'
+        """
+        for d in domains:
+            domain = d["domain"]
+            ip = d["ip"]
+            self.out.print(f"  {domain} -> {ip}")
+
+            # Delete and recreate zone fresh (removes stale records)
+            self.pdnsutil("delete-zone", domain, check=False)
+            self.pdnsutil("create-zone", domain, f"ns.{domain}")
+
+            serial = str(int(time.time()))
+            soa = f"ns.{domain} hostmaster.{domain} {serial} 3600 900 604800 300"
+            self.replace_rrset(domain, ".", "SOA", "3600", soa)
+            self.replace_rrset(domain, ".", "NS", "3600", f"ns.{domain}.")
+            self.replace_rrset(domain, ".", "A", "3600", ip)
+            self.replace_rrset(domain, "ns", "A", "3600", dns_ip)
+
+            # AAAA (domain -> container IPv6, if available)
+            ipv6 = d.get("ipv6")
+            if ipv6:
+                self.replace_rrset(domain, ".", "AAAA", "3600", ipv6)
+                self.out.print(f"    zone reset: SOA, NS, A, AAAA  ({ip}, {ipv6})")
+            else:
+                # Remove any stale AAAA record
+                self.pdnsutil("delete-rrset", domain, ".", "AAAA", check=False)
+                self.out.print(f"    zone reset: SOA, NS, A  ({ip}, IPv4-only)")
+
+        self.restart_services()
+
+    def set_dns_records(self, text):
+        """Add or overwrite DNS records from standard BIND format.
+
+        Uses ``cmdeploy.dns.parse_zone_records`` to parse.
+        Zones are created automatically from the record names.
+        """
+        from ..dns import parse_zone_records
+
+        zones_seen = set()
+
+        for name, ttl, rtype, rdata in parse_zone_records(text):
+            # Derive zone from name: find top-level .localchat domain
+            name_parts = name.split(".")
+            zone = name  # fallback
+            for i in range(len(name_parts) - 1):
+                if name_parts[i + 1 :] == ["localchat"]:
+                    zone = ".".join(name_parts[i:])
+                    break
+
+            # Create zone if first time seeing it
+            if zone not in zones_seen:
+                self.pdnsutil(
+                    "create-zone",
+                    zone,
+                    f"ns.{zone}",
+                    check=False,
+                )
+                zones_seen.add(zone)
+
+            # Figure out the record name relative to zone
+            if name == zone:
+                relative = "."
+            elif name.endswith(f".{zone}"):
+                relative = name[: -(len(zone) + 1)]
+            else:
+                relative = name
+
+            self.replace_rrset(zone, relative, rtype, ttl, rdata)
+
+        if zones_seen:
+            self.restart_services()

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/mtail/delivered_mail.mtail

@@ -78,11 +78,3 @@ counter rejected_unencrypted_mail_count
 /Rejected unencrypted mail/ {
   rejected_unencrypted_mail_count++
 }
-
-counter quota_expire_runs
-counter quota_expire_removed_files
-
-/quota-expire: removed (?P<count>\d+) message\(s\)/ {
-  quota_expire_runs++
-  quota_expire_removed_files += $count
-}

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/mtail/deployer.py

@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 from pyinfra import facts, host
-from pyinfra.operations import apt
+from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, server, systemd
 
-from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer
+from cmdeploy.basedeploy import (
+    Deployer,
+    get_resource,
+)
 
 
 class MtailDeployer(Deployer):
@@ -15,30 +18,51 @@ class MtailDeployer(Deployer):
         (url, sha256sum) = {
             "x86_64": (
                 "https://github.com/google/mtail/releases/download/v3.0.8/mtail_3.0.8_linux_amd64.tar.gz",
-                "d55cb601049c5e61eabab29998dbbcea95d480e5448544f9470337ba2eea882e",
+                "123c2ee5f48c3eff12ebccee38befd2233d715da736000ccde49e3d5607724e4",
             ),
             "aarch64": (
                 "https://github.com/google/mtail/releases/download/v3.0.8/mtail_3.0.8_linux_arm64.tar.gz",
-                "f748db8ad2a1e0b63684d4c8868cf6a373a20f7e6922e5ece601fff0ee00eb1a",
+                "aa04811c0929b6754408676de520e050c45dddeb3401881888a092c9aea89cae",
             ),
         }[host.get_fact(facts.server.Arch)]
-        self.download_executable(
+
-            url,
+        server.shell(
-            "/usr/local/bin/mtail",
+            name="Download mtail",
-            sha256sum,
+            commands=[
-            extract="gunzip | tar -xf - mtail -O",
+                f"(echo '{sha256sum} /usr/local/bin/mtail' | sha256sum -c) || (curl -L {url} | gunzip | tar -x -f - mtail -O >/usr/local/bin/mtail.new && mv /usr/local/bin/mtail.new /usr/local/bin/mtail)",
+                "chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/mtail",
+            ],
         )
 
     def configure(self):
         # Using our own systemd unit instead of `/usr/lib/systemd/system/mtail.service`.
         # This allows to read from journalctl instead of log files.
-        self.ensure_systemd_unit(
+        files.template(
-            "mtail/mtail.service.j2",
+            src=get_resource("mtail/mtail.service.j2"),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/mtail.service",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
             address=self.mtail_address or "127.0.0.1",
             port=3903,
         )
-        self.put_file("mtail/delivered_mail.mtail", "/etc/mtail/delivered_mail.mtail")
+
+        mtail_conf = files.put(
+            name="Mtail configuration",
+            src=get_resource("mtail/delivered_mail.mtail"),
+            dest="/etc/mtail/delivered_mail.mtail",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
+        )
+        self.need_restart = mtail_conf.changed
 
     def activate(self):
-        active = bool(self.mtail_address)
+        systemd.service(
-        self.ensure_service("mtail.service", running=active, enabled=active)
+            name="Start and enable mtail",
+            service="mtail.service",
+            running=bool(self.mtail_address),
+            enabled=bool(self.mtail_address),
+            restarted=self.need_restart,
+        )
+        self.need_restart = False

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/mtail/mtail.service.j2

@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=mtail
-After=network-online.target
-Wants=network-online.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "journalctl -f -o short-iso -n 0 | /usr/local/bin/mtail --address={{ address }} --port={{ port }} --progs /etc/mtail --logtostderr --logs -"
 Restart=on-failure
-RestartSec=2s
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/nginx/deployer.py

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from chatmaild.config import Config
-from pyinfra.operations import apt
+from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, systemd
 
 from cmdeploy.basedeploy import (
     Deployer,
@@ -31,50 +31,87 @@ class NginxDeployer(Deployer):
         # For documentation about policy-rc.d, see:
         # https://people.debian.org/~hmh/invokerc.d-policyrc.d-specification.txt
         #
-        self.put_executable(src="policy-rc.d", dest="/usr/sbin/policy-rc.d")
+        files.put(
+            src=get_resource("policy-rc.d"),
+            dest="/usr/sbin/policy-rc.d",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="755",
+        )
 
         apt.packages(
             name="Install nginx",
             packages=["nginx", "libnginx-mod-stream"],
         )
 
-        self.remove_file("/usr/sbin/policy-rc.d")
+        files.file("/usr/sbin/policy-rc.d", present=False)
 
     def configure(self):
-        _configure_nginx(self, self.config)
+        self.need_restart = _configure_nginx(self.config)
 
     def activate(self):
-        self.ensure_service("nginx.service")
+        systemd.service(
+            name="Start and enable nginx",
+            service="nginx.service",
+            running=True,
+            enabled=True,
+            restarted=self.need_restart,
+        )
+        self.need_restart = False
 
 
-def _configure_nginx(deployer, config: Config, debug: bool = False):
+def _configure_nginx(config: Config, debug: bool = False) -> bool:
     """Configures nginx HTTP server."""
+    need_restart = False
 
-    deployer.put_template(
+    main_config = files.template(
-        "nginx/nginx.conf.j2",
+        src=get_resource("nginx/nginx.conf.j2"),
-        "/etc/nginx/nginx.conf",
+        dest="/etc/nginx/nginx.conf",
+        user="root",
+        group="root",
+        mode="644",
         config=config,
         disable_ipv6=config.disable_ipv6,
     )
+    need_restart |= main_config.changed
 
-    deployer.put_template(
+    autoconfig = files.template(
-        "nginx/autoconfig.xml.j2",
+        src=get_resource("nginx/autoconfig.xml.j2"),
-        "/var/www/html/.well-known/autoconfig/mail/config-v1.1.xml",
+        dest="/var/www/html/.well-known/autoconfig/mail/config-v1.1.xml",
+        user="root",
+        group="root",
+        mode="644",
         config=config,
     )
+    need_restart |= autoconfig.changed
 
-    deployer.put_template(
+    mta_sts_config = files.template(
-        "nginx/mta-sts.txt.j2",
+        src=get_resource("nginx/mta-sts.txt.j2"),
-        "/var/www/html/.well-known/mta-sts.txt",
+        dest="/var/www/html/.well-known/mta-sts.txt",
+        user="root",
+        group="root",
+        mode="644",
         config=config,
     )
+    need_restart |= mta_sts_config.changed
 
     # install CGI newemail script
     #
     cgi_dir = "/usr/lib/cgi-bin"
-    deployer.ensure_directory(cgi_dir)
+    files.directory(
+        name=f"Ensure {cgi_dir} exists",
+        path=cgi_dir,
+        user="root",
+        group="root",
+    )
 
-    deployer.put_executable(
+    files.put(
+        name="Upload cgi newemail.py script",
         src=get_resource("newemail.py", pkg="chatmaild").open("rb"),
         dest=f"{cgi_dir}/newemail.py",
+        user="root",
+        group="root",
+        mode="755",
     )
+
+    return need_restart

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/nginx/nginx.conf.j2

@@ -42,9 +42,6 @@ stream {
 }
 
 http {
-	# access_log setting is inherited by all server sections
-	access_log syslog:server=unix:/dev/log,facility=local7;
-
 {% if config.tls_cert_mode == "self" %}
 	limit_req_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=newaccount:10m rate=2r/s;
 {% endif %}
@@ -72,11 +69,9 @@ http {
 
 		index index.html index.htm;
 
-		server_name {{ config.mail_domain }} mta-sts.{{ config.mail_domain }};
+		server_name {{ config.mail_domain }} www.{{ config.mail_domain }} mta-sts.{{ config.mail_domain }};
 
-		location /mxdeliv {
+		access_log syslog:server=unix:/dev/log,facility=local7;
-		    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:{{ config.filtermail_http_port_incoming }};
-		}
 
 		location / {
 			# First attempt to serve request as file, then
@@ -144,6 +139,7 @@ http {
 		listen 127.0.0.1:8443 ssl;
 		server_name www.{{ config.mail_domain }};
 		return 301 $scheme://{{ config.mail_domain }}$request_uri;
+		access_log syslog:server=unix:/dev/log,facility=local7;
 	}
 
 	server {

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/opendkim/deployer.py

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ Installs OpenDKIM
 
 from pyinfra import host
 from pyinfra.facts.files import File
-from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, server
+from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, server, systemd
 
-from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer
+from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer, get_resource
 
 
 class OpendkimDeployer(Deployer):
@@ -25,39 +25,65 @@ class OpendkimDeployer(Deployer):
         domain = self.mail_domain
         dkim_selector = "opendkim"
         """Configures OpenDKIM"""
+        need_restart = False
 
-        self.put_template(
+        main_config = files.template(
-            "opendkim/opendkim.conf",
+            src=get_resource("opendkim/opendkim.conf"),
-            "/etc/opendkim.conf",
+            dest="/etc/opendkim.conf",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
             config={"domain_name": domain, "opendkim_selector": dkim_selector},
         )
+        need_restart |= main_config.changed
 
-        self.remove_file("/etc/opendkim/screen.lua")
+        screen_script = files.file(
-        self.remove_file("/etc/opendkim/final.lua")
+            path="/etc/opendkim/screen.lua",
+            present=False,
+        )
+        need_restart |= screen_script.changed
 
-        self.ensure_directory(
+        final_script = files.file(
-            "/etc/opendkim",
+            path="/etc/opendkim/final.lua",
-            owner="opendkim",
+            present=False,
+        )
+        need_restart |= final_script.changed
+
+        files.directory(
+            name="Add opendkim directory to /etc",
+            path="/etc/opendkim",
+            user="opendkim",
+            group="opendkim",
             mode="750",
+            present=True,
         )
 
-        self.put_template(
+        keytable = files.template(
-            "opendkim/KeyTable",
+            src=get_resource("opendkim/KeyTable"),
-            "/etc/dkimkeys/KeyTable",
+            dest="/etc/dkimkeys/KeyTable",
-            owner="opendkim",
+            user="opendkim",
+            group="opendkim",
+            mode="644",
             config={"domain_name": domain, "opendkim_selector": dkim_selector},
         )
+        need_restart |= keytable.changed
 
-        self.put_template(
+        signing_table = files.template(
-            "opendkim/SigningTable",
+            src=get_resource("opendkim/SigningTable"),
-            "/etc/dkimkeys/SigningTable",
+            dest="/etc/dkimkeys/SigningTable",
-            owner="opendkim",
+            user="opendkim",
+            group="opendkim",
+            mode="644",
             config={"domain_name": domain, "opendkim_selector": dkim_selector},
         )
-        self.ensure_directory(
+        need_restart |= signing_table.changed
-            "/var/spool/postfix/opendkim",
+        files.directory(
-            owner="opendkim",
+            name="Add opendkim socket directory to /var/spool/postfix",
+            path="/var/spool/postfix/opendkim",
+            user="opendkim",
+            group="opendkim",
             mode="750",
+            present=True,
         )
 
         if not host.get_fact(File, f"/etc/dkimkeys/{dkim_selector}.private"):
@@ -70,10 +96,12 @@ class OpendkimDeployer(Deployer):
                 _su_user="opendkim",
             )
 
-        self.put_file(
+        service_file = files.put(
-            "opendkim/systemd.conf",
+            name="Configure opendkim to restart once a day",
-            "/etc/systemd/system/opendkim.service.d/10-prevent-memory-leak.conf",
+            src=get_resource("opendkim/systemd.conf"),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/opendkim.service.d/10-prevent-memory-leak.conf",
         )
+        need_restart |= service_file.changed
 
         files.file(
             name="chown opendkim: /etc/dkimkeys/opendkim.private",
@@ -82,5 +110,15 @@ class OpendkimDeployer(Deployer):
             group="opendkim",
         )
 
+        self.need_restart = need_restart
+
     def activate(self):
-        self.ensure_service("opendkim.service")
+        systemd.service(
+            name="Start and enable OpenDKIM",
+            service="opendkim.service",
+            running=True,
+            enabled=True,
+            daemon_reload=self.need_restart,
+            restarted=self.need_restart,
+        )
+        self.need_restart = False

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/postfix/deployer.py

@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-from pyinfra.operations import apt, server
+from pyinfra.operations import apt, files, server, systemd
 
-from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer
+from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer, get_resource
 
 
 class PostfixDeployer(Deployer):
     required_users = [("postfix", None, ["opendkim"])]
+    daemon_reload = False
 
     def __init__(self, config, disable_mail):
         self.config = config
@@ -18,46 +19,81 @@ class PostfixDeployer(Deployer):
 
     def configure(self):
         config = self.config
+        need_restart = False
 
-        self.put_template(
+        main_config = files.template(
-            "postfix/main.cf.j2",
+            src=get_resource("postfix/main.cf.j2"),
-            "/etc/postfix/main.cf",
+            dest="/etc/postfix/main.cf",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
             config=config,
             disable_ipv6=config.disable_ipv6,
         )
+        need_restart |= main_config.changed
 
-        self.put_template(
+        master_config = files.template(
-            "postfix/master.cf.j2",
+            src=get_resource("postfix/master.cf.j2"),
-            "/etc/postfix/master.cf",
+            dest="/etc/postfix/master.cf",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
             debug=False,
             config=config,
         )
+        need_restart |= master_config.changed
 
-        self.put_file(
+        header_cleanup = files.put(
-            "postfix/submission_header_cleanup",
+            src=get_resource("postfix/submission_header_cleanup"),
-            "/etc/postfix/submission_header_cleanup",
+            dest="/etc/postfix/submission_header_cleanup",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
         )
-        self.put_file("postfix/lmtp_header_cleanup", "/etc/postfix/lmtp_header_cleanup")
+        need_restart |= header_cleanup.changed
 
-        res = self.put_file(
+        lmtp_header_cleanup = files.put(
-            "postfix/smtp_tls_policy_map", "/etc/postfix/smtp_tls_policy_map"
+            src=get_resource("postfix/lmtp_header_cleanup"),
+            dest="/etc/postfix/lmtp_header_cleanup",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
         )
-        tls_policy_changed = res.changed
+        need_restart |= lmtp_header_cleanup.changed
-        if tls_policy_changed:
+
+        tls_policy_map = files.put(
+            name="Upload SMTP TLS Policy that accepts self-signed certificates for IP-only hosts",
+            src=get_resource("postfix/smtp_tls_policy_map"),
+            dest="/etc/postfix/smtp_tls_policy_map",
+            user="root",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
+        )
+        need_restart |= tls_policy_map.changed
+        if tls_policy_map.changed:
             server.shell(
                 commands=["postmap /etc/postfix/smtp_tls_policy_map"],
             )
 
         # Login map that 1:1 maps email address to login.
-        self.put_file("postfix/login_map", "/etc/postfix/login_map")
+        login_map = files.put(
-
+            src=get_resource("postfix/login_map"),
-        self.put_file(
+            dest="/etc/postfix/login_map",
-            "service/10_restart_on_failure.conf",
+            user="root",
-            "/etc/systemd/system/postfix@.service.d/10_restart.conf",
+            group="root",
+            mode="644",
         )
+        need_restart |= login_map.changed
+
+        restart_conf = files.put(
+            name="postfix: restart automatically on failure",
+            src=get_resource("service/10_restart.conf"),
+            dest="/etc/systemd/system/postfix@.service.d/10_restart.conf",
+        )
+        self.daemon_reload = restart_conf.changed
 
         # Validate postfix configuration before restart
-        if self.need_restart:
+        if need_restart:
             server.shell(
                 name="Validate postfix configuration",
                 # Extract stderr and quit with error if non-zero
@@ -65,11 +101,19 @@ class PostfixDeployer(Deployer):
                     """bash -c 'w=$(postconf 2>&1 >/dev/null); [[ -z "$w" ]] || { echo "$w"; false; }'"""
                 ],
             )
+        self.need_restart = need_restart
 
     def activate(self):
-        active = not self.disable_mail
+        restart = False if self.disable_mail else self.need_restart
-        self.ensure_service(
+
-            "postfix.service",
+        systemd.service(
-            running=active,
+            name="disable postfix for now"
-            enabled=active,
+            if self.disable_mail
+            else "Start and enable Postfix",
+            service="postfix.service",
+            running=False if self.disable_mail else True,
+            enabled=False if self.disable_mail else True,
+            restarted=restart,
+            daemon_reload=self.daemon_reload,
         )
+        self.need_restart = False

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/postfix/main.cf.j2

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ smtpd_tls_key_file={{ config.tls_key_path }}
 smtpd_tls_security_level=may
 
 smtp_tls_CApath=/etc/ssl/certs
-smtp_tls_security_level=verify
+smtp_tls_security_level={{ "verify" if config.tls_cert_mode == "acme" else "encrypt" }}
 # Send SNI extension when connecting to other servers.
 # <https://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#smtp_tls_servername>
 smtp_tls_servername = hostname
@@ -69,6 +69,15 @@ mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8
 {% else %}
 mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 [::ffff:127.0.0.0]/104 [::1]/128
 {% endif %}
+{% if config.addr_v4 %}
+smtp_bind_address = {{ config.addr_v4 }}
+{% endif %}
+{% if config.addr_v6 %}
+smtp_bind_address6 = {{ config.addr_v6 }}
+{% endif %}
+{% if config.addr_v4 or config.addr_v6 %}
+smtp_bind_address_enforce = yes
+{% endif %}
 mailbox_size_limit = 0
 message_size_limit = {{config.max_message_size}}
 recipient_delimiter = +
@@ -93,12 +102,3 @@ smtpd_sender_login_maps = regexp:/etc/postfix/login_map
 # Do not lookup SMTP client hostnames to reduce delays
 # and avoid unnecessary DNS requests.
 smtpd_peername_lookup = no
-
-# Use filtermail-transport to relay messages.
-# We can't force postfix to split messages per destination,
-# when specifying a custom next-hop,
-# so instead this is handled in filtermail.
-# We use LMTP instead SMTP so we can communicate per-recipient errors back to postfix.
-default_transport = lmtp-filtermail:inet:[127.0.0.1]:{{ config.filtermail_lmtp_port_transport }}
-lmtp-filtermail_initial_destination_concurrency=10000
-lmtp-filtermail_destination_concurrency_limit=10000

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/postfix/master.cf.j2

@@ -100,8 +100,3 @@ filter    unix -        n       n       -       -       lmtp
 # cannot send unprotected Subject.
 authclean unix  n       -       -       -       0       cleanup
   -o header_checks=regexp:/etc/postfix/submission_header_cleanup
-
-lmtp-filtermail unix  -       -       y       -       10000       lmtp
-  -o syslog_name=postfix/lmtp-filtermail
-  -o lmtp_header_checks=
-  -o lmtp_tls_security_level=none

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/remote/rdns.py

@@ -57,32 +57,27 @@ def get_dkim_entry(mail_domain, pre_command, dkim_selector):
     dkim_value_raw = f"v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p={dkim_pubkey};s=email;t=s"
     dkim_value = '" "'.join(re.findall(".{1,255}", dkim_value_raw))
     web_dkim_value = "".join(re.findall(".{1,255}", dkim_value_raw))
-    name = f"{dkim_selector}._domainkey.{mail_domain}."
     return (
-        f'{name:<40} 3600   IN  TXT    "{dkim_value}"',
+        f'{dkim_selector}._domainkey.{mail_domain}.  3600  IN  TXT  "{dkim_value}"',
-        f'{name:<40} 3600   IN  TXT    "{web_dkim_value}"',
+        f'{dkim_selector}._domainkey.{mail_domain}.  3600  IN  TXT  "{web_dkim_value}"',
     )
 
 
-def get_authoritative_ns(domain):
+def query_dns(typ, domain):
-    ns_replies = [
+    # Get autoritative nameserver from the SOA record.
+    soa_answers = [
         x.split()
         for x in shell(
-            f"dig -r -q {domain} -t NS +noall +authority +answer", print=log_progress
+            f"dig -r -q {domain} -t SOA +noall +authority +answer", print=log_progress
         ).split("\n")
     ]
-    filtered_replies = [a for a in ns_replies if len(a) >= 5 and a[3] == "NS"]
+    soa = [a for a in soa_answers if len(a) >= 3 and a[3] == "SOA"]
-    if not filtered_replies:
+    if not soa:
         return
-    return filtered_replies[0][4]
+    ns = soa[0][4]
-
-
-def query_dns(typ, domain):
-    ns = get_authoritative_ns(domain)
 
     # Query authoritative nameserver directly to bypass DNS cache.
-    direct_ns = f"@{ns}" if ns else ""
+    res = shell(f"dig @{ns} -r -q {domain} -t {typ} +short", print=log_progress)
-    res = shell(f"dig {direct_ns} -r -q {domain} -t {typ} +short", print=log_progress)
     return next((line for line in res.split("\n") if not line.startswith(";")), "")
 
 
@@ -99,9 +94,11 @@ def check_zonefile(zonefile, verbose=True):
         if not zf_line.strip() or zf_line.startswith(";"):
             continue
         print(f"dns-checking {zf_line!r}") if verbose else log_progress("")
-        zf_domain, _ttl, _in, zf_typ, zf_value = zf_line.split(None, 4)
+        parts = zf_line.split(None, 4)
-        zf_domain = zf_domain.rstrip(".")
+        zf_domain = parts[0].rstrip(".")
-        zf_value = zf_value.strip()
+        # parts[1]=TTL, parts[2]=IN, parts[3]=type, parts[4]=rdata
+        zf_typ = parts[3]
+        zf_value = parts[4].strip()
         query_value = query_dns(zf_typ, zf_domain)
         if zf_value != query_value:
             assert zf_typ in ("A", "AAAA", "CNAME", "CAA", "SRV", "MX", "TXT"), zf_line

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/selfsigned/deployer.py

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import shlex
 
-from pyinfra.operations import server
+from pyinfra.operations import apt, server
 
-from ..basedeploy import Deployer
+from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer
 
 
 def openssl_selfsigned_args(domain, cert_path, key_path, days=36500):
@@ -12,15 +12,27 @@ def openssl_selfsigned_args(domain, cert_path, key_path, days=36500):
     ``www.<domain>`` and ``mta-sts.<domain>``.
     """
     return [
-        "openssl", "req", "-x509",
+        "openssl",
-        "-newkey", "ec", "-pkeyopt", "ec_paramgen_curve:P-256",
+        "req",
-        "-noenc", "-days", str(days),
+        "-x509",
-        "-keyout", str(key_path),
+        "-newkey",
-        "-out", str(cert_path),
+        "ec",
-        "-subj", f"/CN={domain}",
+        "-pkeyopt",
+        "ec_paramgen_curve:P-256",
+        "-noenc",
+        "-days",
+        str(days),
+        "-keyout",
+        str(key_path),
+        "-out",
+        str(cert_path),
+        "-subj",
+        f"/CN={domain}",
         # Mark as end-entity cert so it cannot be used as a CA to sign others.
-        "-addext", "basicConstraints=critical,CA:FALSE",
+        "-addext",
-        "-addext", "extendedKeyUsage=serverAuth,clientAuth",
+        "basicConstraints=critical,CA:FALSE",
+        "-addext",
+        "extendedKeyUsage=serverAuth,clientAuth",
         "-addext",
         f"subjectAltName=DNS:{domain},DNS:www.{domain},DNS:mta-sts.{domain}",
     ]
@@ -34,11 +46,17 @@ class SelfSignedTlsDeployer(Deployer):
         self.cert_path = "/etc/ssl/certs/mailserver.pem"
         self.key_path = "/etc/ssl/private/mailserver.key"
 
-
+    def install(self):
+        apt.packages(
+            name="Install openssl",
+            packages=["openssl"],
+        )
 
     def configure(self):
         args = openssl_selfsigned_args(
-            self.mail_domain, self.cert_path, self.key_path,
+            self.mail_domain,
+            self.cert_path,
+            self.key_path,
         )
         cmd = shlex.join(args)
         server.shell(
@@ -48,5 +66,3 @@ class SelfSignedTlsDeployer(Deployer):
 
     def activate(self):
         pass
-
-

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py

@@ -49,8 +49,13 @@ class SSHExec:
     RemoteError = execnet.RemoteError
     FuncError = FuncError
 
-    def __init__(self, host, verbose=False, python="python3", timeout=60):
+    def __init__(
-        self.gateway = execnet.makegateway(f"ssh=root@{host}//python={python}")
+        self, host, verbose=False, python="python3", timeout=60, ssh_config=None
+    ):
+        spec = f"ssh=root@{host}//python={python}"
+        if ssh_config:
+            spec += f"//ssh_config={ssh_config}"
+        self.gateway = execnet.makegateway(spec)
         self._remote_cmdloop_channel = bootstrap_remote(self.gateway, remote)
         self.timeout = timeout
         self.verbose = verbose
@@ -87,8 +92,9 @@ class SSHExec:
 class LocalExec:
     FuncError = FuncError
 
-    def __init__(self, verbose=False):
+    def __init__(self, verbose=False, docker=False):
         self.verbose = verbose
+        self.docker = docker
 
     def __call__(self, call, kwargs=None, log_callback=None):
         if kwargs is None:
@@ -100,6 +106,10 @@ 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)
@@ -108,3 +118,46 @@ class LocalExec:
             res = self(call, kwargs, log_callback=remote.rshell.log_progress)
             print_stderr()
             return res
+
+
+# pyinfra exposes a ``ssh_config_file`` data key that *should* let
+# paramiko parse an SSH config file directly.  In practice it silently
+# fails to connect (zero hosts / zero operations), so we resolve the
+# hostname and identity-file ourselves and pass them via
+# ``--data ssh_hostname`` / ``--data ssh_key`` instead.
+# Execnet uses ssh natively (and not paramiko) and doesn't have this problem.
+
+
+def _get_from_ssh_config(host, ssh_config_path, key):
+    """Internal helper to parse a value for a specific key from ssh-config."""
+    current_hosts = []
+    found_value = None
+    with open(ssh_config_path) as f:
+        for raw_line in f:
+            line = raw_line.strip()
+            if not line or line.startswith("#"):
+                continue
+            parts = line.split(None, 1)
+            if not parts:
+                continue
+            directive = parts[0].lower()
+            if directive == "host":
+                if host in current_hosts and found_value:
+                    return found_value
+                current_hosts = parts[1].split()
+                found_value = None
+            elif directive == key.lower():
+                found_value = parts[1]
+    if host in current_hosts and found_value:
+        return found_value
+    return None
+
+
+def resolve_host_from_ssh_config(host, ssh_config_path):
+    """Resolve a host alias to its IP from an ssh-config file."""
+    return _get_from_ssh_config(host, ssh_config_path, "Hostname") or host
+
+
+def resolve_key_from_ssh_config(host, ssh_config_path):
+    """Resolve a host alias to its IdentityFile from an ssh-config file."""
+    return _get_from_ssh_config(host, ssh_config_path, "IdentityFile")

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/data/zftest.zone

@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 ; Required DNS entries
-zftest.testrun.org.                      3600   IN  A      135.181.204.127
+zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  A  135.181.204.127
-zftest.testrun.org.                      3600   IN  AAAA   2a01:4f9:c012:52f4::1
+zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  AAAA  2a01:4f9:c012:52f4::1
-zftest.testrun.org.                      3600   IN  MX     10 zftest.testrun.org.
+zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  MX  10 zftest.testrun.org.
-_mta-sts.zftest.testrun.org.             3600   IN  TXT    "v=STSv1; id=202403211706"
+_mta-sts.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=STSv1; id=202403211706"
-mta-sts.zftest.testrun.org.              3600   IN  CNAME  zftest.testrun.org.
+mta-sts.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  CNAME  zftest.testrun.org.
-www.zftest.testrun.org.                  3600   IN  CNAME  zftest.testrun.org.
+www.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  CNAME  zftest.testrun.org.
-opendkim._domainkey.zftest.testrun.org.  3600   IN  TXT    "v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEAoYt82CVUyz2ouaqjX2kB+5J80knAyoOU3MGU5aWppmwUwwTvj/oSTSpkc5JMtVTRmKKr8NUDWAL1Yw7dfGqqPHdHfwwjS3BIvDzYx+hzgtz62RnfNgV+/2MAoNpfX7cAFIHdRzEHNtwugc3RDLquqPoupAE3Y2YRw2T5zG5fILh4vwIcJZL5Uq6B92j8wwJqOex" "33n+vm1NKQ9rxo/UsHAmZlJzpooXcG/4igTBxJyJlamVSRR6N7Nul1v//YJb7J6v2o0iPHW6uE0StzKaPPNC2IVosSRFbD9H2oqppltptFSNPlI0E+t0JBWHem6YK7xcugiO3ImMCaaU8g6Jt/wIDAQAB;s=email;t=s"
+opendkim._domainkey.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEAoYt82CVUyz2ouaqjX2kB+5J80knAyoOU3MGU5aWppmwUwwTvj/oSTSpkc5JMtVTRmKKr8NUDWAL1Yw7dfGqqPHdHfwwjS3BIvDzYx+hzgtz62RnfNgV+/2MAoNpfX7cAFIHdRzEHNtwugc3RDLquqPoupAE3Y2YRw2T5zG5fILh4vwIcJZL5Uq6B92j8wwJqOex" "33n+vm1NKQ9rxo/UsHAmZlJzpooXcG/4igTBxJyJlamVSRR6N7Nul1v//YJb7J6v2o0iPHW6uE0StzKaPPNC2IVosSRFbD9H2oqppltptFSNPlI0E+t0JBWHem6YK7xcugiO3ImMCaaU8g6Jt/wIDAQAB;s=email;t=s"
 
 ; Recommended DNS entries
-zftest.testrun.org.                      3600   IN  TXT    "v=spf1 a ~all"
+zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=spf1 a ~all"
-_dmarc.zftest.testrun.org.               3600   IN  TXT    "v=DMARC1;p=reject;adkim=s;aspf=s"
+_dmarc.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=DMARC1;p=reject;adkim=s;aspf=s"
-zftest.testrun.org.                      3600   IN  CAA    0 issue "letsencrypt.org;accounturi=https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/acme/acct/1371472956"
+zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  CAA  0 issue "letsencrypt.org;accounturi=https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/acme/acct/1371472956"
-_adsp._domainkey.zftest.testrun.org.     3600   IN  TXT    "dkim=discardable"
+_adsp._domainkey.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  TXT  "dkim=discardable"
-_submission._tcp.zftest.testrun.org.     3600   IN  SRV    0 1 587 zftest.testrun.org.
+_submission._tcp.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  SRV  0 1 587 zftest.testrun.org.
-_submissions._tcp.zftest.testrun.org.    3600   IN  SRV    0 1 465 zftest.testrun.org.
+_submissions._tcp.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  SRV  0 1 465 zftest.testrun.org.
-_imap._tcp.zftest.testrun.org.           3600   IN  SRV    0 1 143 zftest.testrun.org.
+_imap._tcp.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  SRV  0 1 143 zftest.testrun.org.
-_imaps._tcp.zftest.testrun.org.          3600   IN  SRV    0 1 993 zftest.testrun.org.
+_imaps._tcp.zftest.testrun.org.  3600  IN  SRV  0 1 993 zftest.testrun.org.

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_0_qr.py

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def test_fastcgi_working(maildomain, chatmail_config):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.filterwarnings("ignore::urllib3.exceptions.InsecureRequestWarning")
-def test_newemail_configure(maildomain, rpc, chatmail_config):
+def test_newemail_configure(maildomain, maildomain_ip, rpc, chatmail_config):
     """Test configuring accounts by scanning a QR code works."""
     url = f"DCACCOUNT:https://{maildomain}/new"
     for i in range(3):
@@ -30,12 +30,15 @@ def test_newemail_configure(maildomain, rpc, chatmail_config):
             # set_config_from_qr, so fetch credentials via requests instead
             res = requests.post(f"https://{maildomain}/new", verify=False)
             data = res.json()
-            rpc.add_or_update_transport(account_id, {
+            rpc.add_or_update_transport(
-                "addr": data["email"],
+                account_id,
-                "password": data["password"],
+                {
-                "imapServer": maildomain,
+                    "addr": data["email"],
-                "smtpServer": maildomain,
+                    "password": data["password"],
-                "certificateChecks": "acceptInvalidCertificates",
+                    "imapServer": maildomain_ip,
-            })
+                    "smtpServer": maildomain_ip,
+                    "certificateChecks": "acceptInvalidCertificates",
+                },
+            )
         else:
             rpc.add_transport_from_qr(account_id, url)

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

@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ from cmdeploy.cmdeploy import get_sshexec
 
 class TestSSHExecutor:
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
-    def sshexec(self, sshdomain):
+    def sshexec(self, sshdomain, pytestconfig):
-        return get_sshexec(sshdomain)
+        ssh_config = pytestconfig.getoption("ssh_config")
+        return get_sshexec(sshdomain, ssh_config=ssh_config)
 
     def test_ls(self, sshexec):
         out = sshexec(call=remote.rdns.shell, kwargs=dict(command="ls"))
@@ -71,44 +72,6 @@ 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)
@@ -170,11 +133,10 @@ def test_authenticated_from(cmsetup, maildata):
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("from_addr", ["fake@example.org", "fake@testrun.org"])
 def test_reject_missing_dkim(cmsetup, maildata, from_addr):
     domain = cmsetup.maildomain
-    sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-    sock.settimeout(10)
     try:
-        sock.connect((domain, 25))
+        sock = socket.create_connection((domain, 25), timeout=10)
-    except socket.timeout:
+        sock.close()
+    except (socket.timeout, OSError):
         pytest.skip(f"port 25 not reachable for {domain}")
 
     recipient = cmsetup.gen_users(1)[0]
@@ -221,6 +183,7 @@ def test_rewrite_subject(cmsetup, maildata):
     assert "Subject: Unencrypted subject" not in rcvd_msg
 
 
+@pytest.mark.slow
 def test_exceed_rate_limit(cmsetup, gencreds, maildata, chatmail_config):
     """Test that the per-account send-mail limit is exceeded."""
     user1, user2 = cmsetup.gen_users(2)
@@ -243,6 +206,7 @@ def test_exceed_rate_limit(cmsetup, gencreds, maildata, chatmail_config):
     pytest.fail("Rate limit was not exceeded")
 
 
+@pytest.mark.slow
 def test_expunged(remote, chatmail_config):
     outdated_days = int(chatmail_config.delete_mails_after) + 1
     find_cmds = [
@@ -281,13 +245,3 @@ def test_deployed_state(remote):
     # assert len(git_status) == len(remote_version)  # for some reason, we only get 11 lines from remote.iter_output()
     for i in range(len(remote_version)):
         assert git_status[i] == remote_version[i], "You have undeployed changes."
-
-
-def test_nginx_access_log_only_defined_once(sshdomain):
-    sshexec = get_sshexec(sshdomain)
-    conf = sshexec(
-        call=remote.rshell.shell,
-        kwargs=dict(command="nginx -T 2>/dev/null"),
-    )
-    access_logs = [l for l in conf.splitlines() if l.strip().startswith("access_log")]
-    assert len(access_logs) == 1, f"expected 1 access_log, found {len(access_logs)}: {access_logs}"

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_2_deltachat.py

@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class TestEndToEndDeltaChat:
         assert msg2.get_snapshot().text == "message0"
 
     def test_exceed_quota(
-        self, cmfactory, lp, tmpdir, remote, chatmail_config, sshdomain
+        self, cmfactory, lp, tmpdir, remote, chatmail_config, sshdomain, pytestconfig
     ):
         """This is a very slow test as it needs to upload >100MB of mail data
         before quota is exceeded, and thus depends on the speed of the upload.
@@ -92,7 +92,9 @@ class TestEndToEndDeltaChat:
         lp.sec(f"filling remote inbox for {user}")
         fn = f"7743102289.M843172P2484002.c20,S={quota},W=2398:2,"
         path = chatmail_config.mailboxes_dir.joinpath(user, "cur", fn)
-        sshexec = get_sshexec(sshdomain)
+        sshexec = get_sshexec(
+            sshdomain, ssh_config=pytestconfig.getoption("ssh_config")
+        )
         sshexec(call=rshell.write_numbytes, kwargs=dict(path=str(path), num=120))
         res = sshexec(call=rshell.dovecot_recalc_quota, kwargs=dict(user=user))
         assert res["percent"] >= 100

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_3_status.py

@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@ import os
 from cmdeploy.cmdeploy import main
 
 
-def test_status_cmd(chatmail_config, capsys, request):
+def test_status_cmd(chatmail_config, capsys, request, pytestconfig):
     os.chdir(request.config.invocation_params.dir)
     command = ["status"]
-    if os.getenv("CHATMAIL_SSH"):
+    ssh_host = pytestconfig.getoption("ssh_host")
-        command.append("--ssh-host")
+    if ssh_host:
-        command.append(os.getenv("CHATMAIL_SSH"))
+        command.extend(["--ssh-host", ssh_host])
+    ssh_config = pytestconfig.getoption("ssh_config")
+    if ssh_config:
+        command.extend(["--ssh-config", ssh_config])
     assert main(command) == 0
     status_out = capsys.readouterr()
     print(status_out.out)

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py

@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import imaplib
-import ipaddress
 import itertools
 import os
 import random
+import re
 import smtplib
+import socket
 import ssl
 import subprocess
 import time
@@ -15,12 +16,80 @@ from chatmaild.config import read_config
 conftestdir = Path(__file__).parent
 
 
-def _is_ip(domain):
+def pytest_addoption(parser):
+    parser.addoption(
+        "--slow", action="store_true", default=False, help="also run slow tests"
+    )
+    parser.addoption(
+        "--ssh-host",
+        dest="ssh_host",
+        default=None,
+        help="SSH host (overrides mail_domain for SSH operations).",
+    )
+    parser.addoption(
+        "--ssh-config",
+        dest="ssh_config",
+        default=None,
+        help="Path to an SSH config file (e.g. lxconfigs/ssh-config).",
+    )
+
+
+def _parse_ssh_config_hosts(path):
+    """Parse an OpenSSH config file and return a dict of hostname -> IP."""
+    mapping = {}
+    current_names = []
+    for ln in Path(path).read_text().splitlines():
+        line = ln.strip()
+        m = re.match(r"^Host\s+(.+)", line)
+        if m:
+            current_names = m.group(1).split()
+            continue
+        m = re.match(r"^Hostname\s+(\S+)", line)
+        if m and current_names:
+            ip = m.group(1)
+            for name in current_names:
+                mapping[name] = ip
+            current_names = []
+    return mapping
+
+
+_original_getaddrinfo = socket.getaddrinfo
+
+
+def _make_patched_getaddrinfo(host_map):
+    """Return a getaddrinfo that resolves hosts in host_map to their IPs."""
+
+    def patched_getaddrinfo(host, port, family=0, type=0, proto=0, flags=0):
+        if host in host_map:
+            ip = host_map[host]
+            return _original_getaddrinfo(ip, port, family, type, proto, flags)
+        return _original_getaddrinfo(host, port, family, type, proto, flags)
+
+    return patched_getaddrinfo
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope="session")
+def _setup_localchat_dns(pytestconfig):
+    """Monkey-patch socket.getaddrinfo to resolve .localchat via ssh-config."""
+    ssh_config = pytestconfig.getoption("ssh_config")
+    if not ssh_config or not Path(ssh_config).exists():
+        yield {}
+        return
+    host_map = _parse_ssh_config_hosts(ssh_config)
+    if not host_map:
+        yield {}
+        return
+    socket.getaddrinfo = _make_patched_getaddrinfo(host_map)
     try:
-        ipaddress.ip_address(domain)
+        yield host_map
-        return True
+    finally:
-    except ValueError:
+        socket.getaddrinfo = _original_getaddrinfo
-        return False
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def ssh_config_host_map(_setup_localchat_dns):
+    """Return the host-name → IP map parsed from ssh-config."""
+    return _setup_localchat_dns
 
 
 def pytest_configure(config):
@@ -30,12 +99,19 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
     )
 
 
-def _get_chatmail_config():
+def pytest_runtest_setup(item):
-    inipath = os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_INI")
+    markers = list(item.iter_markers(name="slow"))
-    if inipath:
+    if markers:
-        path = Path(inipath).resolve()
+        if not item.config.getoption("--slow"):
-        return read_config(path), path
+            pytest.skip("skipping slow test, use --slow to run")
 
+
+def _get_chatmail_config():
+    ini = os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_INI")
+    if ini:
+        path = Path(ini).resolve()
+        if path.exists():
+            return read_config(path), path
     current = Path().resolve()
     while 1:
         path = current.joinpath("chatmail.ini").resolve()
@@ -62,8 +138,14 @@ def maildomain(chatmail_config):
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def sshdomain(maildomain):
+def sshdomain(maildomain, pytestconfig):
-    return os.environ.get("CHATMAIL_SSH", maildomain)
+    return pytestconfig.getoption("ssh_host") or maildomain
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def maildomain_ip(maildomain, ssh_config_host_map):
+    """Return the IP for maildomain from ssh-config, or maildomain itself."""
+    return ssh_config_host_map.get(maildomain, maildomain)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -278,7 +360,6 @@ def gencreds(chatmail_config):
 
     def gen(domain=None):
         domain = domain if domain else chatmail_config.mail_domain
-        addr_domain = f"[{domain}]" if _is_ip(domain) else domain
         while 1:
             num = next(count)
             alphanumeric = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890"
@@ -292,7 +373,7 @@ def gencreds(chatmail_config):
             password = "".join(
                 random.choices(alphanumeric, k=chatmail_config.password_min_length)
             )
-            yield f"{user}@{addr_domain}", f"{password}"
+            yield f"{user}@{domain}", f"{password}"
 
     return lambda domain=None: next(gen(domain))
 
@@ -308,12 +389,22 @@ from deltachat_rpc_client import DeltaChat, Rpc
 class ChatmailACFactory:
     """RPC-based account factory for chatmail testing."""
 
-    def __init__(self, rpc, maildomain, gencreds, chatmail_config):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        rpc,
+        maildomain,
+        maildomain_ip,
+        gencreds,
+        chatmail_config,
+        ssh_config_host_map,
+    ):
         self.dc = DeltaChat(rpc)
         self.rpc = rpc
         self._maildomain = maildomain
+        self._maildomain_ip = maildomain_ip
         self.gencreds = gencreds
         self.chatmail_config = chatmail_config
+        self._ssh_config_host_map = ssh_config_host_map
 
     def _make_transport(self, domain):
         """Build a transport config dict for the given domain."""
@@ -321,11 +412,13 @@ class ChatmailACFactory:
         transport = {
             "addr": addr,
             "password": password,
-            # Setting server explicitly skips requesting autoconfig XML,
-            # see https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-mailmaint-autoconfig/
-            "imapServer": domain,
-            "smtpServer": domain,
         }
+        # To support running against local relays without host DNS resolution
+        # we attempt resolving the domain via ssh-config
+        # because otherwise core fails to find the address
+        server = self._ssh_config_host_map.get(domain)
+        if server is not None:
+            transport.update({"imapServer": server, "smtpServer": server})
         if self.chatmail_config.tls_cert_mode == "self":
             transport["certificateChecks"] = "acceptInvalidCertificates"
         return transport
@@ -341,22 +434,9 @@ class ChatmailACFactory:
         accounts = []
         for _ in range(num):
             account = self.dc.add_account()
-            addr, password = self.gencreds(domain)
+            future = account.add_or_update_transport.future(
-            if _is_ip(domain):
+                self._make_transport(domain)
-                # Use DCLOGIN scheme with explicit server hosts,
+            )
-                # matching how madmail presents its addresses to users.
-                qr = (
-                    f"dclogin:{addr}"
-                    f"?p={password}&v=1"
-                    f"&ih={domain}&ip=993"
-                    f"&sh={domain}&sp=465"
-                    f"&ic=3&ss=default"
-                )
-                future = account.add_transport_from_qr.future(qr)
-            else:
-                future = account.add_or_update_transport.future(
-                    self._make_transport(domain)
-                )
             futures.append(future)
 
             # ensure messages stay in INBOX so that they can be
@@ -391,35 +471,46 @@ def rpc(tmp_path_factory):
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def cmfactory(rpc, gencreds, maildomain, chatmail_config):
+def cmfactory(
+    rpc, gencreds, maildomain, maildomain_ip, chatmail_config, ssh_config_host_map
+):
     """Return a ChatmailACFactory for creating online Delta Chat accounts."""
     return ChatmailACFactory(
         rpc=rpc,
         maildomain=maildomain,
+        maildomain_ip=maildomain_ip,
         gencreds=gencreds,
         chatmail_config=chatmail_config,
+        ssh_config_host_map=ssh_config_host_map,
     )
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def remote(sshdomain):
+def remote(sshdomain, pytestconfig):
-    r = Remote(sshdomain)
+    r = Remote(sshdomain, ssh_config=pytestconfig.getoption("ssh_config"))
     yield r
     r.close()
 
 
 class Remote:
-    def __init__(self, sshdomain):
+    def __init__(self, sshdomain, ssh_config=None):
         self.sshdomain = sshdomain
+        self.ssh_config = ssh_config
         self._procs = []
 
     def iter_output(self, logcmd="", ready=None):
         getjournal = "journalctl -f" if not logcmd else logcmd
         print(self.sshdomain)
         match self.sshdomain:
-            case "@local": command = []
+            case "@local":
-            case "localhost": command = []
+                command = []
-            case _: command = ["ssh", f"root@{self.sshdomain}"]
+            case "localhost":
+                command = []
+            case _:
+                command = ["ssh"]
+                if self.ssh_config:
+                    command.extend(["-F", self.ssh_config])
+                command.append(f"root@{self.sshdomain}")
         [command.append(arg) for arg in getjournal.split()]
         popen = subprocess.Popen(
             command,
@@ -428,19 +519,15 @@ class Remote:
             stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
         )
         self._procs.append(popen)
-        try:
+        while 1:
-            while 1:
+            line = popen.stdout.readline()
-                line = popen.stdout.readline()
+            res = line.decode().strip().lower()
-                res = line.decode().strip().lower()
+            if not res:
-                if not res:
+                break
-                    break
+            if ready is not None:
-                if ready is not None:
+                ready()
-                    ready()
+                ready = None
-                    ready = None
+            yield res
-                yield res
-        finally:
-            popen.terminate()
-            popen.wait()
 
     def close(self):
         while self._procs:

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_basedeploy.py

@@ -1,118 +0,0 @@
-from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
-
-from cmdeploy.basedeploy import Deployer
-
-
-def test_put_file_restart_and_reload():
-    deployer = Deployer()
-    mock_res = MagicMock()
-    mock_res.changed = True
-
-    with patch("cmdeploy.basedeploy.files.put", return_value=mock_res):
-        deployer.put_file("foo.conf", "/etc/foo.conf")
-        assert deployer.need_restart is True
-        assert deployer.daemon_reload is False
-
-        deployer = Deployer()
-
-        deployer.put_file("test.service", "/etc/systemd/system/test.service")
-        assert deployer.need_restart is True
-        assert deployer.daemon_reload is True
-
-
-def test_remove_file():
-    deployer = Deployer()
-    mock_res = MagicMock()
-    mock_res.changed = True
-
-    with patch("cmdeploy.basedeploy.files.file", return_value=mock_res) as mock_file:
-        deployer.remove_file("/etc/foo.conf")
-        mock_file.assert_called_once_with(
-            name="Remove /etc/foo.conf", path="/etc/foo.conf", present=False
-        )
-        assert deployer.need_restart is True
-
-
-def test_ensure_systemd_unit():
-    deployer = Deployer()
-    mock_res = MagicMock()
-    mock_res.changed = True
-
-    # Plain service file
-    with patch("cmdeploy.basedeploy.files.put", return_value=mock_res) as mock_put:
-        deployer.ensure_systemd_unit("iroh-relay.service")
-        assert (
-            mock_put.call_args.kwargs["dest"]
-            == "/etc/systemd/system/iroh-relay.service"
-        )
-        assert deployer.need_restart is True
-        assert deployer.daemon_reload is True
-
-    deployer = Deployer()
-
-    # Template (.j2) dispatches to put_template and strips .j2 suffix
-    with patch("cmdeploy.basedeploy.files.template", return_value=mock_res) as mock_tpl:
-        deployer.ensure_systemd_unit(
-            "filtermail/chatmaild.service.j2",
-            bin_path="/usr/local/bin/filtermail",
-        )
-        assert (
-            mock_tpl.call_args.kwargs["dest"] == "/etc/systemd/system/chatmaild.service"
-        )
-
-    deployer = Deployer()
-
-    # Explicit dest_name override
-    with patch("cmdeploy.basedeploy.files.put", return_value=mock_res) as mock_put:
-        deployer.ensure_systemd_unit(
-            "acmetool/acmetool-reconcile.timer",
-            dest_name="acmetool-reconcile.timer",
-        )
-        assert (
-            mock_put.call_args.kwargs["dest"]
-            == "/etc/systemd/system/acmetool-reconcile.timer"
-        )
-
-
-def test_ensure_service():
-    with patch("cmdeploy.basedeploy.systemd.service") as mock_svc:
-        deployer = Deployer()
-        deployer.need_restart = True
-        deployer.daemon_reload = True
-        deployer.ensure_service("nginx.service")
-        mock_svc.assert_called_once_with(
-            name="Start and enable nginx.service",
-            service="nginx.service",
-            running=True,
-            enabled=True,
-            restarted=True,
-            daemon_reload=True,
-        )
-        # daemon_reload is cleared to avoid multiple systemctl daemon-reload calls
-        # need_restart is kept to ensure all subsequent services also restart
-        assert deployer.need_restart is True
-        assert deployer.daemon_reload is False
-
-    with patch("cmdeploy.basedeploy.systemd.service") as mock_svc:
-        # Stopping suppresses restarted even when need_restart is True
-        deployer = Deployer()
-        deployer.need_restart = True
-        deployer.daemon_reload = True
-        deployer.ensure_service(
-            "mta-sts-daemon.service",
-            running=False,
-            enabled=False,
-        )
-        assert mock_svc.call_args.kwargs["restarted"] is False
-        assert deployer.need_restart is True
-
-    with patch("cmdeploy.basedeploy.systemd.service") as mock_svc:
-        # Multiple calls: daemon_reload resets after first, need_restart persists
-        deployer = Deployer()
-        deployer.need_restart = True
-        deployer.daemon_reload = True
-        deployer.ensure_service("chatmaild.service")
-        deployer.ensure_service("chatmaild-metadata.service")
-        second_call = mock_svc.call_args_list[1]
-        assert second_call.kwargs["restarted"] is True
-        assert second_call.kwargs["daemon_reload"] is False

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_cmdeploy.py

@@ -23,19 +23,18 @@ class TestCmdline:
         run = parser.parse_args(["run"])
         assert init and run
 
-    def test_init_not_overwrite(self, capsys, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    def test_init_not_overwrite(self, tmp_path, capsys, monkeypatch):
         monkeypatch.delenv("CHATMAIL_INI", raising=False)
-        inipath = tmp_path / "chatmail.ini"
+        monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
-        args = ["init", "--config", str(inipath), "chat.example.org"]
+
-        assert main(args) == 0
+        assert main(["init", "chat.example.org"]) == 0
         capsys.readouterr()
 
-        assert main(args) == 1
+        assert main(["init", "chat.example.org"]) == 1
         out, err = capsys.readouterr()
         assert "path exists" in out.lower()
 
-        args.insert(1, "--force")
+        assert main(["init", "chat.example.org", "--force"]) == 0
-        assert main(args) == 0
         out, err = capsys.readouterr()
         assert "deleting config file" in out.lower()
 

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_dns.py

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import pytest
 
 from cmdeploy import remote
 from cmdeploy.dns import check_full_zone, check_initial_remote_data, parse_zone_records
-from cmdeploy.remote.rdns import get_authoritative_ns
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -15,15 +14,11 @@ def mockdns_base(monkeypatch):
         if command.startswith("dig"):
             if command == "dig":
                 return "."
-            if "with.public.soa" in command and "NS" in command:
+            if "SOA" in command:
-                return "domain.with.public.soa. 2419 IN NS ns1.first-ns.de."
-            if "with.hidden.soa" in command and "NS" in command:
                 return (
-                    "domain.with.hidden.soa. 2137 IN NS ns1.desec.io.\n"
+                    "delta.chat. 21600 IN SOA ns1.first-ns.de. dns.hetzner.com."
-                    "domain.with.hidden.soa. 2137 IN NS ns2.desec.org."
+                    " 2025102800 14400 1800 604800 3600"
                 )
-            if "NS" in command:
-                return "delta.chat. 21600 IN NS ns1.first-ns.de."
             command_chunks = command.split()
             domain, typ = command_chunks[4], command_chunks[6]
             try:
@@ -130,17 +125,6 @@ class TestPerformInitialChecks:
         assert not l
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    ("domain", "ns"),
-    [
-        ("domain.with.public.soa", "ns1.first-ns.de."),
-        ("domain.with.hidden.soa", "ns1.desec.io."),
-    ],
-)
-def test_get_authoritative_ns(domain, ns, mockdns):
-    assert get_authoritative_ns(domain) == ns
-
-
 def test_parse_zone_records():
     text = """
     ; This is a comment
@@ -148,28 +132,11 @@ def test_parse_zone_records():
 
     ; Another comment
     www.some.domain. 3600 IN CNAME some.domain.
-
-    ; Multi-word rdata
-    some.domain. 3600 IN MX 10 mail.some.domain.
-
-    ; DKIM record (single line, multi-word TXT rdata)
-    dkim._domainkey.some.domain. 3600 IN TXT "v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG" "9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEA"
-
-    ; Another TXT record
-    _dmarc.some.domain. 3600 IN TXT "v=DMARC1;p=reject"
     """
     records = list(parse_zone_records(text))
     assert records == [
         ("some.domain", "3600", "A", "1.1.1.1"),
         ("www.some.domain", "3600", "CNAME", "some.domain."),
-        ("some.domain", "3600", "MX", "10 mail.some.domain."),
-        (
-            "dkim._domainkey.some.domain",
-            "3600",
-            "TXT",
-            '"v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG" "9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEA"',
-        ),
-        ("_dmarc.some.domain", "3600", "TXT", '"v=DMARC1;p=reject"'),
     ]
 
 
@@ -181,6 +148,7 @@ def test_parse_zone_records_invalid_line():
 
 def parse_zonefile_into_dict(zonefile, mockdns_base, only_required=False):
     if only_required:
+        # Only take records before the "; Recommended" section
         zonefile = zonefile.split("; Recommended")[0]
     for name, ttl, rtype, rdata in parse_zone_records(zonefile):
         mockdns_base.setdefault(rtype, {})[name] = rdata

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_dovecot_deployer.py

@@ -1,238 +0,0 @@
-from contextlib import nullcontext
-from types import SimpleNamespace
-
-import pytest
-from pyinfra.facts.deb import DebPackages
-
-from cmdeploy.dovecot import deployer as dovecot_deployer
-
-
-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}"
-    )

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_helpers.py

@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-from pathlib import Path
+import importlib.resources
 
 from cmdeploy.www import build_webpages
 
 
 def test_build_webpages(tmp_path, make_config):
-    src_dir = (Path(__file__).resolve() / "../../../../../www/src").resolve()
+    pkgroot = importlib.resources.files("cmdeploy")
+    src_dir = pkgroot.joinpath("../../../www/src").resolve()
     assert src_dir.exists(), src_dir
     config = make_config("chat.example.org")
     build_dir = tmp_path.joinpath("build")

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_lxc.py

@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+"""Tests for cmdeploy lxc-* subcommands."""
+
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+import pytest
+
+from cmdeploy.lxc import cli
+from cmdeploy.lxc.incus import Incus
+from cmdeploy.util import Out
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.skipif(
+    not shutil.which("incus"),
+    reason="incus not installed",
+)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Fixtures
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def ix():
+    out = Out()
+    return Incus(out)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def lxc_setup():
+    out = Out()
+    ix = Incus(out)
+    ix.get_dns_container().ensure()
+    return ix.list_managed()
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def relay_container(lxc_setup):
+    test_names = {f"{n}-localchat" for n in cli.RELAY_NAMES}
+    relays = [c for c in lxc_setup if c["name"] in test_names and c.get("ip")]
+    if not relays:
+        pytest.skip("no test relay containers running")
+    return relays[0]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def cmdeploy():
+    def run(*args):
+        return subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, "-m", "cmdeploy.cmdeploy", *args],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            check=False,
+        )
+
+    return run
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Tests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "subcmd, expected, absent",
+    [
+        (None, ["lxc-start", "lxc-stop", "lxc-test", "lxc-status"], ["lxc-destroy"]),
+        ("lxc-start", ["--ipv4-only", "--run"], ["--config"]),
+        ("lxc-stop", ["--destroy", "--destroy-all"], ["--config"]),
+        ("lxc-test", ["--one"], ["--config"]),
+        ("lxc-status", [], ["--config"]),
+        ("run", ["--ssh-config"], ["--lxc"]),
+        ("dns", ["--ssh-config"], []),
+        ("test", ["--ssh-config"], []),
+        ("status", ["--ssh-config"], []),
+    ],
+)
+def test_help_options(cmdeploy, subcmd, expected, absent):
+    args = [subcmd, "--help"] if subcmd else ["--help"]
+    result = cmdeploy(*args)
+    output = result.stdout + result.stderr
+    assert result.returncode == 0
+    for flag in expected:
+        assert flag in output
+    for flag in absent:
+        assert flag not in output
+
+
+class TestSSHConfig:
+    def test_lxconfigs(self, ix, lxc_setup):
+        d = ix.lxconfigs_dir
+        assert d.name == "lxconfigs"
+        assert d.exists()
+        path = ix.ssh_config_path
+        assert path.name == "ssh-config"
+        assert path.parent.name == "lxconfigs"
+
+    def test_write_ssh_config(self, ix, lxc_setup):
+        path = ix.write_ssh_config()
+        assert path.exists()
+        text = path.read_text()
+
+        for c in lxc_setup:
+            if c.get("ip"):
+                assert c["name"] in text
+                assert f"Hostname {c['ip']}" in text
+
+        assert "User root" in text
+        assert "IdentityFile" in text
+        assert "StrictHostKeyChecking accept-new" in text
+
+
+def test_dns(ix, relay_container):
+    def dig(qname, qtype):
+        ct = ix.get_dns_container()
+        return ct.bash(f"dig @127.0.0.1 {qname} {qtype} +short").strip()
+
+    domain = relay_container["domain"]
+    assert dig(domain, "A") == relay_container["ip"]
+    assert domain in dig(domain, "MX")
+    assert "587" in dig(f"_submission._tcp.{domain}", "SRV")
+
+
+class TestLxcStatus:
+    def test_cli_lxc_status_help(self, cmdeploy):
+        result = cmdeploy("lxc-status", "--help")
+        assert result.returncode == 0
+        assert "status" in result.stdout.lower()
+
+    def test_shows_containers(self, lxc_setup, capsys):
+        class QuietOut(Out):
+            def red(self, msg, **kw):
+                pass
+
+            def green(self, msg, **kw):
+                pass
+
+        ret = cli.lxc_status_cmd(None, QuietOut())
+        assert ret == 0
+        captured = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "ns-localchat" in captured
+        assert "running" in captured
+
+    def test_deploy_freshness(self, ix, monkeypatch):
+        ct = ix.get_container("x")
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "cmdeploy.lxc.incus.RelayContainer.deployed_version",
+            lambda _self: "abc123def456",
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "cmdeploy.lxc.incus.RelayContainer.deployed_domain",
+            lambda _self: ct.domain,
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "cmdeploy.lxc.cli.get_version_string",
+            lambda: "abc123def456",
+        )
+        assert "IN-SYNC" in cli._deploy_status(ct, "abc123def456", ix)
+        assert "STALE" in cli._deploy_status(ct, "other_hash_here", ix)
+
+        # Hash matches but local has uncommitted changes
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "cmdeploy.lxc.cli.get_version_string",
+            lambda: "abc123def456\ndiff --git a/foo",
+        )
+        assert "DIRTY" in cli._deploy_status(ct, "abc123def456", ix)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "cmdeploy.lxc.incus.RelayContainer.deployed_version",
+            lambda _self: None,
+        )
+        assert "NOT DEPLOYED" in cli._deploy_status(ct, "abc123", ix)

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_util.py

@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+import sys
+
+from cmdeploy.util import Out, collapse, get_git_hash, get_version_string, shell
+
+
+class TestOut:
+    def test_prefix_default(self, capsys):
+        out = Out()
+        out.print("hello")
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == "hello\n"
+
+    def test_prefix_custom(self, capsys):
+        out = Out(prefix=">> ")
+        out.print("hello")
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == ">> hello\n"
+
+    def test_prefix_print_file(self):
+        import io
+
+        buf = io.StringIO()
+        out = Out(prefix=":: ")
+        out.print("msg", file=buf)
+        assert ":: msg" in buf.getvalue()
+
+    def test_new_prefixed_out(self, capsys):
+        parent = Out(prefix="A")
+        child = parent.new_prefixed_out("B")
+        child.print("x")
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == "ABx\n"
+        # shares section_timings
+        assert child.section_timings is parent.section_timings
+
+    def test_section_no_auto_indent(self, capsys):
+        out = Out(prefix="")
+        with out.section("test"):
+            out.print("inside")
+        captured = capsys.readouterr().out
+        # "inside" should NOT be indented by section()
+        lines = captured.strip().splitlines()
+        inside_line = [l for l in lines if "inside" in l][0]
+        assert inside_line == "inside"
+
+    def test_section_records_timing(self):
+        out = Out()
+        with out.section("s1"):
+            pass
+        assert len(out.section_timings) == 1
+        assert out.section_timings[0][0] == "s1"
+
+    def test_shell_failure_shows_output(self):
+        """When a shell command fails, its output and exit code are shown."""
+        import subprocess
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [
+                sys.executable,
+                "-c",
+                "from cmdeploy.util import Out; Out(prefix='').shell("
+                "\"echo 'boom on stderr' >&2; exit 42\")",
+            ],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            check=False,
+        )
+        # the command's stderr is merged into stdout by Popen
+        assert "boom on stderr" in result.stdout
+        # Out.red() prints the failure notice to stderr
+        assert "exit code 42" in result.stderr
+
+
+def test_collapse():
+    text = """
+        line 1
+        line 2
+    """
+    assert collapse(text) == "line 1 line 2"
+    assert collapse("  single line  ") == "single line"
+
+
+def test_git_helpers_no_git(tmp_path):
+    # Not a git repo
+    assert get_git_hash(root=tmp_path) is None
+    assert get_version_string(root=tmp_path) == "unknown"
+
+
+def test_git_helpers_empty_repo(tmp_path):
+    shell("git init", cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+    # No commits yet
+    assert get_git_hash(root=tmp_path) is None
+    assert get_version_string(root=tmp_path) == "unknown"
+
+
+def test_git_helpers_with_commits_and_diffs(tmp_path):
+    shell("git init", cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+    shell("git config user.email you@example.com", cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+    shell("git config user.name 'Your Name'", cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+
+    # First commit
+    path = tmp_path / "file.txt"
+    path.write_text("content")
+    shell("git add file.txt", cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+    shell("git commit -m initial", cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+
+    git_hash = get_git_hash(root=tmp_path)
+    assert len(git_hash) >= 7  # usually 40, but git is git
+    assert get_version_string(root=tmp_path) == git_hash
+
+    # Create a diff
+    path.write_text("new content")
+    v = get_version_string(root=tmp_path)
+    assert v.startswith(git_hash + "\n")
+    assert "new content" in v
+    assert not v.endswith("\n")
+
+    # Commit again -> no diff
+    shell("git add file.txt", cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+    shell("git commit -m second", cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+    new_hash = get_git_hash(root=tmp_path)
+    assert new_hash != git_hash
+    assert get_version_string(root=tmp_path) == new_hash

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/util.py

@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+"""Shared utility functions for cmdeploy."""
+
+import os
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import textwrap
+import time
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from termcolor import colored
+
+
+class Out:
+    """Convenience output printer providing coloring and section formatting."""
+
+    def __init__(self, prefix="", verbosity=0):
+        self.section_timings = []
+        self.prefix = prefix
+        self.sepchar = "\u2501"
+        self.verbosity = verbosity
+        env_width = os.environ.get("_CMDEPLOY_WIDTH")
+        if env_width:
+            self.section_width = int(env_width)
+        else:
+            self.section_width = shutil.get_terminal_size((80, 24)).columns
+
+    def new_prefixed_out(self, newprefix="  "):
+        """Return a new Out with an extended prefix,
+        sharing section_timings with the parent.
+        """
+        out = Out(
+            prefix=self.prefix + newprefix,
+            verbosity=self.verbosity,
+        )
+        out.section_timings = self.section_timings
+        return out
+
+    def red(self, msg, file=sys.stderr):
+        print(colored(self.prefix + msg, "red"), file=file, flush=True)
+
+    def green(self, msg, file=sys.stderr):
+        print(colored(self.prefix + msg, "green"), file=file, flush=True)
+
+    def print(self, msg="", **kwargs):
+        """Print to stdout with automatic flush."""
+        if msg:
+            msg = self.prefix + msg
+        print(msg, flush=True, **kwargs)
+
+    def _format_header(self, title):
+        """Return a formatted section header string."""
+        width = self.section_width - len(self.prefix)
+        bar = self.sepchar * (width - len(title) - 5)
+        return f"{self.sepchar * 3} {title} {bar}"
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def section(self, title):
+        """Context manager that prints a section header and records elapsed time."""
+        self.green(self._format_header(title))
+        t0 = time.time()
+        yield
+        elapsed = time.time() - t0
+        self.section_timings.append((title, elapsed))
+
+    def section_line(self, title):
+        """Print a section header without timing."""
+        self.green(self._format_header(title))
+
+    def shell(self, cmd, quiet=False, **kwargs):
+        """Print *cmd*, run it, and re-print its output with the current prefix.
+
+        *cmd* is passed through :func:`collapse`, so callers
+        can use triple-quoted f-strings freely.
+        Stdout and stderr are merged, read line-by-line,
+        and each line is printed with ``self.prefix`` prepended.
+        When the command exits non-zero, a red error line is printed.
+        """
+        cmd = collapse(cmd)
+        if not quiet:
+            self.print(f"$ {cmd}")
+        indent = self.prefix + "  "
+        env = kwargs.pop("env", None)
+        if env is None:
+            env = os.environ.copy()
+        env["_CMDEPLOY_WIDTH"] = str(self.section_width - len(indent))
+        proc = subprocess.Popen(
+            cmd,
+            shell=True,
+            text=True,
+            stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+            env=env,
+            **kwargs,
+        )
+        for line in proc.stdout:
+            sys.stdout.write(indent + line)
+            sys.stdout.flush()
+        ret = proc.wait()
+        if ret:
+            self.red(f"command failed with exit code {ret}: {cmd}")
+        return ret
+
+
+def _project_root():
+    """Return the project root directory."""
+    return Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent.parent
+
+
+def collapse(text):
+    """Dedent, join lines, and strip a (triple-quoted) string.
+
+    Handy for writing shell commands across multiple lines::
+
+        cmd = collapse(f\"""
+            cmdeploy run
+            --config {ct.ini}
+            --ssh-host {ct.domain}
+        \""")
+    """
+    return textwrap.dedent(text).replace("\n", " ").strip()
+
+
+def shell(cmd, check=False, **kwargs):
+    """Run a shell command string with sensible defaults.
+
+    *cmd* is passed through :func:`collapse` first, so callers
+    can use triple-quoted f-strings freely.
+    Captures stdout/stderr by default; pass ``capture_output=False``
+    to stream output to the terminal instead.
+    """
+    if "capture_output" not in kwargs and "stdout" not in kwargs:
+        kwargs["capture_output"] = True
+    kwargs.setdefault("stdin", subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    return subprocess.run(collapse(cmd), shell=True, text=True, check=check, **kwargs)
+
+
+def get_git_hash(root=None):
+    """Return the local HEAD commit hash, or None."""
+    if root is None:
+        root = _project_root()
+    result = shell(
+        "git rev-parse HEAD",
+        cwd=str(root),
+    )
+    if result.returncode == 0:
+        return result.stdout.strip()
+    return None
+
+
+def get_version_string(root=None):
+    """Return ``git_hash\\ngit_diff`` for the local working tree.
+
+    Used by :class:`~cmdeploy.deployers.GithashDeployer` to write
+    ``/etc/chatmail-version`` and by ``lxc-status`` to compare
+    the deployed state against the local checkout.
+    """
+    if root is None:
+        root = _project_root()
+    git_hash = get_git_hash(root=root) or "unknown"
+    try:
+        git_diff = shell("git diff", cwd=str(root)).stdout.strip()
+    except Exception:
+        git_diff = ""
+    if git_diff:
+        return f"{git_hash}\n{git_diff}"
+    return git_hash

cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/www.py

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import hashlib
+import importlib.resources
 import re
 import time
 import traceback
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ def prepare_template(source):
 
 
 def get_paths(config) -> (Path, Path, Path):
-    reporoot = (Path(__file__).resolve() / "../../../../").resolve()
+    reporoot = importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("../../../").resolve()
     www_path = Path(config.www_folder)
     # if www_folder was not set, use default directory
     if config.www_folder == "":
@@ -132,7 +133,8 @@ def find_merge_conflict(src_dir) -> Path:
 
 
 def main():
-    reporoot = (Path(__file__).resolve() / "../../../../").resolve()
+    path = importlib.resources.files(__package__)
+    reporoot = path.joinpath("../../../").resolve()
     inipath = reporoot.joinpath("chatmail.ini")
     config = read_config(inipath)
     config.webdev = True

doc/README.md

@@ -4,14 +4,12 @@
 
 You can use the `make` command and `make html` to build web pages. 
 
-You need a Python environment with `sphinx` and other
+You need a Python environment where the following install was excuted: 
-dependencies, you can create it by running `scripts/initenv.sh`
+
-from the repository root.
+    pip install furo sphinx-autobuild
 
 To develop/change documentation, you can then do: 
 
-    . venv/bin/activate
-    cd doc
     make auto 
 
 A page will open at https://127.0.0.1:8000/ serving the docs and it will 

doc/source/conf.py

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ author = 'chatmail collective'
 
 extensions = [
     #'sphinx.ext.autodoc',
-    #'sphinx.ext.viewdoc',
+    #'sphinx.ext.viewcode',
     'sphinxcontrib.mermaid',
 ]
 

doc/source/index.rst

@@ -16,6 +16,6 @@ Contributions and feedback welcome through the https://github.com/chatmail/relay
     proxy
     migrate
     overview
-    reverse_dns
+    lxc
     related
     faq

doc/source/lxc.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,271 @@
+Local testing with LXC/Incus
+============================
+
+The ``cmdeploy`` tool includes support for running
+chatmail relays inside local
+`Incus <https://linuxcontainers.org/incus/>`_ LXC containers.
+This is meant for development, testing, and CI
+without requiring a remote server.
+LXC system containers are lightweight virtual machines
+that share the host's kernel but run their own init system,
+package manager, and network stack,
+so the cmdeploy deployment scripts work pretty much
+as they would on a real Debian server or cloud VPS.
+
+Prerequisites
+-------------
+
+Install `Incus <https://linuxcontainers.org/incus/>`_
+(LXC container manager).
+See the `official installation guide
+<https://linuxcontainers.org/incus/docs/main/installing/>`_
+for full details.
+
+After installing incus, initialise and grant yourself access::
+
+    sudo incus admin init --minimal
+    sudo usermod -aG incus-admin $USER
+
+
+.. caution::
+
+   Adding yourself to ``incus-admin`` grants effective root access
+   to the host: any member can mount host directories into a container
+   and manipulate them as root.
+   This is fine for local testing of your own relay branches,
+   but do **not** use it for production setups
+   or for testing untrusted relay branches from others.
+
+.. warning::
+
+   You **must now log out and back in** (or run ``newgrp incus-admin``)
+   after adding yourself to the group.
+   Without this, all ``cmdeploy lxc-*`` commands
+   will fail with permission errors.
+
+Verify the installation works by running ``incus list``,
+which should print an empty table without errors.
+
+
+Quick start
+-----------
+
+::
+
+    cd relay
+    scripts/initenv.sh               # bootstrap venv
+    source venv/bin/activate         # activate venv
+    cmdeploy lxc-test                # create containers, deploy, test
+
+The ``lxc-test`` command provides an automated way
+to run the full deployment and test pipeline.
+It executes several ``cmdeploy`` subcommands in sequential steps.
+If a step fails, you can copy-paste the printed command
+and run it manually to debug.
+No host DNS delegation or ``~/.ssh/config`` changes are needed
+because ``lxc-test`` passes the required SSH and DNS options directly.
+
+
+CLI reference
+--------------
+
+``lxc-start [--ipv4-only] [--run] [NAME ...]``
+    Create and start containers.
+    Without arguments, creates ``test0-localchat`` and ``ns-localchat`` (DNS).
+    Pass one or more ``NAME`` arguments to create user relay containers instead
+    (e.g. ``cmdeploy lxc-start myrelay``).
+    Use ``--ipv4-only`` to set ``disable_ipv6 = True`` in the generated ``chatmail.ini``,
+    producing an IPv4-only relay.
+    Use ``--run`` to automatically run ``cmdeploy run`` on each container after starting it.
+    Generates ``lxconfigs/ssh-config``.
+    It reuses existing containers and resets DNS zones to minimal records.
+
+``lxc-stop [--destroy] [--destroy-all] [NAME ...]``
+    Stop relay containers.
+    Without arguments, stops ``test0-localchat`` and ``test1-localchat``.
+    Pass ``NAME`` to stop specific containers.
+    Use ``--destroy`` to also delete the containers and their config files.
+    Use ``--destroy-all`` to additionally destroy
+    the ``ns-localchat`` DNS container **and** remove
+    the cached ``localchat-base`` and ``localchat-relay``
+    images, giving a fully clean slate for the next ``lxc-test``.
+    User containers are **never** destroyed unless named explicitly.
+
+``lxc-test [--one]``
+    By default creates, deploys, and tests both ``test0`` and ``test1``
+    for dual-domain federation testing (sets ``CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2=_test1.localchat``).
+    test0 runs dual-stack (IPv4 + IPv6) while test1 runs IPv4-only (``disable_ipv6 = True``).
+    Pass ``--one`` to only deploy and test against ``test0``
+    (skips ``test1``, does not set ``CHATMAIL_DOMAIN2``).
+
+``lxc-status``
+    Show live status of all LXC containers (including the DNS container),
+    deploy freshness (comparing ``/etc/chatmail-version``
+    against local ``git rev-parse HEAD`` and ``git diff``),
+    SSH config inclusion, and host DNS forwarding for ``.localchat``.
+    Reports **IN-SYNC**, **DIRTY** (hash matches but uncommitted changes exist),
+    **STALE** (different commit), or **NOT DEPLOYED**.
+
+
+Container types
+-----------------
+
+**Test relay containers** (``test0-localchat``, ``test1-localchat``)
+    Created automatically by ``lxc-test``.
+    **test0** has IPv4 and IPv6 configured,
+    **test1** is IPv4-only (``disable_ipv6 = True``).
+
+**User relay containers** (``<name>-localchat``)
+    Created by ``cmdeploy lxc-start <name>``
+    where ``<name>`` does not start with ``test``.
+    These are personal development instances,
+    never touched by ``lxc-stop --destroy`` unless named explicitly.
+
+**DNS container** (``ns-localchat``)
+    Singleton container running PowerDNS.
+    Created automatically when any relay is started.
+
+
+.. _lxc-ssh-config:
+
+SSH configuration
+-----------------
+
+``cmdeploy lxc-start`` generates ``lxconfigs/ssh-config``,
+a standard OpenSSH config file mapping every container name,
+its domain, and a short alias to the container's IP address::
+
+    Host test0-localchat _test0.localchat _test0
+        Hostname 10.204.0.42
+        User root
+        IdentityFile /path/to/relay/lxconfigs/id_localchat
+        IdentitiesOnly yes
+        StrictHostKeyChecking accept-new
+        UserKnownHostsFile /dev/null
+        LogLevel ERROR
+
+All ``cmdeploy`` commands (``run``, ``dns``, ``status``, ``test``)
+accept ``--ssh-config lxconfigs/ssh-config`` to use this file.
+``lxc-test`` passes it automatically.
+
+**Using containers from the host shell:**
+
+To make ``ssh _test0`` work from any terminal, add one line to ``~/.ssh/config``::
+
+    Include /absolute/path/to/relay/lxconfigs/ssh-config
+
+
+.. _lxc-dns-setup:
+.. _localchat-tld:
+
+``.localchat`` DNS and name resolution
+---------------------------------------
+
+All LXC-managed chatmail domains use the ``.localchat`` pseudo-TLD
+(e.g. ``_test0.localchat``, ``_test1.localchat``),
+a non-delegated suffix that exists only within the local PowerDNS infrastructure.
+A dedicated DNS container (``ns-localchat``)
+is created so that local test relays interact
+with DNS similar to a regular public Internet setup.
+On first start, ``cmdeploy lxc-start`` creates this container
+running two `PowerDNS <https://www.powerdns.com/>`_ services:
+
+* **pdns-server** (authoritative) serves ``.localchat``
+  zones from a local SQLite database.
+
+* **pdns-recursor** (recursive) listens on the Incus
+  bridge so all containers can use it.
+  Forwards ``.localchat`` queries to the local
+  authoritative server and resolves everything else recursively.
+
+After the DNS container is up, ``lxc-start`` configures the Incus bridge
+to advertise its IP via DHCP and disables Incus's own DNS.
+DNS records are then created in two phases matching the "cmdeploy run" deployment flow:
+
+1. **``lxc-start``** resets each relay zone to
+   **SOA, NS, and A** records (plus **AAAA** for dual-stack containers).
+   If host DNS resolution is configured, users can
+   afterwards run ``cmdeploy run --config lxconfigs/chatmail-test0.ini
+   --ssh-config lxconfigs/ssh-config --ssh-host _test0.localchat``.
+   LXC subcommands do not depend on host DNS resolution
+   and resolve addresses via ``lxconfigs/ssh-config``.
+
+2. **``cmdeploy dns --zonefile``** generates a standard
+   BIND-format zone file (MX, TXT/SPF, TXT/DMARC,
+   TXT/MTA-STS, SRV, CNAME, DKIM) and loads it
+   into PowerDNS.
+
+This two-phase approach prevents premature configuration of mail records
+before the relay is actually deployed and running.
+Once ``cmdeploy run`` deploys `Unbound <https://nlnetlabs.nl/projects/unbound/>`_
+inside a relay container, Unbound has a configuration plugin snippet
+that forwards all ``.localchat`` queries to the PowerDNS recursor,
+and lets all other queries go through normal recursive resolution.
+
+
+State outside the repository
+-----------------------------
+
+All generated configuration by lxc subcommands live in ``lxconfigs/``
+(git-ignored), including the SSH key pair (``id_localchat``),
+per-container ``chatmail-*.ini`` files, zone files, and ``ssh-config``.
+
+The only state *outside* the repository is the Incus containers and images themselves
+(managed via the ``incus`` CLI, labelled with ``user.localchat-managed=true``).
+The Incus image store retains the following snapshot images:
+
+* ``localchat-base``: Debian 12 with openssh-server and Python (built on first run)
+
+* ``localchat-relay``: fully deployed relay snapshot,
+  cached after the first successful ``cmdeploy run``.
+  Subsequent relay containers launch from this image
+  so the deploy step is mostly no-ops (roughly 3× faster than a fresh deploy).
+
+
+.. _lxc-tls:
+
+TLS handling and underscore domains
+------------------------------------
+
+Container domains start with ``_`` (e.g. ``_test0.localchat``).
+As described in :doc:`getting_started` ("Running a relay with self-signed certificates"),
+underscore domains automatically use self-signed TLS
+and ``smtp_tls_security_level = encrypt``.
+This permits cross-relay federation between LXC containers
+without any external certificate authority.
+Delta Chat clients connecting to these relays
+must be configured with
+``certificateChecks = acceptInvalidCertificates``
+(the test fixtures handle this automatically).
+`PR #7926 on chatmail-core <https://github.com/chatmail/core/pull/7926>`_
+is meant to make this special setting unnecessary for chatmail clients
+that are connecting to underscore domains.
+
+
+Known limitations
+------------------
+
+The LXC environment differs from a production
+deployment in several ways:
+
+**No ACME / Let's Encrypt**:
+  Self-signed TLS only (see :ref:`lxc-tls`);
+  ACME code paths are never exercised locally.
+
+**No inbound connections from the internet**:
+  Containers sit on a private Incus bridge and are not port-forwarded.
+  Only the host and other containers on the same bridge can reach them.
+
+**Local federation only**:
+  Cross-relay mail delivery (e.g. test0 → test1) works between containers on the same host,
+  but these relays are invisible to any external mail server.
+
+**DNS is local only**:
+  The ``.localchat`` pseudo-TLD is not resolvable from the wider internet
+  (see :ref:`lxc-dns-setup`).
+
+**IPv6 is ULA-only**:
+  Containers receive IPv6 addresses from the ``fd42:...`` ULA range on the Incus bridge.
+  These are not globally routable, but are sufficient for testing IPv6 service binding
+  (Postfix, Dovecot, Nginx) and DNS AAAA records inside the local environment.
+  test1 runs with ``disable_ipv6 = True`` to exercise the IPv4-only deployment path.

doc/source/overview.rst

@@ -102,12 +102,8 @@ short overview of ``chatmaild`` services:
    Apple/Google/Huawei.
 
 -  `chatmail-expire <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/blob/main/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/expire.py>`_
-   deletes old messages, large messages, and entire mailboxes
+   deletes users if they have not logged in for a longer while.
-   of users who have not logged in for longer than
+   The timeframe can be configured in ``chatmail.ini``.
-   ``delete_inactive_users_after`` days.
-
--  ``chatmail-quota-expire`` is called by Dovecot's ``quota_warning`` mechanism
-   and will automatically remove oldest messages to keep mailboxes well under ``max_mailbox_size``.
 
 -  `lastlogin <https://github.com/chatmail/relay/blob/main/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/lastlogin.py>`_
    is contacted by Dovecot when a user logs in and stores the date of
@@ -153,7 +149,6 @@ Chatmail relay dependency diagram
         autoconfig.xml --- dovecot;
         postfix --- |10080|filtermail-outgoing;
         postfix --- |10081|filtermail-incoming;
-        postfix --- |10083|filtermail-transport;
         filtermail-outgoing --- |10025 reinject|postfix;
         filtermail-incoming --- |10026 reinject|postfix;
         dovecot --- |doveauth.socket|doveauth;
@@ -161,8 +156,6 @@ Chatmail relay dependency diagram
         /home/vmail/.../user"];
         dovecot --- |lastlogin.socket|lastlogin;
         dovecot --- chatmail-metadata;
-        dovecot --- |quota-warning|chatmail-quota-expire;
-        chatmail-quota-expire --- maildir;
         lastlogin --- maildir;
         doveauth --- maildir;
         chatmail-expire-daily --- maildir;
@@ -296,7 +289,9 @@ ensured by ``filtermail`` proxy.
 TLS requirements
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-Filtermail (used for delivery) requires a valid TLS.
+Postfix is configured to require valid TLS by setting
+`smtp_tls_security_level <https://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#smtp_tls_security_level>`_
+to ``verify``.
 
 You can test it by resolving ``MX`` records of your relay domain and
 then connecting to MX relays (e.g ``mx.example.org``) with

doc/source/reverse_dns.rst

@@ -1,64 +0,0 @@
-Configuring reverse DNS
-=======================
-
-Some email servers reject the emails
-if they don't pass `FCrDNS`_ check, also known as `iprev`_ check.
-
-.. _FCrDNS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward-confirmed_reverse_DNS
-.. _iprev: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc8601#section-3
-
-Passing the check requires that the IP address that email is sent from
-should have a ``PTR`` record pointing to the domain name of the server,
-and domain name record should have an ``A/AAAA`` record
-pointing to the IP address.
-
-Modern email relies on DKIM and SPF for authentication,
-while iprev check exists for
-`historical reasons <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-ietf-dnsop-reverse-mapping-considerations-06#section-2.1>`_.
-Chatmail relays don't resolve ``PTR`` records,
-so you can ignore this section if configuring ``PTR`` records
-is difficult and federation with legacy email servers that don't accept
-valid DKIM signature for authentication is not important.
-
-Multi-homed setups
-------------------
-
-If you have a server with multiple IP addresses,
-also known as multi-homed setup,
-and don't publish all IP addresses in DNS,
-you need to make sure you are using
-the published address when making outgoing connections.
-
-For example, your server may have a static IP
-address, and a so-called Floating IP or Virtual IP
-that can be moved between servers in case of
-migration or for failover.
-By using Floating IP you can avoid downtime
-and keep the IP address reputation
-for destinatinons that rely on IP reputation and IP blocklists.
-In this case you will only publish
-the Floating IP to DNS and only use the static IP
-to SSH into the server.
-
-If you have such setup, make sure that
-you not only set ``PTR`` records for the Floating IP,
-but make outgoing connections using the Floating IP.
-Otherwise reverse DNS check succeed,
-but forward check making sure your domain name points
-to the IP address will fail.
-Such setup is indistinguishable from someone
-setting IP address ``PTR`` with the domain they don't own
-and as a result don't succeed.
-
-On Linux you can configure source IP address with ``ip route`` command,
-for example:
-::
-
-  ip route change default via <default-gateway> dev eth0 src <source-address>
-
-Make sure to persist the change after verifying it is working.
-You can check what your outgoing IP address is
-with ``curl icanhazip.com``.
-Check both the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
-For IPv4 address use ``curl ipv4.icanhazip.com`` or ``curl -4 icanhazip.com``
-and similarly for IPv6 if you have it.