[offlineimap]: https://github.com/OfflineIMAP/offlineimap
[website]: http://offlineimap.org
[wiki]: http://github.com/OfflineIMAP/offlineimap/wiki

# OfflineIMAP

## Description

OfflineIMAP is a software to dispose your e-mail mailbox(es) as a **local
Maildir**. OfflineIMAP will synchronize both sides via *IMAP*.

The main downside to IMAP is that you must **trust** your MAIL provider to not
lose your mail. This is not common but certainly possible.

With OfflineIMAP you can download your mail boxes and create your own backup
[Maildir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maildir).

This allows reading your mail while offline without the need for the mail
reader (MUA) to support IMAP disconnected operations. Need an attachement from a
message without internet? It's fine, the message is still there.


## License

GNU General Public License v2.


## Why should I use OfflineIMAP?

* It is **fast**.
* It is **reliable**.
* It is **flexible**.
* It is **safe**.


## Downloads

You should first check if your distribution already package OfflineIMAP for you.
Downloads releases as [tarball or zipball](https://github.com/OfflineIMAP/offlineimap/tags).


## Feedbacks and contributions

**The user discussions, development, announces and all the exciting stuff take
place in the mailing list.** While not mandatory to send emails, you can
[subscribe here](http://lists.alioth.debian.org/mailman/listinfo/offlineimap-project).

Bugs, issues and contributions can be requested to both the mailing list or the
[official Github project][offlineimap].


## The community

* OfflineIMAP's main site is the [project page at Github][offlineimap].
* There is the [OfflineIMAP community's website][website].
* And finally, [the wiki][wiki].


## Requirements

* Python v2.7
* Python SQlite (optional while recommended)


## Documentation

All the current and updated documentation is at the [community's website][website].

### Dispose locally

You might want to dispose the documentation locally. Get the sources of the website.
For the other documentations, run the approppriate make target:
```
$ ./scripts/get-repository.sh website
$ cd docs
$ make html  # Require rst2html
$ make man   # Require a2x
$ make api   # Require sphinx
```