Send email with Mutt: Manage your inbox in the terminal.

Mutt is a command-line email client that can be used on Unix-like operating systems. It provides a simple and efficient way to read, send, and manage emails from the terminal. Here are some key features of Mutt: 1. **Text-Based Interface**: Mutt operates entirely in the terminal, making it accessible for users who prefer not to use graphical interfaces. 2. **IMAP/POP3 Support**: It supports both IMAP and POP3 protocols for accessing email accounts. 3. **Customizable Configuration**: Users can customize Mutt's behavior through a configuration file (`~/.muttrc`), allowing for a highly personalized experience. 4. **Search and Filter Capabilities**: Mutt allows users to search and filter emails based on various criteria such as sender, subject, date, etc. 5. **Attachments Handling**: It supports viewing and handling email attachments, though it does not natively support HTML emails. 6. **Quick Access Commands**: Mutt provides quick access commands for common tasks like composing new messages, replying to emails, deleting messages, and archiving. 7. **Integration with Other Tools**: Mutt can be integrated with other terminal-based tools like `vim` for editing email content or `lynx`/`w3m` for viewing HTML emails. ### Installation To install Mutt on a Debian-based system (like Ubuntu), you can use the following command: ```sh sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install mutt ``` For Fedora, you can use: ```sh sudo dnf install mutt ``` For Arch Linux, you can use: ```sh sudo pacman -S mutt ``` ### Basic Configuration Here is a basic configuration example for Mutt to connect to a Gmail account: 1. **Create the Configuration File**: ```sh nano ~/.muttrc ``` 2. **Add the Following Lines**: ```sh set imap_user = "your-email@gmail.com" set imap_pass = "your-password" set smtp_url = "smtps://your-email@gmail.com" set smtp_pass = "your-password" set folder = "imaps://imap.gmail.com/" set spoolfile = "+INBOX" set postponed = "+[Gmail]/Drafts" set record = "+[Gmail]/Sent Mail" set trash = "+[Gmail]/Trash" ``` 3. **Save and Exit**: Press `Ctrl+X`, then `Y` to confirm, and `Enter` to save. ### Running Mutt To start using Mutt, simply run the following command in your terminal: ```sh mutt ``` This will open Mutt's interface where you can view and manage your emails. ### Handling HTML Emails Mutt does not natively support HTML emails. To handle them, you can configure Mutt to use a text-based web browser like `lynx` or `w3m`. Here is how you can set it up: 1. **Install Lynx**: ```sh sudo apt-get install lynx # Debian/Ubuntu sudo dnf install lynx # Fedora sudo pacman -S lynx # Arch Linux ``` 2. **Edit the `~/.muttrc` File**: Add the following line to handle HTML emails with Lynx: ```sh auto_view text/html ``` 3. **Configure Mailcap**: Edit the `~/.mailcap` file and add the following lines: ```sh text/html; lynx -assume_charset=%{charset} -display_charset=utf-8 -dump %s; nametemplate=%s.html; copiousoutput ``` Now, when you open an HTML email in Mutt, it will attempt to display it using Lynx. ### Conclusion Mutt is a powerful and efficient command-line email client that offers a unique blend of speed and customization. While it may not be suitable for everyone due to its text-based nature, it can be an excellent choice for users who prefer working in the terminal or those dealing primarily with plain text emails.