install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install getmail6

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install getmail6

MacPorts ports tree · mail/getmail6/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add getmail6

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · getmail6 · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install getmail6

Debian stable package indexes · getmail6 · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install getmail6

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · getmail6 · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#getmail6

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ge/getmail6/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Extensible mail retrieval system with POP3, IMAP4, SSL support

Project links

Commands and aliases

getmail
getmail_fetch
getmail_maildir
getmail_mbox

history

Project history and usage

getmail6 is the Python 3 continuation of getmail, an extensible mail retrieval system for POP3, IMAP4, SSL-protected mailboxes, filtering, and delivery to local mail stores or external delivery agents.

Project history

The official documentation describes getmail version 6 as a port of getmail version 5 to Python 3 without adding features. The project preserves Charles Cazabon's getmail design while carrying the code through Python 3 compatibility, XDG configuration behavior, OAuth-related fixes, and mail-server compatibility changes.

Adoption history

getmail6 took over an established role from getmail after Python 2 era packaging became harder to sustain. Its appearance in Homebrew, Alpine, Debian, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, and Ubuntu package sets reflects the need for a maintained fetchmail alternative in Unix-like mail setups.

How it is used

Practitioners configure one or more retrievers and destinations in `getmailrc`, then run `getmail` manually, from cron, or as part of a local mail workflow. Common uses include pulling mail from POP3 or IMAP accounts, writing Maildir or mboxrd files, invoking an MDA, filtering messages, and using helper commands such as `getmail_fetch`, `getmail_maildir`, and `getmail_mbox`.

Why package nerds care

For package users, getmail6 matters because it keeps the conservative getmail workflow available on Python 3 systems. The project is intentionally evolutionary: compatibility fixes, configuration-path behavior, and mail-provider authentication changes carry more weight than new feature breadth.

Timeline

1998: The getmail copyright history begins.
2019: getmail 5.14 was released by the original line.
2020: getmail6 version 6.00 made the code compatible with Python 3.
2020: Version 6.7 added XDG configuration-directory behavior.
2025: Version 6.19.08 removed Python 2 support code.

Related projects

getmail6 is related to the original getmail project and to fetchmail as the older mail retriever it was designed to replace.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/getmail/getmailrc~/.config/getmail/getmailrc~/.getmail/getmailrc

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/getmail/getmailrc~/.config/getmail/getmailrc~/.getmail/getmailrc

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`getmail`	cli	global executable
`getmail_fetch`	cli	global executable
`getmail_maildir`	cli	global executable
`getmail_mbox`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version6.20.00

manager updated2026-06-15

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv6.20.00

https://github.com/getmail6/getmail6

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:getmail6
Version	6.20.00
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/getmail6
Homepage	https://getmail6.org/
Repository	https://github.com/getmail6/getmail6
Upstream docs	https://getmail6.org/configuration.html
License	GPL-2.0-only
Source archive	https://github.com/getmail6/getmail6/archive/refs/tags/v6.20.00.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-15T21:15:00Z
Pulse	updated
Uses from macOS	python
Bottle	available (on all)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	getmail6
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

getmail6 6.19.07-1

mail retriever with support for POP3, IMAP4 and SDPS

https://getmail6.org/

sudo apt install getmail6

Section: mail
Architecture: all
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Getmail6

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: getmail6 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

getmail6

nix profile install nixpkgs#getmail6

normalized package name match
Matched by: Getmail6

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ge/getmail6/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

getmail6 6.18.13-1

mail retriever with support for POP3, IMAP4 and SDPS

https://getmail6.org/

sudo apt install getmail6

Section: universe/mail
Architecture: all
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Getmail6

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: getmail6 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

apk95%

getmail6 6.19.12-r0

mail retriever with support for POP3, IMAP4 and SDPS

https://getmail6.org/

sudo apk add getmail6

License: GPL-2.0-only
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: getmail6
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Getmail6

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: getmail6 from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

getmail6-doc 6.19.12-r0

mail retriever with support for POP3, IMAP4 and SDPS (documentation)

https://getmail6.org/

sudo apk add getmail6-doc

License: GPL-2.0-only
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: getmail6
normalized package name match
Matched by: Getmail6

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: getmail6-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

getmail6-pyc 6.19.12-r0

Precompiled Python bytecode for getmail6

https://getmail6.org/

sudo apk add getmail6-pyc

License: GPL-2.0-only
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: getmail6
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Getmail6

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: getmail6-pyc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

getmail6 6.19.12-2.fc45

A mail retrieval, sorting, and delivering system

https://www.getmail6.org/

sudo dnf install getmail6

License: GPL-2.0-only and Apache-2.0
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: noarch
Source Package: getmail6
3 dependencies
3 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Getmail6

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: getmail6 from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

getmail6

sudo port install getmail6

normalized package name match
Matched by: Getmail6

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: mail/getmail6/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

MacPorts94%

getmail

sudo port install getmail

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Getmail

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: mail/getmail/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/getmail6.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install getmail6 with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: green

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Credential files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources