macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install isynclocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install isyncMacPorts ports tree · mail/isync/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install isync with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Synchronize a maildir with an IMAP server. Version 1.5.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add isyncAlpine Linux edge package indexes · isync · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install isyncDebian stable package indexes · isync · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install isyncFedora Rawhide package metadata · isync · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#isyncnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/is/isync/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S isyncArch Linux sync databases · isync · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install isyncopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · isync · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Synchronize a maildir with an IMAP server
Project links
Commands and aliases
- mbsync
- mbsync-get-cert
- mdconvert
history
Project history and usage
isync is a long-running Unix mailbox synchronizer whose user-facing command is mbsync. It synchronizes Maildir and IMAP4 mailboxes, propagating new messages, deletions, and flag changes in both directions for disconnected or local-first email workflows.
Project history
The project is hosted on SourceForge and identifies isync as the project name while explaining that mbsync is the executable name after major user-interface changes. The repository exposes early tags beginning at v0.1 and release branches from 0.9 onward, showing a project with old-school Unix mail roots.
The 1.x release line continued over many years, with SourceForge release directories showing 1.0.4 in 2008, 1.1.x in 2013-2015, 1.2.x in 2015-2017, 1.3.x in 2017-2021, 1.4.x in 2021, and 1.5.x in 2024-2025. The 1.5.0 release notes called out XDG base directory support while keeping old locations supported.
Adoption history
isync became a standard tool for users who keep mail in local Maildir stores while reading or indexing mail with Unix tools. Package metadata shows it distributed by Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, Alpine, MacPorts, Nix, and openSUSE-family repositories, which matches its role as a portable infrastructure utility rather than an application-specific client.
Its adoption overlaps with notmuch, mu, mutt, neomutt, local mail search, and scripted backup workflows where a deterministic command-line synchronizer is easier to reason about than a full graphical mail client.
How it is used
A user writes an isyncrc or mbsyncrc file describing IMAP accounts, Maildir stores, channels, TLS/SASL authentication, and synchronization rules, then runs mbsync manually, from cron, or from a mail workflow hook.
The project emphasizes UID-based synchronization, one local state file per mailbox pair, safe operation while mailboxes are modified, TLS/SSL support, SASL authentication, and IMAP pipelining for speed.
Why package nerds care
isync is beloved package-manager material because it is small, scriptable, and composes with the rest of the Unix mail stack. The package name and executable-name mismatch is also a memorable bit of package trivia: install isync, run mbsync.
The 1.5.x move toward XDG paths is significant for dotfile and package users because it preserves old `~/.mbsyncrc` habits while allowing cleaner config placement under `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME`.
Timeline
- 2008: SourceForge release files include isync 1.0.4.
- 2013: isync 1.1.0 was published in the SourceForge release tree.
- 2017: isync 1.3.0 appeared after the 1.2.x line.
- 2021: isync 1.4.0 was published.
- 2024: isync 1.5.0 added XDG-based default config and state locations while keeping old locations supported.
- 2025: isync 1.5.1 was published.
Related projects
- offlineIMAP and mailsync are named by the project as other mailbox synchronizers.
- Maildir, IMAP4, UIDPLUS, LITERAL+, TLS, SASL, and local mail tools such as mutt/neomutt and notmuch are part of the same practical ecosystem.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: orange
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. formula declares a Homebrew service.
Risk classifier
orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
- formula declares a Homebrew service
Signals
- metadata:service
- text:sync,server
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Formula metadata declares a service or daemon block.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
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/isyncrc~/.config/isyncrc~/.mbsyncrc
Credential files
Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.
- Unix
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/isyncrc~/.config/isyncrc~/.mbsyncrc
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
mbsync | cli | global executable | |
mbsync-get-cert | cli | global executable | |
mdconvert | 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 version1.5.1
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://isync.sourceforge.io/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:isync |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.5.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/isync |
| Homepage | https://isync.sourceforge.io/ |
| Repository | https://git.code.sf.net/p/isync/isync |
| Upstream docs | https://isync.sourceforge.io/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/isync/isync/1.5.1/isync-1.5.1.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | berkeley-db@5, openssl@3 |
| Uses from macOS | cyrus-sasl |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | isync |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
isync 1.5.1-1
IMAP and MailDir mailbox synchronizer
https://isync.sourceforge.net/
sudo apt install isync- Section: mail
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
Nix95%
isync
nix profile install nixpkgs#isync- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
Ubuntu apt95%
isync 1.4.4-5build3
IMAP and MailDir mailbox synchronizer
https://isync.sourceforge.net/
sudo apt install isync- Section: universe/mail
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
apk95%
isync 1.5.1-r1
IMAP and MailDir mailbox synchronizer
sudo apk add isync- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: isync
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
apk95%
isync-doc 1.5.1-r1
IMAP and MailDir mailbox synchronizer (documentation)
sudo apk add isync-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: isync
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
dnf95%
isync 1.5.1-3.fc44
Tool to synchronize IMAP4 and Maildir mailboxes
sudo dnf install isync- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: isync
- 8 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
pacman95%
isync 1.5.1-2
IMAP and MailDir mailbox synchronizer
sudo pacman -S isync- License: GPL2
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
zypper95%
isync 1.5.1-1.3
Utility to synchronize IMAP mailboxes with local maildir folders
sudo zypper install isync- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: isync
- 7 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
MacPorts95%
isync
sudo port install isync- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Isync
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.
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