install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install mairix

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install mairix

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

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install mairix

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install mairix

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#mairix

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S mairix

Arch Linux sync databases · mairix · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install mairix

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · mairix · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Email index and search tool

Project links

Commands and aliases

mairix

history

Project history and usage

mairix is a command-line indexer and search tool for email collections stored in Maildir, MH, MMDF, mbox, and later IMAP-backed folders.

Project history

The official README identifies Richard P. Curnow as the original author and dates the original copyright period to 2002-2004. It also says Kim Vandry has maintained the project since 2017, matching the current GitHub repository location.

The NEWS file shows mairix growing from a local maildir/MH search tool into a broader mail search utility. Version 0.4 added MH folder support, 0.12 added mbox indexing and output, 0.17 notes a migration to Git for revision control, and version 0.24 added remote IMAP folder support.

Adoption history

Upstream positions mairix as a complement to mail readers such as mutt and Sylpheed, because searches produce a match folder that normal mail clients can open. That workflow made mairix attractive to users who wanted fast local search without changing their main terminal mail client.

The README notes a mairix-users mailing list available since July 2006, and the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS file lists a broad patch and suggestion history. That is modest, but real, evidence of a small long-lived user and contributor community.

How it is used

mairix indexes configured mail folders into a database, then search mode creates a match folder containing symlinks or copied messages, depending on the source and result folder formats. It can also print raw matches or excerpts for scripts.

Configuration lives in $HOME/.mairixrc unless overridden with -f or --rcfile. The mairixrc manual documents required base, mfolder, database, and folder directives, plus optional IMAP settings including imap_username and imap_password.

Why package nerds care

mairix is a classic small Unix mail tool: narrow job, plain text configuration, fast incremental indexing, and output designed to compose with existing mail clients. It is especially notable for supporting several old mailbox formats without insisting on a new mail store.

For package maintainers, mairix sits in the same ecosystem as mutt, MH/nmh-style folders, Sylpheed, Claws Mail, and Gnus. Its value is less about being a full mail app and more about being the search engine you can bolt onto one.

Timeline

2002-2004: Original Richard P. Curnow copyright period documented in README.
2006: mairix-users mailing list is documented as available since July 2006.
2007: NEWS for version 0.17 notes migration to Git revision control.
2017: README says maintenance passed to Kim Vandry; GitHub release 0.24 is dated August 13, 2017.

Related projects

mutt is named by the README as a useful companion mail program.
Sylpheed is named by the README as a useful companion mail program.
Claws Mail, Evolution, Gnus, and xmh appear in the manpage as supported MH-family folder variants.

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 6 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: ~/.mairixrc

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: ~/.mairixrc

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`mairix`	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 version0.24

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/vandry/mairix

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/vandry/mairixnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:mairix
Version	0.24
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/mairix
Homepage	https://github.com/vandry/mairix
Repository	https://github.com/vandry/mairix
Upstream docs	https://github.com/vandry/mairix#readme
License	GPL-2.0-only
Source archive	https://github.com/vandry/mairix/releases/download/0.24/mairix-0.24.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	mairix
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	head 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%

mairix 0.24-2

indexes and searches locally-stored email

https://github.com/vandry/mairix

sudo apt install mairix

Section: mail
Architecture: amd64
3 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Mairix

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

Nix95%

mairix

nix profile install nixpkgs#mairix

normalized package name match
Matched by: Mairix

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

Ubuntu apt95%

mairix 0.24-2

indexes and searches locally-stored email

https://github.com/vandry/mairix

sudo apt install mairix

Section: universe/mail
Architecture: amd64
3 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Mairix

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

dnf95%

mairix 0.24-23.20220920git1cc06f.fc44

A program for indexing and searching email messages

http://www.rc0.org.uk/mairix

sudo dnf install mairix

License: GPL-2.0-only
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: mairix
5 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Mairix

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

pacman95%

mairix 0.24-5

A program for indexing and searching emails

https://github.com/vandry/mairix

sudo pacman -S mairix

License: GPL
Architecture: x86_64
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Mairix

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: mairix from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

zypper95%

mairix 0.24-1.32

A maildir indexer and searcher

http://www.rc0.org.uk/mairix/

sudo zypper install mairix

License: GPL-2.0
Category: Productivity/Networking/Email/Utilities
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: mairix
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Mairix

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mairix from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

mairix

sudo port install mairix

normalized package name match
Matched by: Mairix

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: mail/mairix/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/mairix.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 mairix with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

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