--- title: "Deploy snappymail-template" description: "Fast webmail client for your existing IMAP/SMTP mail — one-click deploy" category: "Other" url: https://railway.com/deploy/snappymail-template --- # Deploy snappymail-template Fast webmail client for your existing IMAP/SMTP mail — one-click deploy **[Deploy snappymail-template on Railway](https://railway.com/template/snappymail-template)** Machine-readable deploy manifest (JSON, validated by TemplateCI): https://railway.com/deploy/snappymail-template/manifest.json - **Creator:** Nameless 's Projects - **Category:** Other ## Template content ### snappymail - **Source:** https://github.com/lNamelessl/snappymail-railway-template - **Public domain:** Yes ## Documentation # SnappyMail on Railway Fast, modern webmail for your existing mail server — deployed in one click. [![Deploy on Railway](https://railway.com/button.svg)](https://railway.com/deploy/snappymail-template) SnappyMail is a **webmail client**, not a mail server: it connects to the IMAP/SMTP mail you already have (Gmail, Outlook, your own mail host) and gives it a fast, modern web interface. No other services are required beyond your mail provider. ## What you get - One service: the official [`djmaze/snappymail`](https://hub.docker.com/r/djmaze/snappymail) image (built by the app author) pinned to `v2.38.2` — nginx on port 8888 behind Railway's TLS edge - One volume on `/var/lib/snappymail` — all app data, domain settings and users persist across restarts and redeploys - **Zero-credential admin bootstrap**: Railway generates the admin password per deployment into the `SNAPPYMAIL_ADMIN_PASSWORD` variable and the entrypoint pre-seeds it into the app before first boot — no file-digging, no random passwords lost in logs - Zero deploy-form prompts: everything is provisioned and generated automatically ## After deploying 1. Open your Railway project → **Variables** → copy the value of `SNAPPYMAIL_ADMIN_PASSWORD`. 2. Open your Railway domain at **`/?admin`** — log in as user **`admin`** with that password. 3. (Recommended) Change the admin password in the admin panel. The seed only applies while the password is unset, so your change survives reboots. 4. **Configure your mail domain** (required before anyone can log in): - In the admin panel open the **Domains** tab. - Edit the `default` domain or click **Add domain** for your mail host. - **IMAP**: host (e.g. `imap.gmail.com`), port **993**, security **SSL**; users log in with their full email address. - **SMTP**: host (e.g. `smtp.gmail.com`), port **465** security **SSL** (or port **587** security **STARTTLS**), enable **use auth**. - **Sieve** (optional, supported): host + port **4190**. - Save, then log in at `/` with a real mailbox account. 5. Optional: further domain/provider options (filters, attachment limits, branding) are all in the admin panel. ## Admin password details - The password lives in the `SNAPPYMAIL_ADMIN_PASSWORD` variable; a bcrypt hash is written to `/var/lib/snappymail/_data_/_default_/configs/application.ini` on first boot. - To reset later: change it in the admin panel (Settings → Security), or delete the volume to start over. - The file `admin_password.txt` (same folder) only exists while the initial password is unchanged; the app removes it once you set your own. ## Scope & notes - **Client, not server**: bring your own IMAP/SMTP. No POP3 support (removed upstream); Sieve is supported. - Timezone inside the container is UTC. - Image pinned to `v2.38.2` for reproducible deploys (the official image build dates to 2024-10; check upstream for newer releases). - Cost: roughly **$3–5/month** (512 MB service + 1 GB volume). # Deploy and Host Deploy SnappyMail to Railway with one click. The template provisions a single webmail service built from the pinned official SnappyMail image, attaches a persistent volume at `/var/lib/snappymail`, and generates a public domain on port 8888. The admin password is generated per deployment (variable `SNAPPYMAIL_ADMIN_PASSWORD`) and seeded into the app on first boot, so the admin panel at `/?admin` is usable immediately with the password from the Variables tab. ## About Hosting Hosting SnappyMail yourself means your mail credentials and messages pass through your own infrastructure instead of a third-party webmail host. The template runs one service (nginx + PHP-FPM under supervisord, ~512 MB RAM is plenty) with one volume for config, contacts, filters and cache. SnappyMail is a client: it stores settings and session data locally but fetches mail live over IMAP and sends over SMTP, so storage needs stay small (1 GB volume is comfortable). ## Why Deploy - The official image's worst quirk — the admin password being generated into a file inside the data volume — is solved: the password is a Railway variable you can read and rotate, seeded before first boot. - Volume ownership and the stock PHP-FPM pool configuration are fixed for Railway's runtime, so first boot succeeds without manual `chown` or config surgery. - One pinned image version, one volume, one generated variable — no database service, no deploy-form prompts, nothing else to wire up. ## Common Use Cases - Self-hosted webmail front-end for a personal or family mail server (Mailcow, Mail-in-a-Box, Dovecot/Postfix, Zimbra). - A fast web UI for provider mailboxes that support IMAP/SMTP (Gmail app passwords, Outlook, Fastmail, Migadu, Purelymail). - A lightweight replacement for Roundcube with modern UI, Sieve filter editing and GPG support. ## Dependencies for SnappyMail has no runtime dependencies inside Railway — no database, no cache, no workers. The only external dependency is the mail server you point it at. ### Deployment Dependencies - An IMAP/SMTP mail server reachable from the internet (your own, or a provider's). Configure it in the admin panel → Domains (IMAP `imap.example.com:993` SSL, SMTP `smtp.example.com:465` SSL or `587` STARTTLS with auth). - Outbound internet access from the service for IMAP/SMTP/Sieve connections (Railway allows this by default). ## Similar templates - [Rocky Linux](https://railway.com/deploy/rocky-linux) — Hosted Rocky Linux 9 workspace with SSH and persistent storage. 🚀 - [Foundry Virtual Tabletop](https://railway.com/deploy/X5tR6G) — A Self-Hosted & Modern Roleplaying Platform - [Letta Code Remote](https://railway.com/deploy/letta-code-remote) — Run a Letta Code agent 24/7. No inbound ports, just deploy. Open this page in a browser: https://railway.com/deploy/snappymail-template