
Roundcube is a popular web-based email client that's easy to install and configure. It's available for download as a self-contained package, which includes all the necessary files and scripts.
To get started, you'll need to download the Roundcube installer from the official website. The installer is available in various formats, including zip, tar.gz, and tar.bz2.
The Roundcube installation process is relatively straightforward and can be completed in a few simple steps. You'll need to extract the archive, create a new database, and configure the Roundcube settings.
Roundcube requires a database to store user information and email data. You can use either MySQL or PostgreSQL as the database backend.
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Configuration
To configure Roundcube, you'll need to adjust some PHP settings. You can do this by modifying the php.ini or .htaccess file, depending on your server setup.
Here's a minimal list of settings you might need to use:
- Memory limit: memory_limit=64M
- Options that control logging: display_errors=Off, log_errors=On, error_log=logs/errors.log
- Options that control file uploads: upload_max_filesize=5M, post_max_size=6M
- Options that are not compatible with Roundcube: zlib.output_compression=Off, suhosin.session.encrypt=Off, session.auto_start=Off
- Options that control session behaviour: session.gc_maxlifetime=21600, session.gc_divisor=500, session.gc_probability=1
After adjusting these settings, you can start the install wizard by pointing your browser to the Roundcube installer URL.
PHP Configuration

PHP Configuration is a crucial aspect of any PHP application, and Roundcube is no exception. It's essential to set the right PHP settings for Roundcube to run smoothly.
You'll need to use one of three files depending on your server setup: php.ini, .htaccess, or .user.ini. Roundcube will check most critical settings and let you know if something's wrong.
A minimal list of settings that you might need to use includes memory limit, which should be set to at least 64M. This is a good starting point for most applications.
Options that control logging are also important. You'll want to set display_errors to Off and log_errors to On. Additionally, you'll need to specify an error log file, such as logs/errors.log.
If you plan to allow file uploads, you'll need to set upload_max_filesize and post_max_size. A good starting point is 5M and 6M, respectively.
There are also some PHP settings that are not compatible with Roundcube. You'll need to set zlib.output_compression to Off, suhosin.session.encrypt to Off, and session.auto_start to Off.
Finally, you'll need to configure session behavior. Set session.gc_maxlifetime to 21600, session.gc_divisor to 500, and session.gc_probability to 1.
Configuration

Configuration is a crucial step in setting up Roundcube. You'll need to adjust PHP settings to ensure a smooth experience.
To start, you'll need to use php.ini or .htaccess (Apache module) or .user.ini (CGI/FastCGI SAPI) depending on your server setup. Roundcube will check most critical settings and let you know if something's wrong.
A minimal list of settings you might need to adjust includes memory limit, options that control logging, file uploads, and session behaviour. Memory limit should be set to at least 64M, and display_errors should be turned off.
Here are some specific settings to consider:
- Memory limit: memory_limit=64M
- Options that control logging: display_errors=Off, log_errors=On, error_log=logs/errors.log
- Options that control file uploads (e.g. max attachment size): upload_max_filesize=5M, post_max_size=6M
- Options that control session behaviour: session.gc_maxlifetime=21600, session.gc_divisor=500, session.gc_probability=1
Once you've adjusted these settings, you can move on to configuring Roundcube itself. For v1.7 and above, configure your HTTP server and point it to Roundcube's public_html directory. This is the document root.

After uploading the files, point your browser to the installer URL (http://url-to-roundcube/installer.php for v1.7 and above) to start the install wizard. The first page shows some requirements, and when you click "START INSTALLATION", the installer checks if everything is there.
If you see some red NOT OK messages, you need to install or enable something. Follow the links or find out more by searching your web site for your server's operating system or http://www.php.net.
SQLite
SQLite is a great option for Roundcube. A SQLite DB will be created automatically by Roundcube.
To ensure the file specified in the configuration is located in a basedir location, consider adding /var/lib/roundcubemail to your basedir definition. This involves creating the directory and chowning it to http.
For Roundcube to function properly, you need to copy the example configuration file and adjust it to your configuration. Set your mail server settings and enable the setup wizard by setting enable_installer to true.
To detect mime-types from filename extensions, Roundcube needs to be pointed to a mime.types file. Apache usually comes with one, so you can use that.
License

The license for Roundcube Webmail Software is quite permissive, allowing you to redistribute and modify it under the GNU General Public License.
The software is distributed without any warranty, so use it at your own risk. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program, but if not, you can find it at www.gnu.org/licenses/.
Plugins and skins that just make function calls to the software without modifying it are exempt from the license terms. If you want to use this file in another project or create a modified version, you can remove the exception and use the original license.
For more details about licensing, see roundcube.net/license.
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Security
You can secure your emails with Mailvelope, a tool that offers easy OpenPGP-based End-to-End encrypted email, integrating closely with Roundcube.
To protect your Roundcube installation, you should deny access to certain directories through your webserver. These directories include /config, /temp, and /logs.
You can achieve this by using .htaccess files to protect these directories, and allowing override of the Limit directives to get them taken into account. Alternatively, you can configure non-apache web servers to deny direct access to these private resources.
Here are the directories that should be denied access to:
- /config
- /temp
- /logs
It's also recommended to set the document root of your virtual host to the public_html directory of your Roundcube installation, after installation is complete.
Protect Your Installation
Protecting your Roundcube installation is crucial for keeping your email data secure. You should deny access to certain directories through your web server.
Roundcube uses public_html as its document root, which means directories like /config, /temp, and /logs are not accessible by default. To protect these directories, access through your web server to the following should be denied:
- /config
- /temp
- /logs
To get these directories protected, Roundcube uses .htaccess files. You need to allow override of the Limit directives to get them taken into account. Alternatively, you can configure non-apache web servers to deny direct access to these private resources.
It's also recommended to set the document root of your virtual host to the public_html directory of your Roundcube installation, but only after installation is complete.
Authentication Failed
If you're experiencing issues with authentication failure, it's often a matter of misconfigured settings.
Disabling certain settings in config.inc.php can help resolve the issue. You may first try to comment out the settings as shown.
SMTP errors can be frustrating, but in many cases, authentication failure is a result of a simple misconfiguration.
To troubleshoot, you may first try to disable the following settings in config.inc.php.
Recipient Address Rejected
Recipient Address Rejected errors can be frustrating. You may get one of these errors, depending if you use TLS or STARTTLS.
If you're experiencing this issue, try checking your email settings. Adding certain lines to your config.inc.php file may resolve the problem.
Pages or sections flagged with Template:Out of date may be a contributing factor. Pages with broken package links could also be the culprit.
Try adding the following lines to your config.inc.php file to troubleshoot the issue:
- Pages or sections flagged with Template:Out of date
- Pages with broken package links
Features
Roundcube is a powerful email client that's packed with features to help you manage your inbox efficiently. It's built with Ajax technology, which allows for features like drag-and-drop message management.
One of the standout features of Roundcube is its multilingual support, with over 70 languages to choose from. This makes it an excellent choice for users who communicate with people from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
Roundcube also connects to any IMAPv4 server and uses an encrypted TLSv1.2 connection to ensure your emails are safe and secure. This is especially important for users who handle sensitive information via email.
Some of the key features of Roundcube include support for MIME and HTML messages, as well as a sophisticated privacy protection system. It also allows you to compose rich text/HTML messages with attachments and has multiple sender identities.
Here are some of the key features of Roundcube:
- Support for MIME and HTML messages
- Sophisticated privacy protection
- Compose rich text/HTML messages with attachments
- Multiple sender identities
- Threaded message listing
- IDNA support
- Full-featured address book based on vCard with group support
- LDAP directory integration for address books
- Find-as-you-type address book integration
- Forwarding messages with attachments
- Built-in caching for fast mailbox access
- Searching messages and contacts
- Spell checking
- Support for external SMTP server
- OAuth support
- Support for shared/global folders and IMAP ACLs
- IMAP folder management
- Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) and Mailvelope support
- Template system for custom themes
- Canned response templates
- Three column (widescreen) mailbox view
Sleek, Intuitive UI
Roundcube's user interface is a major highlight of this email software. It's built with Ajax technology, which allows for drag-and-drop message management, making it easy to organize your inbox.
The interface is also multilingual, supporting over 70 languages. This means you can use Roundcube no matter where you are in the world.
One of the standout features of Roundcube's UI is its support for threaded message listing. This makes it easy to see all the messages in a conversation at a glance.
Here are some of the key features of Roundcube's user interface:
- Drag-and-drop message management
- Threaded message listing
- Three column (widescreen) mailbox view
These features all work together to create a seamless and intuitive user experience.
Scalability
Scalability is a key feature of Roundcube, allowing it to operate smoothly even with minimal server resources.
This makes it an ideal choice for both small installations and large-scale deployments, as it can handle a growing user base without significant additional costs.
Roundcube is easily scalable, which means you can upgrade or downgrade your setup as needed, without worrying about major disruptions.
A better user experience is also a result of Roundcube's scalability, as it can adapt to changing user needs and provide a seamless experience.
This scalability also translates to cost savings, as you won't need to invest in expensive hardware or software upgrades to meet growing demands.
By choosing Roundcube, you can save on infrastructure overhead and focus on more important things, like improving your team's productivity and user satisfaction.
Customization and Extensions

Roudcube can be adapted to specific needs through extensions and custom code, allowing you to offer additional value and improve integration in your other services.
This flexibility is a game-changer for businesses that need to tailor their email management system to their unique requirements.
You can use extensions to add new features and functionalities to Roudcube, making it an even more powerful tool for your team.
By customizing Roudcube, you can streamline your workflow and make your email management system an integral part of your overall operations.
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Sync Address Book with CardDAV
Syncing your address book with CardDAV can be a game-changer for your email experience.
You can use the Roundcube address book to have auto-completion features for address fields, making it easier to find and select contacts.
To enable this feature, you'll need to adjust the lines in your configuration file.
The roundcubemail-plugin-carddav extension is what allows you to access your remote address book in Roundcube.
This extension is particularly useful if you have your contacts stored somewhere else and your remote application offers a CardDav server for synchronization.
Browser Support
Roundcube's browser support is quite impressive, thanks to its reliance on jQuery 3.x and other libraries.
It supports Chrome up to the current version minus one, as well as the current version.
Edge also gets the same treatment, with support for the current version minus one and the current version.
Firefox users are in luck, as Roundcube supports it up to the current version minus one, the current version, and even the Extended Support Release (ESR) version.
Safari users can breathe a sigh of relief, as Roundcube supports it up to the current version minus one and the current version.
Opera users, on the other hand, only need to worry about the current version.
Here's a quick rundown of the supported browsers:
- Chrome: (Current - 1) and Current
- Edge: (Current - 1) and Current
- Firefox: (Current - 1) and Current, ESR
- Safari: (Current - 1) and Current
- Opera: Current
Installation and Setup
To install Roundcube, you'll need to download the package and its dependencies. If you didn't download the "complete" package, you'll need to install dependencies using Composer, which can be found at getcomposer.org.
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For v1.6 and below, rename the composer.json-dist file into composer.json. If you want to use LDAP address books, move the items from "suggest" to the "require" section in your composer.json file.
To install dependencies using Composer, run the command php composer.phar install --no-dev. You'll also need to download JavaScript dependencies by running bin/install-jsdeps.sh from the Roundcube root directory. This requires shell access to the webserver.
Install Dependencies
Installing dependencies for Roundcube is a crucial step, and it's relatively straightforward. You'll need to download the "complete" package if you don't have shell access to the webserver.
If you do have shell access, you can install dependencies using Composer, a PHP package manager. Get Composer from getcomposer.org and follow these steps:
- Run the command `php composer.phar install --no-dev` to install dependencies.
Keep in mind that if you want to use LDAP address books, you'll need to modify your composer.json file. Move the LDAP library items from the "suggest" section to the "require" section.
You'll also need to download JavaScript dependencies by running `bin/install-jsdeps.sh` from the Roundcube root directory.
If you don't have shell access, don't worry! You can download the "complete" package and copy the vendor directory into the Roundcube installation directory. This will save you the hassle of installing dependencies manually.
Installation

To install Roundcube, you'll need to download the "complete" package, which includes all dependencies, or install them separately using Composer. For the latter, get Composer from getcomposer.org and rename the composer.json-dist file into composer.json if you're using v1.6 or below.
To use LDAP address books, enable the LDAP libraries in your composer.json file by moving the items from "suggest" to the "require" section. Run php composer.phar install --no-dev to install dependencies.
You'll also need to download JavaScript dependencies by running bin/install-jsdeps.sh from the Roundcube root directory. This requires shell access to the webserver, so if you don't have that, download the "complete" package and copy the vendor directory into the Roundcube installation directory.
Roundcube operates smoothly even with minimal server resources, making it an ideal choice for both small installations and large-scale deployments.
Webserver (Nginx)
To set up Roundcube with Nginx, start by using a bare minimum configuration. This example config serves as a starting point for a more secure setup.
For a more secure web server, consider setting up TLS/HTTPS with a program like Certbot. This is good practice to secure the service.
You can begin with basic HTTP, but keep in mind that this is unencrypted and should be expanded upon for security.
Troubleshooting
Roundcube has a reputation for being a reliable email client, but like any software, it's not immune to issues.
If you're experiencing problems with Roundcube, the first step is to check your internet connection.
A slow or unstable connection can prevent Roundcube from functioning properly, so make sure you're connected to a stable network.
If your connection is fine, try clearing your browser cache, as outdated cache files can cause problems with Roundcube's functionality.
Attention
When working with Roundcube, it's essential to be aware of the snapshot version you're using. This is just a snapshot from the GIT repository and is NOT A STABLE version of Roundcube.
Replacing an existing installation of Roundcube with this version is not recommended. Using a separate database for this installation is highly recommended.
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Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting is all about identifying and fixing problems. It's a process that can save you time, money, and frustration.
A good troubleshooter knows how to ask the right questions, like "What was the last thing I did before the problem started?" or "Have I recently updated any software or hardware?" This helps to narrow down the possible causes of the issue.

The first step in troubleshooting is to gather information about the problem. This includes taking notes on when the issue started, how often it occurs, and any error messages that appear. For example, if your computer is freezing, you might note that it happens every time you try to play a certain game.
Don't be afraid to try simple solutions first, like restarting your device or checking your connections. Sometimes, these easy fixes can resolve the issue without requiring more complex troubleshooting.
In some cases, you may need to check the logs or event history to identify the cause of the problem. This can be a valuable resource for understanding what's going on behind the scenes. For instance, if your printer is not printing, checking the print queue or error logs might reveal a stuck job or paper jam.
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