# Alot

> a terminal-based mail user agent for the notmuch mail system

**Wikidata**: [Q108923920](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108923920)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/alot

## Summary
Alot is a terminal-based mail user agent (MUA) designed specifically for the notmuch mail system. Written in Python, it provides a text-based user interface for email management and is distributed as free software. The client is maintained by Patrick Totzke and is compatible with Unix-like operating systems such as BSD and Linux.

## Key Facts
- **Type:** Terminal-based Mail User Agent (MUA)
- **Target System:** Built for the notmuch mail system
- **Programming Language:** Python
- **License:** Free Software (License ID: Q27016754)
- **Maintainer:** Patrick Totzke
- **Source Code:** Hosted on GitHub at `https://github.com/pazz/alot`
- **Latest Stable Version:** 0.12 (Released December 11, 2025)
- **Software Dependencies:** configobj, gpg, notmuch, python-magic, Twisted, urwid, urwidtrees
- **Package Availability:** Available via Debian (alot, alot-doc), Ubuntu, FreeBSD (mail/py-alot), Gentoo (mail-client/alot), PyPI, and Guix.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Alot?
A: Alot is a mail user agent that runs in a terminal. It is designed to work with the notmuch mail indexing system and is written in the Python programming language.

### Q: Who maintains Alot?
A: The software is maintained by Patrick Totzke, a theoretical computer scientist.

### Q: What operating systems does Alot run on?
A: Alot runs on Unix-like operating systems, specifically listed as running on BSD. It is available in package repositories for Debian, Ubuntu, Gentoo, and Guix.

### Q: What are the technical requirements to run Alot?
A: Alot requires the notmuch mail system, Python, and several software libraries including urwid, Twisted, configobj, python-magic, urwidtrees, and gpg.

## Why It Matters
Alot fills a specific niche in the software ecosystem by providing a modern, scriptable interface for the notmuch email system within a terminal environment. While many email clients rely on heavy graphical interfaces, Alot leverages Python and the urwid library to offer a lightweight, keyboard-driven workflow that appeals to developers and system administrators who prefer command-line tools.

Its significance lies in its deep integration with "notmuch," an email indexing and tagging system that handles large volumes of email efficiently. By acting as a front-end for notmuch, Alot allows users to leverage advanced tagging and searching capabilities without leaving the command line. As free software, it encourages community contribution and customization, ensuring adaptability for various Unix-like environments ranging from BSD to Linux distributions like Debian and Ubuntu.

## Notable For
- **Terminal Interface:** Provides a text-based user interface (TUI) for email, suitable for use without a graphical desktop environment.
- **Python Foundation:** Built entirely in Python, making it extensible and easier to modify for users familiar with the language.
- **Notmuch Integration:** Specifically designed as a front-end for the notmuch mail system, distinguishing it from generic IMAP/POP clients.
- **Broad Distribution:** packaged for multiple system managers including Debian, Ubuntu, FreeBSD, Gentoo, PyPI, and Guix.
- **Active Development:** Maintained with version updates spanning from 2017 to 2025.

## Body
### Technical Architecture and Dependencies
Alot is constructed as an email client that operates entirely within a terminal window. Its core functionality relies on the **notmuch** mail system, which handles the backend indexing and tagging of email messages. The user interface is built using **urwid**, a console user interface library for Python, alongside **urwidtrees** for displaying hierarchical data.

To function, the software requires several dependencies:
*   **Configobj:** For configuration file parsing.
*   **Twisted:** An event-driven networking engine.
*   **Python-magic:** For file type identification.
*   **GPG:** Likely utilized for encryption and privacy features.

### Version History and Maintenance
The project is maintained by **Patrick Totzke**, identified as a theoretical computer scientist. Development has been consistent over several years, with a detailed timeline of stable releases recorded in the source data:

*   **0.5.1:** Released July 12, 2017
*   **0.6:** Released August 19, 2017
*   **0.7:** Released February 22, 2018
*   **0.8:** Released December 10, 2018
*   **0.8.1:** Released February 14, 2019
*   **0.9:** Released February 2, 2020
*   **0.9.1:** Released May 14, 2020
*   **0.10:** Released September 26, 2021
*   **0.11:** Released August 26, 2024
*   **0.12:** Released December 11, 2025 (Listed as the preferred stable version)

### Distribution and Availability
Alot is widely available across various free and open-source software repositories. It is included in the **Debian** stable repositories (specifically the bookworm distribution) and **Ubuntu** package archives. For BSD systems, it is available via the port `mail/py-alot`. The source code is publicly accessible via GitHub at `https://github.com/pazz/alot`, and the project maintains an IRC channel at `irc://irc.libera.chat/alot` for community support. The project is listed in the Free Software Directory.

## References

1. Free Software Directory
2. [announcing v0.9.1. 2020](https://notmuchmail.org/pipermail/notmuch/2020/029517.html)
3. [Release 0.9.1. 2020](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/0.9.1)
4. [announcing v0.10. 2021](https://www.mail-archive.com/notmuch@notmuchmail.org/msg52052.html)
5. [Release 0.10. 2021](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/0.10)
6. [Release 0.5.1. 2017](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/0.5.1)
7. [Release 0.6. 2017](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/0.6)
8. [Release 0.7. 2018](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/0.7)
9. [Release 0.8. 2018](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/0.8)
10. [Release 0.8.1. 2019](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/0.8.1)
11. [Release 0.9. 2020](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/0.9)
12. [announcing v0.11. 2024](https://www.mail-archive.com/notmuch@notmuchmail.org/msg54458.html)
13. [Release 0.12. 2025](https://github.com/pazz/alot/releases/tag/v0.12)
14. [Source](https://packages.debian.org/source/bookworm/alot)