# Bower

> a curses frontend for the Notmuch email system

**Wikidata**: [Q113571627](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113571627)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bower

## Summary
Bower is a free and open-source curses-based frontend for the Notmuch email system, designed to provide a terminal-based interface for managing email. Created by Peter Wang in 2011, it is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0 and is written in the Mercury programming language.

## Key Facts
- **Creator and Maintainer**: Bower was created and is maintained by Peter Wang.
- **License**: It is distributed under the GNU General Public License, version 3.0.
- **Programming Language**: Bower is written in Mercury, a functional logic programming language.
- **Inception**: The project was started in 2011.
- **Versions**: Bower has seen multiple releases, including versions 0.1 (2011-12-18), 0.2 (2012-03-03), 0.3 (2012-05-05), 0.4 (2012-08-12), 0.5 (2013-04-20), 0.6 (2014-05-01), 0.7 (2016-03-28), 0.8 (2017-07-30), 0.8.1 (2018-04-01), 0.9 (2018-10-06), 0.10 (2019-01-26), 0.11 (2019-08-17), 0.12 (2020-08-01), 0.13 (2021-07-24), 1.0 (2022-08-21), 1.1 (2024-07-21), and 1.1.1 (2025-03-29).
- **Website and Repository**: The official website and source code repository is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/wangp/bower.
- **Issue Tracker**: Issues and bug reports can be submitted at https://github.com/wangp/bower/issues.
- **Gentoo Package**: Bower is available as a package in the Gentoo Linux distribution under the name `mail-client/bower`.
- **Copyright**: The copyright holder is Peter Wang, and the software is copyrighted.

## FAQs
**What is Bower?**
Bower is a curses-based frontend for the Notmuch email system, designed to provide a terminal-based interface for managing email. It is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0.

**Who created Bower?**
Bower was created by Peter Wang, who also maintains the project.

**What programming language is Bower written in?**
Bower is written in Mercury, a functional logic programming language.

**When was Bower first released?**
The project was started in 2011, with the first version (0.1) released on December 18, 2011.

**What are the latest versions of Bower?**
The latest stable versions of Bower are 1.1 (released on July 21, 2024) and 1.1.1 (released on March 29, 2025).

**Where can I find the source code for Bower?**
The source code for Bower is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/wangp/bower.

**How can I report issues or bugs for Bower?**
Issues and bug reports can be submitted at the GitHub issue tracker: https://github.com/wangp/bower/issues.

**Is Bower available in any Linux distributions?**
Yes, Bower is available as a package in the Gentoo Linux distribution under the name `mail-client/bower`.

## Why It Matters
Bower provides a terminal-based interface for managing email, which is particularly useful for users who prefer or require a text-based environment. As a frontend for the Notmuch email system, Bower enhances the functionality and usability of Notmuch, making it more accessible to users who are comfortable with terminal applications. The use of the Mercury programming language, a functional logic programming language, sets Bower apart from many other email clients and demonstrates the versatility of Mercury in real-world applications. Additionally, Bower's status as free and open-source software ensures that users have the freedom to run, study, change, and distribute the software, fostering a community of contributors and users.

## Notable For
- **Terminal-Based Interface**: Bower provides a curses-based frontend for the Notmuch email system, making it accessible to users who prefer terminal applications.
- **Open-Source Software**: Bower is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0, ensuring users have the freedom to run, study, change, and distribute the software.
- **Mercury Programming Language**: Bower is written in Mercury, a functional logic programming language, showcasing the language's capabilities in real-world applications.
- **Multiple Releases**: Bower has seen numerous releases since its inception in 2011, demonstrating ongoing development and maintenance.
- **Gentoo Package**: Bower is available as a package in the Gentoo Linux distribution, making it easily installable for Gentoo users.

## Body
### Overview
Bower is a curses-based frontend for the Notmuch email system, designed to provide a terminal-based interface for managing email. It is free and open-source software, licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0. Bower was created and is maintained by Peter Wang, who also holds the copyright for the software.

### History
The Bower project was started in 2011. The first version, 0.1, was released on December 18, 2011. Since then, Bower has seen multiple releases, including versions 0.2 (March 3, 2012), 0.3 (May 5, 2012), 0.4 (August 12, 2012), 0.5 (April 20, 2013), 0.6 (May 1, 2014), 0.7 (March 28, 2016), 0.8 (July 30, 2017), 0.8.1 (April 1, 2018), 0.9 (October 6, 2018), 0.10 (January 26, 2019), 0.11 (August 17, 2019), 0.12 (August 1, 2020), 0.13 (July 24, 2021), 1.0 (August 21, 2022), 1.1 (July 21, 2024), and 1.1.1 (March 29, 2025).

### Architecture and Technology
Bower is written in Mercury, a functional logic programming language. This choice of programming language sets Bower apart from many other email clients and demonstrates the versatility of Mercury in real-world applications. Bower is designed to work as a frontend for the Notmuch email system, providing a terminal-based interface for managing email.

### Licensing and Distribution
Bower is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0, which ensures that users have the freedom to run, study, change, and distribute the software. This open-source license fosters a community of contributors and users who can collaborate on the development and improvement of Bower.

### Availability and Installation
Bower is available as a package in the Gentoo Linux distribution under the name `mail-client/bower`. This makes it easily installable for Gentoo users. The source code for Bower is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/wangp/bower, where users can access the latest version of the software and contribute to its development.

### Community and Support
Bower has an active community of users and contributors who collaborate on the development and improvement of the software. Issues and bug reports can be submitted at the GitHub issue tracker: https://github.com/wangp/bower/issues. This allows users to report problems and suggest improvements, ensuring that Bower continues to evolve and meet the needs of its users.

### Related Projects
Bower is a frontend for the Notmuch email system, which is a fast, global-search and tagging-based email system. Notmuch is designed to handle large volumes of email efficiently and provides a powerful search and tagging system. Bower enhances the functionality and usability of Notmuch by providing a terminal-based interface for managing email.

### Significance and Impact
Bower provides a terminal-based interface for managing email, which is particularly useful for users who prefer or require a text-based environment. As a frontend for the Notmuch email system, Bower enhances the functionality and usability of Notmuch, making it more accessible to users who are comfortable with terminal applications. The use of the Mercury programming language, a functional logic programming language, sets Bower apart from many other email clients and demonstrates the versatility of Mercury in real-world applications. Additionally, Bower's status as free and open-source software ensures that users have the freedom to run, study, change, and distribute the software, fostering a community of contributors and users.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/wangp/bower/blob/master/COPYING-GPL-3)
2. [Bower 1.0. 2022](https://www.mail-archive.com/notmuch@notmuchmail.org/msg53382.html)
3. [Release 1.0. 2022](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/1.0)
4. [Release 0.1. 2011](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.1)
5. [Release 0.2. 2012](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.2)
6. [Release 0.3. 2012](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.3)
7. [Release 0.4. 2012](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.4)
8. [Release 0.5. 2013](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.5)
9. [Release 0.6. 2014](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.6)
10. [Release 0.7. 2016](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.7)
11. [Release 0.8. 2017](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.8)
12. [Release 0.8.1. 2018](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.8.1)
13. [Release 0.9. 2018](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.9)
14. [Release 0.10. 2019](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.10)
15. [Release 0.11. 2019](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.11)
16. [Release 0.12. 2020](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.12)
17. [Release 0.13. 2021](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/0.13)
18. [Release 1.1. 2024](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/1.1)
19. [Release 1.1.1. 2025](https://github.com/wangp/bower/releases/tag/1.1.1)
20. [Source](https://github.com/wangp/bower/blob/master/NEWS)