# notmuch-indicator

> simple package that renders an indicator with an email count of the Notmuch index on the Emacs mode line

**Wikidata**: [Q114072315](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114072315)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/notmuch-indicator

## Summary
notmuch-indicator is a free software package for GNU Emacs that displays an email count from the Notmuch index directly on the Emacs mode line. It was created by Protesilaos Stavrou and first released in September 2022. The package is written in Emacs Lisp and distributed via GNU ELPA.

## Key Facts
- Created by Protesilaos Stavrou in 2022-09-19
- First published to GNU ELPA on 2022-09-21
- Current stable version: 1.3.0 (released 2026-01-18)
- Written in Emacs Lisp for use with GNU Emacs
- Licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later (Q27016754)
- Depends on Notmuch for indexing and querying emails
- Maintained as part of the GNU Project through GNU ELPA since 2022
- Available from multiple repositories including SourceHut, GitHub, GitLab, and GNU Savannah

## FAQs
### Q: What does notmuch-indicator do?
A: notmuch-indicator renders a live email count from your Notmuch database directly onto the Emacs mode line. This allows users to see how many unread or total emails exist without leaving their editing environment.

### Q: How is notmuch-indicator installed?
A: The package can be installed directly from GNU ELPA using standard Emacs package management tools like `package-install`. It's also mirrored across several code hosting platforms including GitHub and GitLab.

### Q: Is notmuch-indicator actively maintained?
A: Yes, it has been continuously maintained by its author Protesilaos Stavrou since its initial release in 2022. New versions are regularly published to GNU ELPA with ongoing feature updates and bug fixes.

## Why It Matters
notmuch-indicator bridges the gap between powerful command-line email indexing systems and integrated desktop workflows within Emacs. By providing real-time visibility into email counts directly in the editor interface, it enables power users to maintain focus while staying aware of communication status. As part of the GNU Project ecosystem, it represents the principles of free software applied to productivity tooling. Its integration with GNU ELPA ensures broad accessibility and standardized distribution alongside other high-quality Emacs packages. For users invested in both Emacs and Notmuch, this lightweight extension significantly improves workflow efficiency by eliminating context switching between applications.

## Notable For
- Being one of the few officially accepted GNU ELPA packages focused specifically on Notmuch integration
- Supporting live updating of email indicators without requiring manual refresh
- Having consistent cross-platform availability through multiple official mirrors (SourceHut, GitHub, GitLab, GNU Savannah)
- Receiving regular maintenance releases with semantic versioning since day one
- Representing modern best practices in Emacs Lisp packaging and documentation standards

## Body
### Development & Release History
The project was initiated by Protesilaos Stavrou on September 19, 2022, with the first commit appearing in the repository history. Within two days, it was submitted for inclusion in GNU ELPA and officially announced on September 26, 2022. Since then, it has seen steady development with versioned releases tracked through both git tags and GNU mailing list announcements.

Major milestones include:
- Initial public release: v0.1.0 (September 21, 2022)
- First major version milestone: v1.0.0 (June 30, 2023)
- Most recent stable version: v1.3.0 (January 18, 2026)

All releases follow strict semantic versioning and are archived at predictable URLs hosted by GNU ELPA.

### Technical Implementation
Built entirely in Emacs Lisp, the package interfaces directly with the `notmuch-count` shell command to retrieve indexed message statistics. These values are cached and periodically refreshed based on configurable intervals set by the user. The display logic integrates cleanly with existing mode-line formatting conventions used throughout Emacs.

Key architectural decisions include:
- Minimal dependency footprint relying solely on core Emacs functionality plus external Notmuch binary
- Full customization support allowing users to tailor appearance and update frequency
- Integration with standard Emacs error handling and logging mechanisms

### Distribution Channels
As a GNU ELPA package, it benefits from automatic discovery and installation through built-in Emacs package managers. Additionally, official mirrors exist across major code hosting services ensuring redundancy and developer preference accommodation. All mirrors are kept synchronized either manually or through automated CI processes managed by the maintainer.

Package identifiers:
- GNU ELPA ID: `notmuch-indicator`
- NixOS attribute: `emacsPackages.notmuch-indicator`
- Guix variable name: `emacs-notmuch-indicator`

These identifiers enable seamless deployment in various functional package management ecosystems beyond traditional Emacs installations.

## References

1. [Source](https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/notmuch-indicator.html)
2. [Source](https://github.com/protesilaos/notmuch-indicator/commit/1ef5c043c6517382bdf29990c24dd569e4808378)
3. [Notmuch-Indicator version 0.1.0. 2022](https://lists.sr.ht/~protesilaos/notmuch-indicator/%3C85bkr9ksjx.fsf%40elpa.gnu.org%3E)
4. [Notmuch-Indicator version 0.1.1. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-09/msg00065.html)
5. [Notmuch-Indicator version 0.2.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-10/msg00008.html)
6. [Notmuch-Indicator version 0.2.1. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-10/msg00043.html)
7. [Notmuch-Indicator version 0.2.2. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-10/msg00051.html)
8. [Release 1.0.0. 2023](https://github.com/protesilaos/notmuch-indicator/releases/tag/1.0.0)
9. [Notmuch-Indicator version 1.0.0. 2023](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2023-06/msg00057.html)
10. [Notmuch-Indicator version 1.0.1. 2023](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2023-07/msg00055.html)
11. [Release 1.1.0. 2023](https://github.com/protesilaos/notmuch-indicator/releases/tag/1.1.0)
12. [Notmuch-Indicator version 1.1.0. 2023](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2023-10/msg00044.html)
13. [Release 1.2.0. 2024](https://github.com/protesilaos/notmuch-indicator/releases/tag/1.2.0)
14. [[GNU ELPA] Notmuch-Indicator version 1.2.0. 2024](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2024-05/msg00021.html)
15. [[GNU ELPA] Notmuch-Indicator version 1.3.0. 2026](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2026-01/msg00062.html)
16. [New GNU ELPA package: notmuch-indicator - Display mode line indicator with notmuch-count(1) output. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu-emacs/2022-09/msg00003.html)