Self-host docker-mailserver

A production-ready, config-driven mail server in a single container — Postfix, Dovecot, and Rspamd with no database and no web UI, configured entirely from plain files. A lightweight, MIT-licensed self-hosted alternative to Google Workspace email. As with any self-hosted mail, expect to manage deliverability (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and reverse DNS) so your mail reaches inboxes.

Key facts

What you need

• Any VPS with at least 512 MB of RAM
• A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
• About the better part of a day

Install

Run these commands on your server:

copy# docker-mailserver — single container, no web UI; config from plain files
DMS_URL="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver/master"
wget "${DMS_URL}/compose.yaml" && wget "${DMS_URL}/mailserver.env"
# Replace the hostname: mail.example.com line in compose.yaml with your
# own FQDN first — it ships as a placeholder and becomes your SMTP banner.
docker compose up -d && docker exec -ti mailserver setup email add user@example.com