man > POSTCONF(1)

TLDR: POSTCONF (tldr-pages)

Postfix configuration utility.

  • Specify the directory of the `main.cf` configuration file instead of the default configuration directory
    postconf -c {{path/to/configuration_directory}}
  • Edit the `main.cf` configuration file and update parameter settings with the "name=value" pairs
    postconf -e
  • Print the default parameter settings of the `main.cf` instead of the actual settings
    postconf -d
  • Display parameters only from the specified class
    postconf -C {{builtin|service|user|all}}
  • List available SASL plug-in types for the Postfix SMTP server. The plug-in type is selected with the `smtpd_sasl_type` configuration parameter by specifying `cyrus` or `dovecot` as the name
    postconf -a
  • List the names of all supported lookup table types. Lookup tables are specified as `type:name` in configuration files where the type can be `btree`, `cdb`, `hash`, `mysql`, etc
    postconf -m
POSTCONF(1)                            General Commands Manual                           POSTCONF(1)

NAME
       postconf - Postfix configuration utility

SYNOPSIS
   Managing main.cf:

       postconf [-dfhHnopvx] [-c config_dir] [-C class,...] [parameter ...]

       postconf [-epv] [-c config_dir] parameter=value ...

       postconf -# [-pv] [-c config_dir] parameter ...

       postconf -X [-pv] [-c config_dir] parameter ...

   Managing master.cf service entries:

       postconf -M [-fovx] [-c config_dir] [service[/type] ...]

       postconf -M [-ev] [-c config_dir] service/type=value ...

       postconf -M# [-v] [-c config_dir] service/type ...

       postconf -MX [-v] [-c config_dir] service/type ...

   Managing master.cf service fields:

       postconf -F [-fhHovx] [-c config_dir] [service[/type[/field]] ...]

       postconf -F [-ev] [-c config_dir] service/type/field=value ...

   Managing master.cf service parameters:

       postconf -P [-fhHovx] [-c config_dir] [service[/type[/parameter]] ...]

       postconf -P [-ev] [-c config_dir] service/type/parameter=value ...

       postconf -PX [-v] [-c config_dir] service/type/parameter ...

   Managing bounce message templates:

       postconf -b [-v] [-c config_dir] [template_file]

       postconf -t [-v] [-c config_dir] [template_file]

   Managing TLS features:

       postconf -T mode [-v] [-c config_dir]

   Managing other configuration:

       postconf -a|-A|-l|-m [-v] [-c config_dir]

DESCRIPTION
       By  default, the postconf(1) command displays the values of main.cf configuration parameters,
       and warns about possible mis-typed parameter names (Postfix 2.9 and later).  The command  can
       also  change  main.cf configuration parameter values, or display other configuration informa‐
       tion about the Postfix mail system.

       Options:

       -a     List the available SASL plug-in types for the Postfix SMTP server. The plug-in type is
              selected with the smtpd_sasl_type configuration parameter by  specifying  one  of  the
              names listed below.

              cyrus  This server plug-in is available when Postfix is built with Cyrus SASL support.

              dovecot
                     This  server  plug-in  uses the Dovecot authentication server, and is available
                     when Postfix is built with any form of SASL support.

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.3 and later.

       -A     List the available SASL plug-in types for the Postfix SMTP client.  The  plug-in  type
              is  selected  with  the  smtp_sasl_type  or lmtp_sasl_type configuration parameters by
              specifying one of the names listed below.

              cyrus  This client plug-in is available when Postfix is built with Cyrus SASL support.

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.3 and later.

       -b [template_file]
              Display the message text that appears at the beginning of delivery status notification
              (DSN) messages, expanding  $name  expressions  with  actual  values  as  described  in
              bounce(5).

              To  override  the bounce_template_file parameter setting, specify a template file name
              at the end of the "postconf -b" command line. Specify an empty file  name  to  display
              built-in templates (in shell language: "").

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.3 and later.

       -c config_dir
              The  main.cf  configuration file is in the named directory instead of the default con‐
              figuration directory.

       -C class,...
              When  displaying  main.cf  parameters,  select  only  parameters  from  the  specified
              class(es):

              builtin
                     Parameters with built-in names.

              service
                     Parameters  with  service-defined  names  (the first field of a master.cf entry
                     plus a Postfix-defined suffix).

              user   Parameters with user-defined names.

              all    All the above classes.

              The default is as if "-C all" is specified.

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.9 and later.

       -d     Print main.cf default parameter settings instead of actual settings.  Specify  -df  to
              fold long lines for human readability (Postfix 2.9 and later).

       -e     Edit   the  main.cf  configuration  file,  and  update  parameter  settings  with  the
              "name=value" pairs on the postconf(1) command line.

              With -M, edit the master.cf configuration file, and replace one or  more  service  en‐
              tries  with  new values as specified with "service/type=value" on the postconf(1) com‐
              mand line.

              With -F, edit the master.cf configuration file, and replace one or more service fields
              with new values as specified with "service/type/field=value" on the  postconf(1)  com‐
              mand  line. Currently, the "command" field contains the command name and command argu‐
              ments.  This may change in the near future, so that the "command" field contains  only
              the command name, and a new "arguments" pseudofield contains the command arguments.

              With  -P, edit the master.cf configuration file, and add or update one or more service
              parameter settings (-o parameter=value settings) with new  values  as  specified  with
              "service/type/parameter=value" on the postconf(1) command line.

              In  all cases the file is copied to a temporary file then renamed into place.  Specify
              quotes to protect special characters and whitespace on the postconf(1) command line.

              The -e option is no longer needed with Postfix version 2.8 and later, as it is assumed
              whenever a value is specified (empty or non-empty).

       -f     Fold long lines when printing main.cf or master.cf configuration file entries, for hu‐
              man readability.

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.9 and later.

       -F     Show master.cf per-entry field settings (by default all services and all fields), for‐
              matted as "service/type/field=value", one per line. Specify -Ff to fold long lines.

              Specify one or more "service/type/field" instances on the postconf(1) command line  to
              limit  the  output  to  fields  of  interest.  Trailing parameter name or service type
              fields that are omitted will be handled as "*" wildcard fields.

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.11 and later.

       -h     Show parameter or attribute values without the "name = " label that normally  precedes
              the value.

       -H     Show  parameter  or  attribute  names without the " = value" that normally follows the
              name.

              This feature is available with Postfix 3.1 and later.

       -l     List the names of all supported mailbox locking methods.  Postfix supports the follow‐
              ing methods:

              flock  A kernel-based advisory locking method for  local  files  only.   This  locking
                     method is available on systems with a BSD compatible library.

              fcntl  A kernel-based advisory locking method for local and remote files.

              dotlock
                     An application-level locking method. An application locks a file named filename
                     by  creating a file named filename.lock.  The application is expected to remove
                     its own lock file, as well as stale lock files that were left behind after  ab‐
                     normal program termination.

       -m     List  the  names  of all supported lookup table types. In Postfix configuration files,
              lookup tables are specified as type:name, where type is one of the types listed below.
              The table name syntax depends on the lookup table  type  as  described  in  the  DATA‐
              BASE_README document.

              btree  A  sorted,  balanced  tree  structure.   Available  on systems with support for
                     Berkeley DB databases.

              cdb    A read-optimized structure with no support for incremental updates.   Available
                     on systems with support for CDB databases.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.2 and later.

              cidr   A  table that associates values with Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) pat‐
                     terns. This is described in cidr_table(5).

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.2 and later.

              dbm    An indexed file type based on hashing.  Available on systems with  support  for
                     DBM databases.

              environ
                     The  UNIX process environment array. The lookup key is the environment variable
                     name; the table name is ignored.  Originally implemented for  testing,  someone
                     may find this useful someday.

              fail   A  table  that  reliably  fails all requests. The lookup table name is used for
                     logging. This table exists to simplify Postfix error tests.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.9 and later.

              hash   An indexed file type based on hashing.  Available on systems with  support  for
                     Berkeley DB databases.

              inline (read-only)
                     A  non-shared,  in-memory  lookup  table. Example: "inline:{ key=value, { key =
                     text with whitespace or comma }}". Key-value pairs are separated by  whitespace
                     or  comma;  with  a key-value pair inside "{}", whitespace is ignored after the
                     opening "{", around the "=" between key and value, and before the closing  "}".
                     Inline tables eliminate the need to create a database file for just a few fixed
                     elements.  See also the static: map type.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 3.0 and later.

              internal
                     A  non-shared, in-memory hash table. Its content are lost when a process termi‐
                     nates.

              lmdb   OpenLDAP LMDB database (a memory-mapped, persistent file).  Available  on  sys‐
                     tems with support for LMDB databases.  This is described in lmdb_table(5).

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.11 and later.

              ldap (read-only)
                     LDAP database client. This is described in ldap_table(5).

              memcache
                     Memcache database client. This is described in memcache_table(5).

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.9 and later.

              mysql (read-only)
                     MySQL  database client.  Available on systems with support for MySQL databases.
                     This is described in mysql_table(5).

              pcre (read-only)
                     A lookup table based on Perl Compatible Regular Expressions.  The  file  format
                     is described in pcre_table(5).

              pgsql (read-only)
                     PostgreSQL database client. This is described in pgsql_table(5).

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.1 and later.

              pipemap (read-only)
                     A   lookup   table   that   constructs   a   pipeline   of   tables.   Example:
                     "pipemap:{type_1:name_1,  ..., type_n:name_n}".  Each "pipemap:" query is given
                     to the first table.  Each lookup result becomes the query for the next table in
                     the pipeline, and the last table produces the final  result.   When  any  table
                     lookup  produces no result, the pipeline produces no result. The first and last
                     characters of the "pipemap:" table name must be "{" and "}".  Within these, in‐
                     dividual maps are separated with comma or whitespace.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 3.0 and later.

              proxy  Postfix proxymap(8) client for shared access to Postfix  databases.  The  table
                     name syntax is type:name.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.0 and later.

              randmap (read-only)
                     An in-memory table that performs random selection. Example: "randmap:{result_1,
                     ...,  result_n}".  Each  table query returns a random choice from the specified
                     results. The first and last characters of the "randmap:" table name must be "{"
                     and "}".  Within these, individual results are separated with comma  or  white‐
                     space. To give a specific result more weight, specify it multiple times.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 3.0 and later.

              regexp (read-only)
                     A  lookup  table  based on regular expressions. The file format is described in
                     regexp_table(5).

              sdbm   An indexed file type based on hashing.  Available on systems with  support  for
                     SDBM databases.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.2 and later.

              socketmap (read-only)
                     Sendmail-style  socketmap  client.  The table name is inet:host:port:name for a
                     TCP/IP server, or unix:pathname:name for a  UNIX-domain  server.  This  is  de‐
                     scribed in socketmap_table(5).

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.10 and later.

              sqlite (read-only)
                     SQLite database. This is described in sqlite_table(5).

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.8 and later.

              static (read-only)
                     A table that always returns its name as lookup result. For example, static:foo‐
                     bar  always  returns the string foobar as lookup result. Specify "static:{ text
                     with whitespace }" when the  result  contains  whitespace;  this  form  ignores
                     whitespace  after  the opening "{" and before the closing "}". See also the in‐
                     line: map.

                     The form "static:{text} is available with Postfix 3.0 and later.

              tcp (read-only)
                     TCP/IP client. The protocol is described in tcp_table(5).

              texthash (read-only)
                     Produces similar results as hash: files, except that you don't need to run  the
                     postmap(1)  command  before  you  can use the file, and that it does not detect
                     changes after the file is read.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 2.8 and later.

              unionmap (read-only)
                     A table that sends each query to multiple lookup tables and  that  concatenates
                     all  found  results,  separated by comma.  The table name syntax is the same as
                     for pipemap.

                     This feature is available with Postfix 3.0 and later.

              unix (read-only)
                     A limited view of the UNIX authentication database. The  following  tables  are
                     implemented:

                     unix:passwd.byname
                            The  table  is the UNIX password database. The key is a login name.  The
                            result is a password file entry in passwd(5) format.

                     unix:group.byname
                            The table is the UNIX group database. The key is a group name.  The  re‐
                            sult is a group file entry in group(5) format.

              Other table types may exist depending on how Postfix was built.

       -M     Show  master.cf  file  contents instead of main.cf file contents.  Specify -Mf to fold
              long lines for human readability.

              Specify zero or more arguments, each with a service-name or  service-name/service-type
              pair,  where  service-name is the first field of a master.cf entry and service-type is
              one of (inet, unix, fifo, or pass).

              If service-name or service-name/service-type is specified, only the matching master.cf
              entries will be output. For example, "postconf -Mf  smtp"  will  output  all  services
              named "smtp", and "postconf -Mf smtp/inet" will output only the smtp service that lis‐
              tens on the network.  Trailing service type fields that are omitted will be handled as
              "*" wildcard fields.

              This  feature  is  available  with  Postfix 2.9 and later. The syntax was changed from
              "name.type" to "name/type", and "*" wildcard support was added with Postfix 2.11.

       -n     Show only configuration parameters that have explicit name=value settings in  main.cf.
              Specify  -nf to fold long lines for human readability (Postfix 2.9 and later). To show
              settings that differ from built-in defaults only, use the following bash syntax:
                  LANG=C comm -23 <(postconf -n) <(postconf -d)
              Replace "-23" with "-12" to show settings that duplicate built-in defaults.

       -o name=value
              Override main.cf parameter settings.  This lets you see the effect changing a  parame‐
              ter would have when it is used in other configuration parameters, e.g.:
                  postconf -x -o stress=yes

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.10 and later.

       -p     Show main.cf parameter settings. This is the default.

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.11 and later.

       -P     Show  master.cf  service  parameter  settings (by default all services and all parame‐
              ters), formatted as "service/type/parameter=value", one per line.  Specify -Pf to fold
              long lines.

              Specify one or more "service/type/parameter" instances on the postconf(1) command line
              to limit the output to parameters of interest.  Trailing  parameter  name  or  service
              type fields that are omitted will be handled as "*" wildcard fields.

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.11 and later.

       -t [template_file]
              Display  the templates for text that appears at the beginning of delivery status noti‐
              fication (DSN) messages, without expanding $name expressions.

              To override the bounce_template_file parameter setting, specify a template  file  name
              at  the  end  of the "postconf -t" command line. Specify an empty file name to display
              built-in templates (in shell language: "").

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.3 and later.

       -T mode
              If Postfix is compiled without TLS support, the -T option produces no output.   Other‐
              wise, if an invalid mode is specified, the -T option reports an error and exits with a
              non-zero status code. The valid modes are:

              compile-version
                     Output  the  OpenSSL  version  that Postfix was compiled with (i.e. the OpenSSL
                     version in a header file). The output format is the same as  with  the  command
                     "openssl version".

              run-version
                     Output  the  OpenSSL  version  that Postfix is linked with at runtime (i.e. the
                     OpenSSL version in a shared library).

              public-key-algorithms
                     Output the  lower-case  names  of  the  supported  public-key  algorithms,  one
                     per-line.

              This feature is available with Postfix 3.1 and later.

       -v     Enable  verbose  logging for debugging purposes. Multiple -v options make the software
              increasingly verbose.

       -x     Expand $name in main.cf or master.cf parameter values. The expansion is recursive.

              This feature is available with Postfix 2.10 and later.

       -X     Edit the main.cf configuration file, and remove the  parameters  named  on  the  post‐
              conf(1) command line.  Specify a list of parameter names, not "name=value" pairs.

              With -M, edit the master.cf configuration file, and remove one or more service entries
              as specified with "service/type" on the postconf(1) command line.

              With -P, edit the master.cf configuration file, and remove one or more service parame‐
              ter  settings (-o parameter=value settings) as specified with "service/type/parameter"
              on the postconf(1) command line.

              In all cases the file is copied to a temporary file then renamed into place.   Specify
              quotes to protect special characters on the postconf(1) command line.

              There is no postconf(1) command to perform the reverse operation.

              This  feature  is  available  with  Postfix 2.10 and later.  Support for -M and -P was
              added with Postfix 2.11.

       -#     Edit the main.cf configuration file, and comment out the parameters named on the post‐
              conf(1) command line, so that those parameters revert to their default values.   Spec‐
              ify a list of parameter names, not "name=value" pairs.

              With  -M,  edit  the master.cf configuration file, and comment out one or more service
              entries as specified with "service/type" on the postconf(1) command line.

              In all cases the file is copied to a temporary file then renamed into place.   Specify
              quotes to protect special characters on the postconf(1) command line.

              There is no postconf(1) command to perform the reverse operation.

              This  feature  is  available with Postfix 2.6 and later. Support for -M was added with
              Postfix 2.11.

DIAGNOSTICS
       Problems are reported to the standard error stream.

ENVIRONMENT
       MAIL_CONFIG
              Directory with Postfix configuration files.

CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS
       The following main.cf parameters are especially relevant to this program.

       The text below provides only a parameter summary. See postconf(5) for more details  including
       examples.

       config_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)
              The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf configuration files.

       bounce_template_file (empty)
              Pathname of a configuration file with bounce message templates.

FILES
       /etc/postfix/main.cf, Postfix configuration parameters
       /etc/postfix/master.cf, Postfix master daemon configuration

SEE ALSO
       bounce(5), bounce template file format
       master(5), master.cf configuration file syntax
       postconf(5), main.cf configuration file syntax

README FILES
       Use "postconf readme_directory" or "postconf html_directory" to locate this information.
       DATABASE_README, Postfix lookup table overview

LICENSE
       The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.

AUTHOR(S)
       Wietse Venema
       IBM T.J. Watson Research
       P.O. Box 704
       Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA

       Wietse Venema
       Google, Inc.
       111 8th Avenue
       New York, NY 10011, USA

                                                                                         POSTCONF(1)
POSTCONF(1)
NAME SYNOPSIS
Managing main.cf: Managing master.cf service entries: Managing master.cf service fields: Managing master.cf service parameters: Managing bounce message templates: Managing TLS features: Managing other configuration:
DESCRIPTION
-a List the available SASL plug-in types for the Postfix SMTP server. The plug-in type is -A List the available SASL plug-in types for the Postfix SMTP client. The plug-in type -b [template_file] -c config_dir -C class,... -d Print main.cf default parameter settings instead of actual settings. Specify -df to -e Edit the main.cf configuration file, and update parameter settings with the -f Fold long lines when printing main.cf or master.cf configuration file entries, for hu‐ -F Show master.cf per-entry field settings (by default all services and all fields), for‐ -h Show parameter or attribute values without the "name = " label that normally precedes -H Show parameter or attribute names without the " = value" that normally follows the -l List the names of all supported mailbox locking methods. Postfix supports the follow‐ -m List the names of all supported lookup table types. In Postfix configuration files, -M Show master.cf file contents instead of main.cf file contents. Specify -Mf to fold -n Show only configuration parameters that have explicit name=value settings in main.cf. -o name=value -p Show main.cf parameter settings. This is the default. -P Show master.cf service parameter settings (by default all services and all parame‐ -t [template_file] -T mode -v Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes. Multiple -v options make the software -x Expand $name in main.cf or master.cf parameter values. The expansion is recursive. -X Edit the main.cf configuration file, and remove the parameters named on the post‐
DIAGNOSTICS ENVIRONMENT CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS
config_directory (see 'postconf -d' output) bounce_template_file (empty)
FILES SEE ALSO README FILES LICENSE

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