himalaya

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Primary Language: None
Languages Used: Rust, Nix, Shell
License: MIT License
Created: April 25, 2026
Last Updated: April 25, 2026

📝 About

📫 Himalaya

CLI to manage emails

himalaya envelope list --account posteo --folder Archives.FOSS --page 2

screenshot

Features

Multi-accounting configuration:
interactive via wizard (requires wizard feature)
manual via TOML-based configuration file (see ./config.sample.toml)
Message composition based on $EDITOR
IMAP backend (requires imap feature)
Maildir backend (requires maildir feature)
Notmuch backend (requires notmuch feature)
SMTP backend (requires smtp feature)
Sendmail backend (requires sendmail feature)
Global system keyring for secret management (requires keyring feature)
OAuth 2.0 authorization flow (requires oauth2 feature)
JSON output via --output json
PGP encryption:
via shell commands (requires pgp-commands feature)
via GPG bindings (requires pgp-gpg feature)
via native implementation (requires pgp-native feature)

Himalaya CLI is written in Rust, and relies on cargo features to enable or disable functionalities. Default features can be found in the features section of the Cargo.toml, or on docs.rs.

Installation

Pre-built binary

Himalaya CLI can be installed with the install.sh installer:

As root:

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pimalaya/himalaya/master/install.sh | sudo sh

As a regular user:

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pimalaya/himalaya/master/install.sh | PREFIX=~/.local sh

These commands install the latest binary from the GitHub releases section.

If you want a more up-to-date version than the latest release, check out the releases GitHub workflow and look for the Artifacts section. You will find a pre-built binary matching your OS. These pre-built binaries are built from the master branch.

Such binaries are built with the default cargo features. If you need more features, please use another installation method.

Cargo

Himalaya CLI can be installed with cargo:

cargo install himalaya --locked

With only IMAP support:

cargo install himalaya --locked --no-default-features --features imap

You can also use the git repository for a more up-to-date (but less stable) version:

cargo install --locked --git https://github.com/pimalaya/himalaya.git

Arch Linux

Himalaya CLI can be installed on Arch Linux with either the community repository:

pacman -S himalaya

or the user repository:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/himalaya-git.git
cd himalaya-git
makepkg -isc

If you use yay, it is even simplier:

yay -S himalaya-git

Homebrew

Himalaya CLI can be installed with Homebrew:

brew install himalaya

Note: cargo features are not compatible with brew. If you need features like OAuth 2.0, please use a different installation method.

Scoop

Himalaya CLI can be installed with Scoop:

scoop install himalaya

Fedora Linux/CentOS/RHEL

Himalaya CLI can be installed on Fedora Linux/CentOS/RHEL via COPR repo:

dnf copr enable atim/himalaya
dnf install himalaya

Nix

Himalaya CLI can be installed with Nix:

nix-env -i himalaya

You can also use the git repository for a more up-to-date (but less stable) version:

nix-env -if https://github.com/pimalaya/himalaya/archive/master.tar.gz

Or, from within the source tree checkout:

nix-env -if .

If you have the Flakes feature enabled:

nix profile install himalaya

Or, from within the source tree checkout:

nix profile install

You can also run Himalaya directly without installing it:

nix run himalaya

Sources

Himalaya CLI can be installed from sources.

First you need to install the Rust development environment (see the rust installation documentation):

curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh

Then, you need to clone the repository and install dependencies:

git clone https://github.com/pimalaya/himalaya.git
cd himalaya
cargo check

Now, you can build Himalaya:

cargo build --release

Binaries are available under the target/release folder.

Configuration

Just run himalaya, the wizard will help you to configure your default account.

Accounts can be (re)configured via the wizard using the command himalaya account configure <name>.

You can also manually edit your own configuration, from scratch:

Copy the content of the documented ./config.sample.toml
Paste it in a new file ~/.config/himalaya/config.toml
Edit, then comment or uncomment the options you want

Proton Mail

When using Proton Bridge, emails are synchronized locally and exposed via a local IMAP/SMTP server. This implies 2 things:

Id order may be reversed or shuffled, but envelopes will still be sorted by date.
SSL/TLS needs to be deactivated manually.
The password to use is the one generated by Proton Bridge, not the one from your Proton Mail account.

[accounts.proton]
email = "example@proton.me"

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "127.0.0.1"
backend.port = 1143
backend.encryption.type = "none"
backend.login = "example@proton.me"
backend.auth.type = "password"
backend.auth.raw = "*****"

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "127.0.0.1"
message.send.backend.port = 1025
message.send.backend.encryption.type = "none"
message.send.backend.login = "example@proton.me"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "password"
message.send.backend.auth.raw = "*****"

If you still want to use TLS, you need to export the certificate generated by Proton Bridge, then give it to Himalaya:

backend.encryption.type = "start-tls"
backend.encryption.cert = "/path/to/exported/cert.pem"

message.send.backend.encryption.type = "start-tls"
message.send.backend.encryption.cert = "/path/to/exported/cert.pem"

Keeping your password inside the configuration file is good for testing purpose, but it is not safe. You have 2 better alternatives:

Save your password in any password manager that can be queried via the CLI:

backend.auth.cmd = "pass show proton"

Use the global keyring of your system (requires the keyring cargo feature):

backend.auth.keyring = "proton-example"

Running himalaya account configure proton will ask for your IMAP password, just paste the one generated previously.

Gmail

Google passwords cannot be used directly. There is two ways to authenticate yourself:

Using App Passwords

This option is the simplest and the fastest. First, be sure that:

IMAP is enabled
Two-step authentication is enabled
Less secure app access is enabled

First create a dedicated password for Himalaya.

[accounts.gmail]
email = "example@gmail.com"

folder.aliases.inbox = "INBOX"
folder.aliases.sent = "[Gmail]/Sent Mail"
folder.aliases.drafts = "[Gmail]/Drafts"
folder.aliases.trash = "[Gmail]/Trash"

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "imap.gmail.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.login = "example@gmail.com"
backend.auth.type = "password"
backend.auth.raw = "*****"

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp.gmail.com"
message.send.backend.port = 465
message.send.backend.login = "example@gmail.com"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "password"
message.send.backend.auth.cmd = "*****"

Keeping your password inside the configuration file is good for testing purpose, but it is not safe. You have 2 better alternatives:

Save your password in any password manager that can be queried via the CLI:

backend.auth.cmd = "pass show gmail"

Use the global keyring of your system (requires the keyring cargo feature):

backend.auth.keyring = "gmail-example"

Running himalaya configure -a gmail will ask for your IMAP password, just paste the one generated previously.

Using OAuth 2.0

This option is the most secure but the hardest to configure. It requires the oauth2 and keyring cargo features.

First, you need to get your OAuth 2.0 credentials by following this guide. Once you get your client id and your client secret, you can configure your Himalaya account this way:

[accounts.gmail]
email = "example@gmail.com"

folder.aliases.inbox = "INBOX"
folder.aliases.sent = "[Gmail]/Sent Mail"
folder.aliases.drafts = "[Gmail]/Drafts"
folder.aliases.trash = "[Gmail]/Trash"

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "imap.gmail.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.login = "example@gmail.com"
backend.auth.type = "oauth2"
backend.auth.method = "xoauth2"
backend.auth.client-id = "*****"
backend.auth.client-secret.keyring = "gmail-oauth2-client-secret"
backend.auth.access-token.keyring = "gmail-oauth2-access-token"
backend.auth.refresh-token.keyring = "gmail-oauth2-refresh-token"
backend.auth.auth-url = "https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/v2/auth"
backend.auth.token-url = "https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v3/token"
backend.auth.pkce = true
backend.auth.scope = "https://mail.google.com/"

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp.gmail.com"
message.send.backend.port = 465
message.send.backend.login = "example@gmail.com"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "oauth2"
message.send.backend.auth.method = "xoauth2"
message.send.backend.auth.client-id = "*****"
message.send.backend.auth.client-secret.keyring = "gmail-oauth2-client-secret"
message.send.backend.auth.access-token.keyring = "gmail-oauth2-access-token"
message.send.backend.auth.refresh-token.keyring = "gmail-oauth2-refresh-token"
message.send.backend.auth.auth-url = "https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/v2/auth"
message.send.backend.auth.token-url = "https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v3/token"
message.send.backend.auth.pkce = true
message.send.backend.auth.scope = "https://mail.google.com/"

Running himalaya account configure gmail will complete your OAuth 2.0 setup and ask for your client secret.

Outlook

[accounts.outlook]
email = "example@outlook.com"

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "outlook.office365.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.login = "example@outlook.com"
backend.auth.type = "password"
backend.auth.raw = "*****"

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp-mail.outlook.com"
message.send.backend.port = 587
message.send.backend.encryption.type = "start-tls"
message.send.backend.login = "example@outlook.com"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "password"
message.send.backend.auth.raw = "*****"

Keeping your password inside the configuration file is good for testing purpose, but it is not safe. You have 2 better alternatives:

Save your password in any password manager that can be queried via the CLI:

backend.auth.cmd = "pass show outlook"

Use the global keyring of your system (requires the keyring cargo feature):

backend.auth.keyring = "outlook-example"

Running himalaya account configure outlook will ask for your IMAP password, just paste the one generated previously.

Using OAuth 2.0

This option is the most secure but the hardest to configure. First, you need to get your OAuth 2.0 credentials by following this guide. Once you get your client id and your client secret, you can configure your Himalaya account this way:

[accounts.outlook]
email = "example@outlook.com"

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "outlook.office365.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.login = "example@outlook.com"
backend.auth.type = "oauth2"
backend.auth.client-id = "*****"
backend.auth.client-secret.keyring = "outlook-oauth2-client-secret"
backend.auth.access-token.keyring = "outlook-oauth2-access-token"
backend.auth.refresh-token.keyring = "outlook-oauth2-refresh-token"
backend.auth.auth-url = "https://login.microsoftonline.com/common/oauth2/v2.0/authorize"
backend.auth.token-url = "https://login.microsoftonline.com/common/oauth2/v2.0/token"
backend.auth.pkce = true
backend.auth.scopes = ["https://outlook.office.com/IMAP.AccessAsUser.All", "https://outlook.office.com/SMTP.Send"]

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp.mail.outlook.com"
message.send.backend.port = 587
message.send.backend.starttls = true
message.send.backend.login = "example@outlook.com"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "oauth2"
message.send.backend.auth.client-id = "*****"
message.send.backend.auth.client-secret.keyring = "outlook-oauth2-client-secret"
message.send.backend.auth.access-token.keyring = "outlook-oauth2-access-token"
message.send.backend.auth.refresh-token.keyring = "outlook-oauth2-refresh-token"
message.send.backend.auth.auth-url = "https://login.microsoftonline.com/common/oauth2/v2.0/authorize"
message.send.backend.auth.token-url = "https://login.microsoftonline.com/common/oauth2/v2.0/token"
message.send.backend.auth.pkce = true
message.send.backend.auth.scopes = ["https://outlook.office.com/IMAP.AccessAsUser.All", "https://outlook.office.com/SMTP.Send"]

Running himalaya account configure outlook will complete your OAuth 2.0 setup and ask for your client secret.

iCloud Mail

From the iCloud Mail support page:

IMAP port = 993.
IMAP login = name of your iCloud Mail email address (for example, johnappleseed, not johnappleseed@icloud.com)
SMTP port = 587 with STARTTLS
SMTP login = full iCloud Mail email address (for example, johnappleseed@icloud.com, not johnappleseed)

[accounts.icloud]
email = "johnappleseed@icloud.com"

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "imap.mail.me.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.login = "johnappleseed"
backend.auth.type = "password"
backend.auth.raw = "*****"

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp.mail.me.com"
message.send.backend.port = 587
message.send.backend.encryption.type = "start-tls"
message.send.backend.login = "johnappleseed@icloud.com"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "password"
message.send.backend.auth.raw = "*****"

folder.aliases.sent = "Sent Messages"

Keeping your password inside the configuration file is good for testing purpose, but it is not safe. You have 2 better alternatives:

Save your password in any password manager that can be queried via the CLI:

backend.auth.cmd = "pass show icloud"

Use the global keyring of your system (requires the keyring cargo feature):

backend.auth.keyring = "icloud-example"

Running himalaya account configure icloud will ask for your IMAP password, just paste the one generated previously.

Interfaces

These interfaces are built at the top of Himalaya CLI to improve the User Experience:

pimalaya/himalaya-vim: Vim plugin
dantecatalfamo/himalaya-emacs: Emacs plugin
jns/himalaya: Raycast extension
openclaw/openclaw: OpenClaw SKILL
parisni/dfzf: dfzf integration

FAQ

How different is it from aerc, mutt or alpine?

Aerc, mutt and alpine can be categorized as Terminal User Interfaces (TUI). When the program is executed, your terminal is locked into an event loop and you interact with your emails using keybinds. Himalaya is also a TUI, but more specifically a Command-Line Interface (CLI). There is no event loop: you interact with your emails using shell commands, in a stateless way. Additionaly, Himalaya CLI is based on `email-lib`, which is also part of the Pimalaya project. The aim is not just to propose a new terminal interface, but also to expose Rust tools to deal with emails. Anyone who knows Rust language can build his own email interface, without re-inventing the wheel.

How to compose a message?

An email message is a list of **headers** (`key: val`) followed by a **body**. They form together a template:

Header: value
Header: value
Header: value

Body

***Headers and body must be separated by an empty line.*** ### Headers Here a non-exhaustive list of valid email message template headers: - `Message-ID`: represents the message identifier (you usually do not need to set up it manually) - `In-Reply-To`: represents the identifier of the replied message - `Date`: represents the date of the message - `Subject`: represents the subject of the message - `From`: represents the address of the sender - `To`: represents the addresses of the receivers - `Reply-To`: represents the address the receiver should reply to instead of the `From` header - `Cc`: represents the addresses of the other receivers (carbon copy) - `Bcc`: represents the addresses of the other hidden receivers (blind carbon copy) An address can be: - a single email address `user@domain` - a named address `Name ` - a quoted named address `"Name" ` Multiple address are separated by a comma `,`: `user@domain, Name , "Name" `. ### Plain text body Email message template body can be written in plain text. The result will be compiled into a single `text/plain` MIME part:

From: alice@localhost
To: Bob <bob@localhost>
Subject: Hello from Himalaya

Hello, world!

### MML body Email message template body can also be written in MML. The MIME Meta Language was introduced by the Emacs [`mml`](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs-mime/Composing.html) ELisp module. Pimalaya [ported it](https://github.com/pimalaya/core/tree/master/mml) in Rust. A raw email message is structured according to the [MIME](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2045) standard. This standard produces verbose, non-friendly messages. Here comes MML: it simplifies the way email message body are structured. Thanks to its simple XML-based syntax, it allows you to easily add multiple parts, attach a binary file, or attach inline image to your body without dealing with the MIME standard. For instance, this MML template:

From: alice@localhost
To: bob@localhost
Subject: MML simple

<#multipart type=alternative>
This is a plain text part.
<#part type=text/enriched>
<center>This is a centered enriched part</center>
<#/multipart>

compiles into the following MIME Message:

Subject: MML simple
To: bob@localhost
From: alice@localhost
MIME-Version: 1.0
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2022 13:07:01 +0000
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
 boundary="4CV1Cnp7mXkDyvb55i77DcNSkKzB8HJzaIT84qZe"

--4CV1Cnp7mXkDyvb55i77DcNSkKzB8HJzaIT84qZe
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

This is a plain text part.
--4CV1Cnp7mXkDyvb55i77DcNSkKzB8HJzaIT84qZe
Content-Type: text/enriched
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<center>This is a centered enriched part</center>
--4CV1Cnp7mXkDyvb55i77DcNSkKzB8HJzaIT84qZe--

*See more examples at [pimalaya/core/mml](https://github.com/pimalaya/core/tree/master/mml/examples).*

How to add attachments to a message?

*Read first about the FAQ: How to compose a message?*.

From: alice@localhost
To: bob@localhost
Subject: How to attach stuff

Regular binary attachment:
<#part filename=/path/to/file.pdf><#/part>

Custom file name:
<#part filename=/path/to/file.pdf name=custom.pdf><#/part>

Inline image:
<#part disposition=inline filename=/path/to/image.png><#/part>

*See more examples at [pimalaya/core/mml](https://github.com/pimalaya/core/tree/master/mml/examples).*

How to debug Himalaya CLI?

The simplest way is to use `--debug` and `--trace` arguments. The advanced way is based on environment variables: - `RUST_LOG=`: determines the log level filter, can be one of `off`, `error`, `warn`, `info`, `debug` and `trace`. - `RUST_SPANTRACE=1`: enables the spantrace (a span represent periods of time in which a program was executing in a particular context). - `RUST_BACKTRACE=1`: enables the error backtrace. - `RUST_BACKTRACE=full`: enables the full error backtrace, which include source lines where the error originated from. Logs are written to the `stderr`, which means that you can redirect them easily to a file:

RUST_LOG=debug himalaya 2>/tmp/himalaya.log

How the wizard discovers IMAP/SMTP configs?

All the lookup mechanisms use the email address domain as base for the lookup. It is heavily inspired from the Thunderbird [Autoconfiguration](https://udn.realityripple.com/docs/Mozilla/Thunderbird/Autoconfiguration) protocol. For example, for the email address `test@example.com`, the lookup is performed as (in this order): 1. check for `autoconfig.example.com` 2. look up of `example.com` in the ISPDB (the Thunderbird central database) 3. look up `MX example.com` in DNS, and for `mx1.mail.hoster.com`, look up `hoster.com` in the ISPDB 4. look up `SRV example.com` in DNS 5. try to guess (`imap.example.com`, `smtp.example.com`…)

How to disable color output?

Simply set the environment variable NO_COLOR=1