Get started with Mutt
Mutt is a text-based mail client along the lines of Pine or Elm. It’s known for being a fast and highly configurable mail client, and since it is text-based, it’s ideal for checking email quickly over SSH (Secure Shell). Click through to learn exactly how to use it…
The configuration file for Mutt is in each user’s home directory, in a file called ‘.muttrc’. To access the configuration file for your user, launch a terminal window and open the configuration file using the command ‘# vim ~/.muttrc’.
set imap_user = “stewieg@gmail.com”
set imap_pass = “stewieg123”set smtp_url = “smtp://stewieg@smtp.gmail.com:587/”
set smtp_pass = “stewieg123”
set from = “stewieg@gmail.com”
set realname = “Stewie Griffin”set folder = “imaps://imap.gmail.com:993”
set spoolfile = “+INBOX”
set postponed=”+[Gmail]/Drafts”set header_cache=~/.mutt/cache/headers
set message_cachedir=~/.mutt/cache/bodies
set certificate_file=~/.mutt/certificatesset move = no
The settings above are the basic ones required to get started. In this example we are using a Gmail account using the IMAP protocol. The settings are quite self-explanatory. Make sure your ~/.muttrc isn’t world-readable as it contains your password. You could also leave the password field blank, and Mutt will ask you for the password every time you launch the application. Change the settings shown above to those of your mail server, save the file and let’s get cracking with Mutt.
3. Using Mutt
With the setup now complete, it’s time to take a look at Mutt. Launch a terminal window and enter the command ‘# mutt’, and then hit the Return or Enter key. A text-based application like in the screenshot here should appear in your terminal window. This is what Mutt looks like. It can appear to be a little intimidating at first – but, given some time, you can take a real liking to its simplicity and effectiveness.
4. Reading mail
If all went well, you should see all your email in the opening screen of Mutt. If not, you need to check if internet access has been set up correctly on your computer, or go back to your settings and see if you missed something. Mutt has a pretty advanced text user interface (TUI). Play around with the interface to see if you get the hang of it. To read a mail, select it using the Up and Down arrows on your keyboard and hit the Return key when the mail is highlighted.
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I must say, that this is a good article.
I’m using Mutt now for longer time, but still think your article is very beginner-friendly.
Will you think about an article like “Mutt Advanced” or “Mutt Magic”, showing us some more sophisticated stuff?
Keep up the great work.