Hello all,
personally I like the split file layout, even on my small system, and use it where I can.
It makes it easy for 'testing' also, as you can 'remove' a whole file from the config. So if you change a bit of software (upgrade) / hardware and need new bits to make it work, it can be quick and easy to remove all the 'stuff' for that new bit if something has broken, and specify where error messages go for that specific part of the config (so you know that that new error message file is just available since the new config).
Also you can name a bit of config for a specific purpose, eg a database, and you know that the details within are specific to how that database interacts with other stuff.
I use this a lot as I have multiple different databases installed for testing stuff, and can then easily switch between if something doesn't work.
But I can also see that it can have dissagvantages, and you don't want to duplicate configs controls across different files, as it can become a mess to know which one has taken precendence !
D
Le ven. 12 déc. 2025 à 15:40, n4ch0 via dovecot <dovecot@dovecot.org> a écrit :
12 de diciembre de 2025, 12:06, "Noah Meyerhans" <frodo@morgul.net mailto: frodo@morgul.net?to=%22Noah%20Meyerhans%22%20%3Cfrodo%40morgul.net%3E > escribió:
On Fri, Dec 12, 2025 at 07:12:28AM -0300, N4ch0 via dovecot wrote:
Oh, then it was my mistake to assume that Dovecot separated its configuration into multiple files and not that it originally does it
in a
single one. 100% my reading error. Thank you. What do you advise/recommend?
Distributions split files this way because it makes it easier for the distribution packages and the administrator to stay out of each other's way. It simplifies the process when upgrading packages, making it easier and more reliable for you to pick up new distro-provided configuration while preserving your modifications.
If you want to build up your own config from scratch and avoid whatever the distro provides, you may find it easier to use a single monolithic file. If you want to start from the distro configuration and only make changes as needed to suit the needs of your deployment, then stick with the split file layout.
noah (Debian dovecot maintainer)
Okay, that's clear. I've been using Debian for 15 years on both servers and desktops.
I used to use Courier on my mail servers, and now I've started using Dovecot. I didn't have any problems until I had to go to its official documentation and see how to configure the quota.
Everything's clear now, thanks for everything!
dovecot mailing list -- dovecot@dovecot.org To unsubscribe send an email to dovecot-leave@dovecot.org
Hello all, personally I like the split file layout, even on my small system, and use it where I can. It makes it easy for 'testing' also, as you can 'remove' a whole file from the config. So if you change a bit of software (upgrade) / hardware and need new bits to make it work, it can be quick and easy to remove all the 'stuff' for that new bit if something has broken, and specify where error messages go for that specific part of the config (so you know that that new error message file is just available since the new config). Also you can name a bit of config for a specific purpose, eg a database, and you know that the details within are specific to how that database interacts with other stuff. I use this a lot as I have multiple different databases installed for testing stuff, and can then easily switch between if something doesn't work. But I can also see that it can have dissagvantages, and you don't want to duplicate configs controls across different files, as it can become a mess to know which one has taken precendence ! D Le ven. 12 dec. 2025 `a 15:40, n4ch0 via dovecot <[1]dovecot@dovecot.org> a ecrit :
12 de diciembre de 2025, 12:06, "Noah Meyerhans" <[2]frodo@morgul.net
mailto:[3]frodo@morgul.net?to=%22Noah%20Meyerhans%22%20%3Cfrodo%[4]40morgul.net%3E
> escribio:
>
> On Fri, Dec 12, 2025 at 07:12:28AM -0300, N4ch0 via dovecot wrote:
>
> >
> > Oh, then it was my mistake to assume that Dovecot separated its
> > configuration into multiple files and not that it originally does
it in a
> > single one.
> > 100% my reading error. Thank you.
> > What do you advise/recommend?
> >
> Distributions split files this way because it makes it easier for the
> distribution packages and the administrator to stay out of each
other's
> way. It simplifies the process when upgrading packages, making it
> easier and more reliable for you to pick up new distro-provided
> configuration while preserving your modifications.
>
> If you want to build up your own config from scratch and avoid
whatever
> the distro provides, you may find it easier to use a single monolithic
> file. If you want to start from the distro configuration and only make
> changes as needed to suit the needs of your deployment, then stick
with
> the split file layout.
>
> noah
> (Debian dovecot maintainer)
>
Okay, that's clear. I've been using Debian for 15 years on both servers
and desktops.
I used to use Courier on my mail servers, and now I've started using
Dovecot. I didn't have any problems until I had to go to its official
documentation and see how to configure the quota.
Everything's clear now, thanks for everything!
_______________________________________________
dovecot mailing list -- [5]dovecot@dovecot.org
To unsubscribe send an email to [6]dovecot-leave@dovecot.orgReferences
Visible links
- mailto:dovecot@dovecot.org
- mailto:frodo@morgul.net
- mailto:frodo@morgul.net
- http://40morgul.net/
- mailto:dovecot@dovecot.org
- mailto:dovecot-leave@dovecot.org