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docs: rewrite README focused on Google 2026 POP/Gmailify shutdown replacement

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CHANGELOG.md
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## [Unreleased] ## [Unreleased]
### Changed
- **README rewrite**: Replaced README with a focused, marketing-oriented page targeting users affected by Google's 2026 shutdown of Gmail POP import ("Check mail from other accounts") and Gmailify. Fixed broken CI badge links (pointed to non-existent workflow files; now correctly references `ci.yml`). Removed verbose technical implementation sections in favour of a clear problem statement, comparison table, 5-minute quick-start, and concise delivery-method summary.
### Added ### Added
- **Celery tasks test coverage**: Added 40 unit tests for `backend/app/workers/tasks.py`, raising coverage from 9.22% to 96%. Tests cover `_as_utc` helper, `process_mail_account` (Gmail API and SMTP forwarding, credential revocation, empty-email detection, error handling), `process_all_enabled_accounts` (stale-run cleanup, interval checking), and `cleanup_old_logs` (data retention, stale-run recovery). - **Celery tasks test coverage**: Added 40 unit tests for `backend/app/workers/tasks.py`, raising coverage from 9.22% to 96%. Tests cover `_as_utc` helper, `process_mail_account` (Gmail API and SMTP forwarding, credential revocation, empty-email detection, error handling), `process_all_enabled_accounts` (stale-run cleanup, interval checking), and `cleanup_old_logs` (data retention, stale-run recovery).
README.md
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# InboxConverge # InboxConverge
[![CI Tests](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/actions/workflows/test.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/actions/workflows/test.yml) [![CI](https://github.com/christianlouis/InboxConverge/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/christianlouis/InboxConverge/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
[![Lint](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/actions/workflows/lint.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/actions/workflows/lint.yml)
[![Security Scan](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/actions/workflows/security.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/actions/workflows/security.yml)
[![Docker Build](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/actions/workflows/docker-build.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/actions/workflows/docker-build.yml)
[![GitHub Release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/christianlouis/InboxConverge?sort=semver&label=release)](https://github.com/christianlouis/InboxConverge/releases/latest) [![GitHub Release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/christianlouis/InboxConverge?sort=semver&label=release)](https://github.com/christianlouis/InboxConverge/releases/latest)
[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT) [![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[![Python 3.11+](https://img.shields.io/badge/python-3.11+-blue.svg)](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
[![Docker](https://img.shields.io/badge/docker-ready-blue.svg)](https://www.docker.com/) [![Docker](https://img.shields.io/badge/docker-ready-blue.svg)](https://www.docker.com/)
A Docker-based solution that automatically fetches emails from POP3 mailboxes and forwards them to Gmail, replacing Google's discontinued POP3 import feature. **Google is removing "Check mail from other accounts" (POP) and Gmailify in 2026. InboxConverge is the self-hosted replacement.**
## Features Gmail's built-in POP fetcher and Gmailify are being shut down imminently. Google's suggested alternatives — asking your old provider to configure outbound forwarding, or reading mail in the Gmail mobile app over IMAP — don't replicate the seamless, automatic consolidation you had. InboxConverge does: it polls your POP3/IMAP mailboxes on a schedule and injects new messages directly into your Gmail inbox, exactly like the old feature, running on your own infrastructure.
- **Multiple POP3 Accounts** — support for unlimited POP3 mailboxes > **Google's own announcement:** *"Gmail no longer supports fetching email from third-party accounts via POP. The 'Check mail from other accounts' option is no longer available in Gmail."*
- **Dual Delivery** — inject emails via **Gmail API** (preferred) or forward via **SMTP** >
- **Hybrid Configuration** — configure via environment variables, `.env` files, **or** the database > InboxConverge puts that option back — permanently, on your own terms.
- **Smart Throttling** — configurable rate limiting to stay within Gmail quotas
- **Error Reporting** — multi-channel notifications (Apprise: email, Telegram, Slack, Discord, webhooks)
- **Scheduled Polling** — configurable check intervals (default: every 5 minutes)
- **Docker Ready** — fully containerized with Docker Compose support
- **Secure** — runs as non-root user, SSL/TLS connections, encrypted credential storage
### SaaS Platform (in development) ## Who this is for
The repository also includes a multi-tenant SaaS backend built with FastAPI, PostgreSQL, Redis, and Celery. It adds multi-user support, OAuth2 authentication, POP3/IMAP protocol support, encrypted credential storage, and background job processing. See the [SaaS README](docs/README_SAAS.md) for details. - You used Gmail's "Check mail from other accounts" and it's going away
- You have one or more external mailboxes (work, old ISP, custom domain) that you want consolidated into Gmail automatically
- You don't want to rely on your old provider supporting outbound forwarding
- You want email delivered cleanly into Gmail without headers being mangled or spam filters misfiring
## Quick Start ## What you get
### Using a Pre-built Docker Image (Recommended) | | Google POP Import (shutting down 2026) | InboxConverge |
|---|---|---|
| Still works? | ❌ Shutting down 2026 | ✅ |
| Multiple source accounts | Limited | ✅ Unlimited |
| Automatic, scheduled polling | ✅ | ✅ Every 5 min (configurable) |
| Original headers preserved | ❌ | ✅ Via Gmail API injection |
| Counts against sending quota | ❌ N/A | ✅ No (Gmail API) / ⚠️ Yes (SMTP) |
| Alerts when something breaks | ❌ | ✅ Email, Slack, Telegram, Discord… |
| Self-hosted, no third-party dependency | ❌ | ✅ Docker, runs anywhere |
| Open source | ❌ | ✅ MIT |
## Get started in 5 minutes
```bash ```bash
# Pull and configure # 1. Grab the config files
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/main/docker-compose.yml curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/christianlouis/InboxConverge/main/docker-compose.yml
curl -o .env https://raw.githubusercontent.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/main/.env.example curl -o .env https://raw.githubusercontent.com/christianlouis/InboxConverge/main/.env.example
# Edit .env with your credentials # 2. Fill in your credentials
nano .env nano .env
# Start # 3. Launch
docker-compose up -d docker-compose up -d
``` ```
### Building from Source Minimum `.env` to get going:
```bash ```dotenv
git clone https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge.git # Source mailbox — add _2_, _3_, … for additional accounts
cd inboxconverge POP3_ACCOUNT_1_HOST=pop.yourprovider.com
cp .env.example .env # then edit .env POP3_ACCOUNT_1_USER=you@yourprovider.com
docker-compose up -d POP3_ACCOUNT_1_PASSWORD=your-pop3-password
# Destination — Gmail App Password (quickest way to start)
SMTP_USER=you@gmail.com
SMTP_PASSWORD=xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
# Required internal secrets (generate once, keep private)
SECRET_KEY=<python -c 'import secrets; print(secrets.token_urlsafe(32))'>
ENCRYPTION_KEY=<python -c 'import secrets; print(secrets.token_urlsafe(32))'>
DATABASE_URL=postgresql+asyncpg://user:password@localhost:5432/inboxconverge
``` ```
See the [Quick Start Guide](docs/QUICKSTART.md) for detailed instructions. See the [Quick Start Guide](docs/QUICKSTART.md) for a full walkthrough, including the recommended Gmail API setup which preserves headers and avoids sending-quota limits.
## Configuration ## Two ways to deliver mail into Gmail
### Hybrid Configuration (Environment + Database) **Gmail API injection (recommended)** — messages land in your inbox with original `From`, `Reply-To`, and `Message-ID` intact, don't count against your sending quota, and bypass the spam-filter penalties that forwarded mail often triggers. Requires a one-time Google OAuth2 authorisation.
The application supports a **hybrid configuration model**: **SMTP with App Password (zero-setup fallback)** — works immediately with a [Gmail App Password](https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords). Forwarded messages may be re-wrapped and count toward your 500-message/day free-tier limit. Good for getting started quickly; upgrade to the API later.
| Source | Priority | Use For | ## Key settings
|--------|----------|---------|
| **Database** (`app_settings` table) | Highest | SMTP, processing, Gmail API, notifications |
| **Environment variables / `.env`** | Fallback | All settings; required for bootstrap settings |
| **Built-in defaults** | Lowest | Sensible defaults for all non-bootstrap settings |
**Bootstrap settings** (`DATABASE_URL`, `SECRET_KEY`, `ENCRYPTION_KEY`) always come from environment variables because the database connection depends on them. | Variable | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| `CHECK_INTERVAL_MINUTES` | `5` | How often mailboxes are polled |
| `MAX_EMAILS_PER_RUN` | `50` | Maximum messages fetched per account per run |
| `THROTTLE_EMAILS_PER_MINUTE` | `10` | Rate cap toward Gmail |
All other settings (SMTP, processing intervals, Gmail API, etc.) can be managed via the admin API at `/api/v1/settings` and are stored in the PostgreSQL database. When a database setting exists, it takes priority over the corresponding environment variable. All settings except the three bootstrap secrets can be changed at runtime in the admin web UI — no restart needed.
### POP3 Accounts
Add multiple POP3 accounts by incrementing the account number in your `.env`:
```bash
POP3_ACCOUNT_1_HOST=pop.provider1.com
POP3_ACCOUNT_1_USER=user1@provider1.com
POP3_ACCOUNT_1_PASSWORD=password1
POP3_ACCOUNT_2_HOST=pop.provider2.com
POP3_ACCOUNT_2_USER=user2@provider2.com
POP3_ACCOUNT_2_PASSWORD=password2
```
### Email Delivery Methods
The forwarder supports two delivery methods for getting emails into Gmail:
#### Gmail API Injection (Preferred)
Emails are injected directly into your Gmail account using Google's `users.messages.insert()` API. This is the **recommended method** because it:
- Preserves original email headers and metadata exactly as-is
- Does not modify `From`, `Reply-To`, or `Message-ID` headers
- Applies Gmail labels (e.g., `INBOX`) on injection
- Does not count against Gmail's SMTP sending quotas
- Does not require an SMTP App Password
**Setup:**
1. Configure Google OAuth2 credentials (`GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID`, `GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET`)
2. Authenticate via the SaaS web UI or API (`POST /api/v1/providers/gmail-credential`)
3. Set `delivery_method` to `gmail_api` when creating mail accounts
**Required OAuth2 Scopes:**
- `https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.insert`
- `https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.labels`
#### SMTP Forwarding (Fallback)
Emails are forwarded to Gmail via SMTP. This is the legacy method and is used as a fallback when Gmail API credentials are not available.
**Limitations vs Gmail API:**
- Modifies email headers (adds `Received`, may rewrite `From`)
- Counts against Gmail's SMTP sending quota (500/day for free accounts)
- Requires a Gmail App Password (see below)
- May trigger spam filters for forwarded mail
**Setup:**
1. Go to your [Google Account Security](https://myaccount.google.com/security)
2. Under "Signing in to Google," select **App Passwords**
3. Generate a new app password for "Mail"
4. Set `SMTP_PASSWORD` in your environment or database settings
### Environment Variables
> **Note:** All settings marked ★ can also be managed via the database
> through the admin API (`/api/v1/settings`). Database values take precedence.
#### Bootstrap Settings (env only)
| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `DATABASE_URL` | Yes | `postgresql+asyncpg://...` | PostgreSQL connection string |
| `SECRET_KEY` | Yes | — | JWT signing key (min 32 chars) |
| `ENCRYPTION_KEY` | Yes | — | Credential encryption key (min 32 chars) |
#### POP3/IMAP Accounts (env only — or via API)
| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `POP3_ACCOUNT_N_HOST` | Yes | — | POP3 server hostname |
| `POP3_ACCOUNT_N_PORT` | No | `995` | POP3 server port |
| `POP3_ACCOUNT_N_USER` | Yes | — | POP3 username |
| `POP3_ACCOUNT_N_PASSWORD` | Yes | — | POP3 password |
| `POP3_ACCOUNT_N_USE_SSL` | No | `true` | Use SSL/TLS |
#### SMTP Settings (★ database-configurable)
| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `SMTP_HOST` | No | `smtp.gmail.com` | SMTP server |
| `SMTP_PORT` | No | `587` | SMTP port |
| `SMTP_USER` | For SMTP | — | SMTP username |
| `SMTP_PASSWORD` | For SMTP | — | SMTP password (App Password) |
| `SMTP_USE_TLS` | No | `true` | Use STARTTLS |
#### Gmail API Settings (★ database-configurable)
| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID` | For Gmail API | — | Google OAuth2 client ID |
| `GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET` | For Gmail API | — | Google OAuth2 client secret |
| `GMAIL_API_ENABLED` | No | `true` | Enable Gmail API delivery |
#### Processing Settings (★ database-configurable)
| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `CHECK_INTERVAL_MINUTES` | No | `5` | Polling interval |
| `MAX_EMAILS_PER_RUN` | No | `50` | Max emails per account per run |
| `THROTTLE_EMAILS_PER_MINUTE` | No | `10` | Rate limit |
| `LOG_LEVEL` | No | `INFO` | Logging level |
## How It Works
```
┌─────────────────┐
│ POP3 Server 1 │
└────────┬────────┘
│ (Fetch emails)
▼
┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐
│ POP3 Server 2 │─────▶│ Forwarder │─────▶│ Gmail API │
└─────────────────┘ │ Container │ │ (Preferred) │
│ │ │ └──────────────────┘
┌────────▼────────┐ │ Config from: │ ┌──────────────────┐
│ POP3 Server N │ │ • Database │─────▶│ Gmail SMTP │
└─────────────────┘ │ • Environment │ │ (Fallback) │
└──────┬───────────┘ └──────────────────┘
│ (Notifications)
▼
┌─────────────────┐
│ Apprise │
│ (Email, Slack, │
│ Telegram ...) │
└─────────────────┘
```
1. **Polling** — checks POP3/IMAP mailboxes at the configured interval
2. **Fetching** — retrieves new emails from each account
3. **Delivery** — injects into Gmail via API (preferred) or forwards via SMTP (fallback)
4. **Cleanup** — deletes from source after successful delivery
5. **Throttling** — respects rate limits to avoid quota issues
6. **Notifications** — sends alerts via Apprise (email, Telegram, Slack, Discord, webhooks)
## Development
```bash
# Install dependencies
make install-dev
# Run linting & formatting
make lint
make format
# Run tests
make test
# Start backend in dev mode
make run-dev
```
See the [Testing Guide](docs/TESTING_GUIDE.md) for the full test workflow.
## Documentation ## Documentation
Detailed documentation lives in the [`docs/`](docs/) directory: | | |
|---|---|
| Document | Description | | [Quick Start](docs/QUICKSTART.md) | Step-by-step setup, Gmail API & SMTP |
|----------|-------------| | [Deployment Checklist](docs/DEPLOYMENT_CHECKLIST.md) | Production hardening guide |
| [Architecture](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) | System design and component overview | | [Architecture](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) | How the pieces fit together |
| [Quick Start](docs/QUICKSTART.md) | Step-by-step setup guide | | [Migration Guide](docs/MIGRATION_GUIDE.md) | Upgrading from an older version |
| [Migration Guide](docs/MIGRATION_GUIDE.md) | Upgrading from v1 to v2 | | [Roadmap](docs/ROADMAP.md) | What's coming next |
| [Deployment Checklist](docs/DEPLOYMENT_CHECKLIST.md) | Production deployment guide |
| [Roadmap](docs/ROADMAP.md) | Planned features and milestones |
| [Testing Guide](docs/TESTING_GUIDE.md) | How to run and write tests |
| [Coding Patterns](docs/CODING_PATTERNS.md) | Code style and conventions |
| [SaaS README](docs/README_SAAS.md) | Multi-tenant SaaS platform details |
## Releases
This project uses [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/) and
[Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) to automate
release numbering. Every push to `main` triggers the
[Semantic Release workflow](.github/workflows/release.yml), which:
1. Inspects commit messages since the last release.
2. Determines the next version number (`patch`, `minor`, or `major`) based on
the commit prefixes (`fix:`, `feat:`, `feat!:` / `BREAKING CHANGE`).
3. Creates a git tag (`vX.Y.Z`), updates the `version` field in
`pyproject.toml`, generates a GitHub Release with release notes, and
updates `CHANGELOG.md` — all automatically.
| Commit prefix | Version bump |
|---------------|-------------|
| `fix:`, `perf:` | Patch (`0.0.x`) |
| `feat:` | Minor (`0.x.0`) |
| `feat!:` / `BREAKING CHANGE` | Major (`x.0.0`) |
Browse all releases on the [Releases page](https://github.com/christianlouis/InboxConverge/releases).
## Contributing ## Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please read [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for guidelines on: Bug reports, feature requests, and pull requests are welcome — see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md).
- Reporting bugs and suggesting features
- Development setup and code style
- Pull request process
## Security ## Security
To report a vulnerability, please see [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md). **Do not open public issues for security concerns.** Please report vulnerabilities privately via [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md) rather than opening a public issue.
## License ## License
This project is licensed under the MIT License — see [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details. MIT — see [LICENSE](LICENSE).
## Support
- [Issue Tracker](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/issues)
- [Discussions](https://github.com/christianlouis/inboxconverge/discussions)