alpine
Manage Alpine Linux packages
TLDR
Open alpine normally
Open alpine directly to the message composition screen to send an email to a given email address
Quit alpine
SYNOPSIS
alpine [options] [inbox]
PARAMETERS
-c config-directory
Use specified directory for config and save files
-d level
Set debug level (0-9 for increasing verbosity)
-f folder
Start with specified folder/mailbox open
-h
Display help summary and exit
-i
Start with inbox open
-k
Skip any folder checks (e.g., quotas)
-n
Start a new instance (no locking)
-o folder
Open specified folder on startup
-p config-file
Use specified config file
-r role
Select specified role configuration
-s subject
Compose new message with given subject
-v
Display version and exit
-x config-set
Set config variable explicitly
-z
Enable exit confirmation on quit
DESCRIPTION
Alpine is a powerful, customizable text-based email client for Unix-like systems, ideal for terminal use. It supports IMAP, POP3, and SMTP protocols, enabling management of multiple mailboxes, folders, and address books.
Key features include MIME support for attachments, inline image viewing, spell-checking, advanced search, threading, scoring, and filtering rules. Its intuitive menu-driven interface relies on keyboard shortcuts, with nano-like editing for composing messages.
Lightweight and dependency-free on X11, Alpine excels in servers, remote sessions via SSH, and resource-constrained environments like Alpine Linux. Configuration is via .pinerc files, allowing personalization of display, roles, and behaviors.
Popular among power users for its speed and feature richness without graphical overhead.
CAVEATS
Steep learning curve due to keyboard-driven interface; requires terminal with color support for optimal display. Not suitable for mouse-only users.
CONFIGURATION
Primary config in ~/.pinerc; supports per-role settings for multiple accounts.
KEYBINDINGS
Highly mnemonic; e.g., S for Save, R for Reply, E for Edit. View via '?' in app.
EDITOR
Uses bundled Pico editor (nano-compatible) for message composition.
HISTORY
Forked from University of Washington's Pine in 2001 due to licensing issues. Pine (1995-2008) was widely used; Alpine ensures open-source continuity with modern enhancements like UTF-8 support.
