qm-pending

Get the virtual machine configuration of a specific virtual machine

$ qm pending [vm_id]

qm-pending

(No options)
    The qm-pending command is typically executed without any command-line options or arguments. It provides its output based on the current state of the Qmail queue directories and does not accept flags to modify its behavior.

qm-pending is a utility program provided with the Qmail Mail Transfer Agent (MTA). Its primary function is to report the current status of the Qmail message queue. Specifically, it counts and displays the number of messages that are currently awaiting delivery.

The output typically differentiates between messages destined for local delivery (i.e., to users on the same server) and those destined for remote delivery (i.e., to users on other servers via SMTP). This command is crucial for system administrators to quickly assess the load and health of their Qmail installation, identify potential bottlenecks, or confirm whether messages are being processed as expected. It provides a simple, direct snapshot of the queue's backlog, which can be useful for monitoring scripts or manual troubleshooting. Its simplicity and focus on a single task are characteristic of the Qmail suite's modular design.

qm-pending is part of the Qmail MTA and is not a standard Linux command found on systems without a Qmail installation. Its functionality is limited to reporting message counts; it does not provide detailed information about individual messages, nor does it allow for queue manipulation. Access to the Qmail queue directories is required for accurate counts, which often means running the command with appropriate permissions (e.g., as the qmailr user or root).

The command typically outputs two numeric values. The first number represents the count of messages awaiting local delivery, and the second represents the count of messages awaiting remote delivery. For example, an output of "10 5" means 10 messages are pending for local delivery and 5 for remote delivery.

The exact formatting (e.g., space-separated, newlines) can vary slightly depending on the specific Qmail package or wrapper script used, but the meaning of the two numbers is consistent.

On a standard Qmail installation, the qm-pending executable is usually located in the /var/qmail/bin/ directory or a similar designated Qmail binary path. It is often a lightweight shell script that performs directory traversals and counts.

The Qmail Mail Transfer Agent, including utilities like qm-pending, was developed by Daniel J. Bernstein (DJB) in the mid-1990s. It was designed with a strong emphasis on security, reliability, and performance, aiming to be a more robust alternative to existing MTAs at the time. qm-pending embodies Qmail's philosophy of providing small, single-purpose tools that work together. It has remained a stable component of the Qmail ecosystem since its inception, reflecting the enduring design of the core MTA.

qmail-qstat(8), qmail-send(8), qmail-inject(8)