Deploying Roundcube

Introduction

Roundcube is a free, open-source webmail client with a desktop-like user interface. It provides a full-featured email experience in your browser, connecting to standard IMAP servers while offering a clean, intuitive interface that rivals commercial webmail services.

Key highlights of Roundcube:

Modern Interface: Desktop-like UI with drag-and-drop functionality
IMAP/SMTP Support: Works with any standard email server
Rich Text Editor: Full HTML email composition
Address Book: Integrated contacts with import/export
Search: Full-text search across messages
Folder Management: Create, rename, and organize folders
Multiple Identities: Support for multiple sender identities
Plugins: Extensive plugin architecture for customization
Skins: Multiple themes and customizable appearance
Mobile Responsive: Works on tablets and phones
Multi-Language: Available in 80+ languages
Open Source: GPL-3.0 licensed with active development

This guide walks through deploying Roundcube on Klutch.sh using Docker and connecting it to your mail server.

Why Deploy Roundcube on Klutch.sh

Deploying Roundcube on Klutch.sh provides several advantages:

Simplified Deployment: Klutch.sh automatically builds and deploys Roundcube without complex web server configuration.

Persistent Storage: Attach persistent volumes for user preferences and temporary files that survive container restarts.

HTTPS by Default: Klutch.sh provides automatic SSL for secure email access.

Always-On Availability: Your webmail remains accessible 24/7 from anywhere.

Environment Variable Management: Securely store configuration through Klutch.sh.

Prerequisites

Before deploying Roundcube on Klutch.sh, ensure you have:

A Klutch.sh account
A GitHub account with a repository for your Roundcube configuration
An IMAP email server to connect to
An SMTP server for sending email
(Optional) An external database for multi-user deployments
Basic familiarity with Docker

Preparing Your Repository

Create a GitHub repository containing your Dockerfile for Roundcube deployment.

Repository Structure

roundcube-deploy/
├── Dockerfile
└── .dockerignore

Creating the Dockerfile

Create a Dockerfile in the root of your repository:

FROM roundcube/roundcubemail:latest

# Set environment variables
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_DEFAULT_HOST=${IMAP_HOST}
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_DEFAULT_PORT=${IMAP_PORT:-993}
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_SMTP_SERVER=${SMTP_HOST}
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_SMTP_PORT=${SMTP_PORT:-587}
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_DB_TYPE=${DB_TYPE:-sqlite}
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_DB_HOST=${DB_HOST}
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_DB_NAME=${DB_NAME:-roundcube}
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_DB_USER=${DB_USER}
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_DB_PASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD}

# Expose the web interface port
EXPOSE 80

# The base image includes the default entrypoint

Environment Variables Reference

Variable	Required	Description
`IMAP_HOST`	Yes	IMAP server hostname (e.g., `ssl://mail.example.com`)
`IMAP_PORT`	No	IMAP port (default: 993 for SSL)
`SMTP_HOST`	Yes	SMTP server hostname (e.g., `tls://mail.example.com`)
`SMTP_PORT`	No	SMTP port (default: 587)
`DB_TYPE`	No	Database type: sqlite, mysql, or pgsql (default: sqlite)
`DB_HOST`	No	Database host (for MySQL/PostgreSQL)
`DB_NAME`	No	Database name (default: roundcube)
`DB_USER`	No	Database username
`DB_PASSWORD`	No	Database password

Deploying Roundcube on Klutch.sh

Push Your Repository to GitHub

Commit and push your Dockerfile to GitHub.

Create a New Project on Klutch.sh

Navigate to the Klutch.sh dashboard and create a new project with a descriptive name like “roundcube” or “webmail”.

Create a New App

Within your project, create a new app. Connect your GitHub account and select the repository containing your Roundcube Dockerfile.

Configure HTTP Traffic

In the deployment settings:

Select HTTP as the traffic type
Set the internal port to 80

Set Environment Variables

Add the following environment variables:

Variable	Value
`IMAP_HOST`	`ssl://mail.example.com`
`SMTP_HOST`	`tls://mail.example.com`

For external database (recommended for production):

Variable	Value
`DB_TYPE`	mysql or pgsql
`DB_HOST`	Your database host
`DB_USER`	Your database user
`DB_PASSWORD`	Your database password

Attach Persistent Volumes

Add the following volumes:

Mount Path	Recommended Size	Purpose
`/var/www/html/db`	1 GB	SQLite database (if using sqlite)
`/var/www/html/temp`	1 GB	Temporary files and attachments
`/var/www/html/logs`	1 GB	Application logs

Deploy Your Application

Click Deploy to start the build process.

Access Roundcube

Once deployment completes, access Roundcube at your app URL and log in with your email credentials.

Configuration

Connecting to Your Mail Server

Roundcube connects to your existing IMAP/SMTP server:

Users log in with their email credentials
Roundcube authenticates against the IMAP server
Emails are accessed directly from the mail server

Configuring Plugins

Edit the Dockerfile to enable plugins:

ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_PLUGINS=archive,zipdownload,managesieve

Common plugins:
- archive: Archive messages
- zipdownload: Download multiple messages as ZIP
- managesieve: Manage server-side mail filters

Customizing Appearance

Set the default skin:
```
ENV ROUNDCUBEMAIL_SKIN=elastic
```
Available skins: elastic (default), larry, classic

Security Considerations

Always use SSL/TLS for IMAP and SMTP connections
Configure proper session timeouts
Use a proper database instead of SQLite for production
Regularly update Roundcube for security patches

Additional Resources

Conclusion

Deploying Roundcube on Klutch.sh gives you a modern, feature-rich webmail client with automatic builds, persistent storage, and secure HTTPS access. Whether for personal use or organization-wide email access, Roundcube on Klutch.sh provides a reliable webmail solution that works with any standard email server.