1<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" 2 "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> 3<html> <head> 4<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> 5<title> Postfix manual - postfix(1) </title> 6</head> <body> <pre> 7POSTFIX(1) POSTFIX(1) 8 9<b>NAME</b> 10 postfix - Postfix control program 11 12<b>SYNOPSIS</b> 13 <b>postfix</b> [<b>-Dv</b>] [<b>-c</b> <i>config</i><b>_</b><i>dir</i>] <i>command</i> 14 15<b>DESCRIPTION</b> 16 This command is reserved for the superuser. To submit 17 mail, use the Postfix <a href="sendmail.1.html"><b>sendmail</b>(1)</a> command. 18 19 The <a href="postfix.1.html"><b>postfix</b>(1)</a> command controls the operation of the Post- 20 fix mail system: start or stop the <a href="master.8.html"><b>master</b>(8)</a> daemon, do a 21 health check, and other maintenance. 22 23 By default, the <a href="postfix.1.html"><b>postfix</b>(1)</a> command sets up a standardized 24 environment and runs the <b>postfix-script</b> shell script to do 25 the actual work. 26 27 However, when support for multiple Postfix instances is 28 configured, <a href="postfix.1.html"><b>postfix</b>(1)</a> executes the command specified with 29 the <b><a href="postconf.5.html#multi_instance_wrapper">multi_instance_wrapper</a></b> configuration parameter. This 30 command will execute the <i>command</i> for each applicable Post- 31 fix instance. 32 33 The following commands are implemented: 34 35 <b>check</b> Warn about bad directory/file ownership or permis- 36 sions, and create missing directories. 37 38 <b>start</b> Start the Postfix mail system. This also runs the 39 configuration check described above. 40 41 <b>stop</b> Stop the Postfix mail system in an orderly fashion. 42 If possible, running processes are allowed to ter- 43 minate at their earliest convenience. 44 45 Note: in order to refresh the Postfix mail system 46 after a configuration change, do not use the <b>start</b> 47 and <b>stop</b> commands in succession. Use the <b>reload</b> 48 command instead. 49 50 <b>abort</b> Stop the Postfix mail system abruptly. Running pro- 51 cesses are signaled to stop immediately. 52 53 <b>flush</b> Force delivery: attempt to deliver every message in 54 the deferred mail queue. Normally, attempts to 55 deliver delayed mail happen at regular intervals, 56 the interval doubling after each failed attempt. 57 58 Warning: flushing undeliverable mail frequently 59 will result in poor delivery performance of all 60 other mail. 61 62 <b>reload</b> Re-read configuration files. Running processes ter- 63 minate at their earliest convenience. 64 65 <b>status</b> Indicate if the Postfix mail system is currently 66 running. 67 68 <b>set-permissions [</b><i>name</i>=<i>value ...</i><b>]</b> 69 Set the ownership and permissions of Postfix 70 related files and directories, as specified in the 71 <b>postfix-files</b> file. 72 73 Specify <i>name</i>=<i>value</i> to override and update specific 74 <a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a> configuration parameters. Use this, for 75 example, to change the <b><a href="postconf.5.html#mail_owner">mail_owner</a></b> or <b><a href="postconf.5.html#setgid_group">setgid_group</a></b> 76 setting for an already installed Postfix system. 77 78 This feature is available in Postfix 2.1 and later. 79 With Postfix 2.0 and earlier, use "<b>$<a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_direc</a>-</b> 80 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">tory</a>/post-install set-permissions</b>". 81 82 <b>upgrade-configuration [</b><i>name</i>=<i>value ...</i><b>]</b> 83 Update the <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> and <a href="master.5.html"><b>master.cf</b></a> files with infor- 84 mation that Postfix needs in order to run: add or 85 update services, and add or update configuration 86 parameter settings. 87 88 Specify <i>name</i>=<i>value</i> to override and update specific 89 <a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a> configuration parameters. 90 91 This feature is available in Postfix 2.1 and later. 92 With Postfix 2.0 and earlier, use "<b>$<a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_direc</a>-</b> 93 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">tory</a>/post-install upgrade-configuration</b>". 94 95 The following options are implemented: 96 97 <b>-c</b> <i>config</i><b>_</b><i>dir</i> 98 Read the <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> and <a href="master.5.html"><b>master.cf</b></a> configuration files 99 in the named directory instead of the default con- 100 figuration directory. Use this to distinguish 101 between multiple Postfix instances on the same 102 host. 103 104 With Postfix 2.6 and later, this option forces the 105 <a href="postfix.1.html">postfix(1)</a> command to operate on the specified 106 Postfix instance only. This behavior is inherited 107 by <a href="postfix.1.html">postfix(1)</a> commands that run as a descendant of 108 the current process. 109 110 <b>-D</b> (with <b>postfix start</b> only) 111 Run each Postfix daemon under control of a debugger 112 as specified via the <b><a href="postconf.5.html#debugger_command">debugger_command</a></b> configuration 113 parameter. 114 115 <b>-v</b> Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes. Mul- 116 tiple <b>-v</b> options make the software increasingly 117 verbose. 118 119<b>ENVIRONMENT</b> 120 The <a href="postfix.1.html"><b>postfix</b>(1)</a> command exports the following environment 121 variables before executing the <b>postfix-script</b> file: 122 123 <b>MAIL_CONFIG</b> 124 This is set when the -c command-line option is 125 present. 126 127 With Postfix 2.6 and later, this environment vari- 128 able forces the <a href="postfix.1.html">postfix(1)</a> command to operate on 129 the specified Postfix instance only. This behavior 130 is inherited by <a href="postfix.1.html">postfix(1)</a> commands that run as a 131 descendant of the current process. 132 133 <b>MAIL_VERBOSE</b> 134 This is set when the -v command-line option is 135 present. 136 137 <b>MAIL_DEBUG</b> 138 This is set when the -D command-line option is 139 present. 140 141<b>CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS</b> 142 The following <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> configuration parameters are 143 exported as environment variables with the same names: 144 145 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#command_directory">command_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 146 The location of all postfix administrative com- 147 mands. 148 149 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#daemon_directory">daemon_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 150 The directory with Postfix support programs and 151 daemon programs. 152 153 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 154 The default location of the Postfix <a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a> and 155 <a href="master.5.html">master.cf</a> configuration files. 156 157 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#queue_directory">queue_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 158 The location of the Postfix top-level queue direc- 159 tory. 160 161 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#mail_owner">mail_owner</a> (postfix)</b> 162 The UNIX system account that owns the Postfix queue 163 and most Postfix daemon processes. 164 165 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#setgid_group">setgid_group</a> (postdrop)</b> 166 The group ownership of set-gid Postfix commands and 167 of group-writable Postfix directories. 168 169 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#sendmail_path">sendmail_path</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 170 A Sendmail compatibility feature that specifies the 171 location of the Postfix <a href="sendmail.1.html"><b>sendmail</b>(1)</a> command. 172 173 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#newaliases_path">newaliases_path</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 174 Sendmail compatibility feature that specifies the 175 location of the <a href="newaliases.1.html"><b>newaliases</b>(1)</a> command. 176 177 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#mailq_path">mailq_path</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 178 Sendmail compatibility feature that specifies where 179 the Postfix <a href="mailq.1.html"><b>mailq</b>(1)</a> command is installed. 180 181 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#html_directory">html_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 182 The location of Postfix HTML files that describe 183 how to build, configure or operate a specific Post- 184 fix subsystem or feature. 185 186 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#manpage_directory">manpage_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 187 Where the Postfix manual pages are installed. 188 189 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#readme_directory">readme_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 190 The location of Postfix README files that describe 191 how to build, configure or operate a specific Post- 192 fix subsystem or feature. 193 194 Available in Postfix version 2.5 and later: 195 196 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#data_directory">data_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 197 The directory with Postfix-writable data files (for 198 example: caches, pseudo-random numbers). 199 200 Other configuration parameters: 201 202 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 203 The default location of the Postfix <a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a> and 204 <a href="master.5.html">master.cf</a> configuration files. 205 206 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#import_environment">import_environment</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 207 The list of environment parameters that a Postfix 208 process will import from a non-Postfix parent 209 process. 210 211 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#syslog_facility">syslog_facility</a> (mail)</b> 212 The syslog facility of Postfix logging. 213 214 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#syslog_name">syslog_name</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b> 215 The mail system name that is prepended to the 216 process name in syslog records, so that "smtpd" 217 becomes, for example, "postfix/smtpd". 218 219 Available in Postfix version 2.6 and later: 220 221 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#multi_instance_directories">multi_instance_directories</a> (empty)</b> 222 An optional list of non-default Postfix configura- 223 tion directories; these directories belong to addi- 224 tional Postfix instances that share the Postfix 225 executable files and documentation with the default 226 Postfix instance, and that are started, stopped, 227 etc., together with the default Postfix instance. 228 229 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#multi_instance_wrapper">multi_instance_wrapper</a> (empty)</b> 230 The pathname of a multi-instance manager command 231 that the <a href="postfix.1.html"><b>postfix</b>(1)</a> command invokes when the 232 <a href="postconf.5.html#multi_instance_directories">multi_instance_directories</a> parameter value is non- 233 empty. 234 235 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#multi_instance_group">multi_instance_group</a> (empty)</b> 236 The optional instance group name of this Postfix 237 instance. 238 239 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#multi_instance_name">multi_instance_name</a> (empty)</b> 240 The optional instance name of this Postfix 241 instance. 242 243 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#multi_instance_enable">multi_instance_enable</a> (no)</b> 244 Allow this Postfix instance to be started, stopped, 245 etc., by a multi-instance manager. 246 247<b>FILES</b> 248 Prior to Postfix version 2.6, all of the following files 249 were in <b>$<a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a></b>. Some files are now in <b>$<a href="postconf.5.html#daemon_directory">dae</a>-</b> 250 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#daemon_directory">mon_directory</a></b> so that they can be shared among multiple 251 instances that run the same Postfix version. 252 253 Use the command "<b>postconf <a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a></b>" or "<b>postconf</b> 254 <b><a href="postconf.5.html#daemon_directory">daemon_directory</a></b>" to expand the names into their actual 255 values. 256 257 $<a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a>/<a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a>, Postfix configuration parameters 258 $<a href="postconf.5.html#config_directory">config_directory</a>/<a href="master.5.html">master.cf</a>, Postfix daemon processes 259 $<a href="postconf.5.html#daemon_directory">daemon_directory</a>/postfix-files, file/directory permissions 260 $<a href="postconf.5.html#daemon_directory">daemon_directory</a>/postfix-script, administrative commands 261 $<a href="postconf.5.html#daemon_directory">daemon_directory</a>/post-install, post-installation configuration 262 263<b>SEE ALSO</b> 264 Commands: 265 <a href="postalias.1.html">postalias(1)</a>, create/update/query alias database 266 <a href="postcat.1.html">postcat(1)</a>, examine Postfix queue file 267 <a href="postconf.1.html">postconf(1)</a>, Postfix configuration utility 268 <a href="postfix.1.html">postfix(1)</a>, Postfix control program 269 <a href="postkick.1.html">postkick(1)</a>, trigger Postfix daemon 270 <a href="postlock.1.html">postlock(1)</a>, Postfix-compatible locking 271 <a href="postlog.1.html">postlog(1)</a>, Postfix-compatible logging 272 <a href="postmap.1.html">postmap(1)</a>, Postfix lookup table manager 273 <a href="postmulti.1.html">postmulti(1)</a>, Postfix multi-instance manager 274 <a href="postqueue.1.html">postqueue(1)</a>, Postfix mail queue control 275 <a href="postsuper.1.html">postsuper(1)</a>, Postfix housekeeping 276 <a href="mailq.1.html">mailq(1)</a>, Sendmail compatibility interface 277 <a href="newaliases.1.html">newaliases(1)</a>, Sendmail compatibility interface 278 <a href="sendmail.1.html">sendmail(1)</a>, Sendmail compatibility interface 279 280 Postfix configuration: 281 <a href="bounce.5.html">bounce(5)</a>, Postfix bounce message templates 282 <a href="master.5.html">master(5)</a>, Postfix <a href="master.5.html">master.cf</a> file syntax 283 <a href="postconf.5.html">postconf(5)</a>, Postfix <a href="postconf.5.html">main.cf</a> file syntax 284 <a href="postfix-wrapper.5.html">postfix-wrapper(5)</a>, Postfix multi-instance API 285 286 Table-driven mechanisms: 287 <a href="access.5.html">access(5)</a>, Postfix SMTP access control table 288 <a href="aliases.5.html">aliases(5)</a>, Postfix alias database 289 <a href="canonical.5.html">canonical(5)</a>, Postfix input address rewriting 290 <a href="generic.5.html">generic(5)</a>, Postfix output address rewriting 291 <a href="header_checks.5.html">header_checks(5)</a>, <a href="header_checks.5.html">body_checks(5)</a>, Postfix content inspection 292 <a href="relocated.5.html">relocated(5)</a>, Users that have moved 293 <a href="transport.5.html">transport(5)</a>, Postfix routing table 294 <a href="virtual.5.html">virtual(5)</a>, Postfix virtual aliasing 295 296 Table lookup mechanisms: 297 <a href="cidr_table.5.html">cidr_table(5)</a>, Associate CIDR pattern with value 298 <a href="ldap_table.5.html">ldap_table(5)</a>, Postfix LDAP client 299 <a href="mysql_table.5.html">mysql_table(5)</a>, Postfix MYSQL client 300 <a href="nisplus_table.5.html">nisplus_table(5)</a>, Postfix NIS+ client 301 <a href="pcre_table.5.html">pcre_table(5)</a>, Associate PCRE pattern with value 302 <a href="pgsql_table.5.html">pgsql_table(5)</a>, Postfix PostgreSQL client 303 <a href="regexp_table.5.html">regexp_table(5)</a>, Associate POSIX regexp pattern with value 304 <a href="sqlite_table.5.html">sqlite_table(5)</a>, Postfix SQLite database driver 305 <a href="tcp_table.5.html">tcp_table(5)</a>, Postfix client-server table lookup 306 307 Daemon processes: 308 <a href="anvil.8.html">anvil(8)</a>, Postfix connection/rate limiting 309 <a href="bounce.8.html">bounce(8)</a>, <a href="defer.8.html">defer(8)</a>, <a href="trace.8.html">trace(8)</a>, Delivery status reports 310 <a href="cleanup.8.html">cleanup(8)</a>, canonicalize and enqueue message 311 <a href="discard.8.html">discard(8)</a>, Postfix discard delivery agent 312 <a href="dnsblog.8.html">dnsblog(8)</a>, DNS black/whitelist logger 313 <a href="error.8.html">error(8)</a>, Postfix error delivery agent 314 <a href="flush.8.html">flush(8)</a>, Postfix fast ETRN service 315 <a href="local.8.html">local(8)</a>, Postfix local delivery agent 316 <a href="master.8.html">master(8)</a>, Postfix master daemon 317 <a href="qmgr.8.html">oqmgr(8)</a>, old Postfix queue manager 318 <a href="pickup.8.html">pickup(8)</a>, Postfix local mail pickup 319 <a href="pipe.8.html">pipe(8)</a>, deliver mail to non-Postfix command 320 <a href="postscreen.8.html">postscreen(8)</a>, Postfix zombie blocker 321 <a href="proxymap.8.html">proxymap(8)</a>, Postfix lookup table proxy server 322 <a href="qmgr.8.html">qmgr(8)</a>, Postfix queue manager 323 <a href="qmqpd.8.html">qmqpd(8)</a>, Postfix QMQP server 324 <a href="scache.8.html">scache(8)</a>, Postfix connection cache manager 325 <a href="showq.8.html">showq(8)</a>, list Postfix mail queue 326 <a href="smtp.8.html">smtp(8)</a>, <a href="lmtp.8.html">lmtp(8)</a>, Postfix SMTP+LMTP client 327 <a href="smtpd.8.html">smtpd(8)</a>, Postfix SMTP server 328 <a href="spawn.8.html">spawn(8)</a>, run non-Postfix server 329 <a href="tlsmgr.8.html">tlsmgr(8)</a>, Postfix TLS cache and randomness manager 330 <a href="tlsproxy.8.html">tlsproxy(8)</a>, Postfix TLS proxy server 331 <a href="trivial-rewrite.8.html">trivial-rewrite(8)</a>, Postfix address rewriting 332 <a href="verify.8.html">verify(8)</a>, Postfix address verification 333 <a href="virtual.8.html">virtual(8)</a>, Postfix virtual delivery agent 334 335 Other: 336 syslogd(8), system logging 337 338<b>README FILES</b> 339 <a href="OVERVIEW.html">OVERVIEW</a>, overview of Postfix commands and processes 340 <a href="BASIC_CONFIGURATION_README.html">BASIC_CONFIGURATION_README</a>, Postfix basic configuration 341 <a href="ADDRESS_REWRITING_README.html">ADDRESS_REWRITING_README</a>, Postfix address rewriting 342 <a href="SMTPD_ACCESS_README.html">SMTPD_ACCESS_README</a>, SMTP relay/access control 343 <a href="CONTENT_INSPECTION_README.html">CONTENT_INSPECTION_README</a>, Postfix content inspection 344 <a href="QSHAPE_README.html">QSHAPE_README</a>, Postfix queue analysis 345 346<b>LICENSE</b> 347 The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this 348 software. 349 350<b>AUTHOR(S)</b> 351 Wietse Venema 352 IBM T.J. Watson Research 353 P.O. Box 704 354 Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA 355 356 TLS support by: 357 Lutz Jaenicke 358 Brandenburg University of Technology 359 Cottbus, Germany 360 361 Victor Duchovni 362 Morgan Stanley 363 364 SASL support originally by: 365 Till Franke 366 SuSE Rhein/Main AG 367 65760 Eschborn, Germany 368 369 LMTP support originally by: 370 Philip A. Prindeville 371 Mirapoint, Inc. 372 USA. 373 374 Amos Gouaux 375 University of Texas at Dallas 376 P.O. Box 830688, MC34 377 Richardson, TX 75083, USA 378 379 IPv6 support originally by: 380 Mark Huizer, Eindhoven University, The Netherlands 381 Jun-ichiro 'itojun' Hagino, KAME project, Japan 382 The Linux PLD project 383 Dean Strik, Eindhoven University, The Netherlands 384 385 POSTFIX(1) 386</pre> </body> </html> 387