API

Mail

Set up and operate a self-hosted mail server.

The Mail API drives Synq's self-hosted email feature: it installs an iRedMail stack on one of your servers over SSH, tracks the wizard's progress, then exposes an admin panel for the running server — domains, mailboxes, stats, backups, DNS health, and per-component control — plus a one-click webmail deploy. In the dashboard this is the Emails page.

Self-hosted only

Every route here is gated by localOnly and is never mounted on a hosted cloud instance: the module is dynamically imported only on self-hosted instances (every Synq install). On a cloud instance these paths return 404.

Every route is server-scoped

Most paths carry a :serverId (or take one in the body / ?serverId=). Synq checks that the server belongs to your organization on every call — a mail_server grants SSH-level reach into the box, so a serverId outside your org returns 404, indistinguishable from one that doesn't exist.

Start (or resume) setup

Kicks off the iRedMail install wizard against a server and streams progress as Server-Sent Events. The wizard is idempotent: re-POST with startStep to resume from where a previous run stopped (or was gated). Only one install may run per instance at a time.

POST /api/mail/setup

Prop

Type

config is an optional IRedMailConfig:

Prop

Type

curl -N -X POST "$SYNQ_URL/api/mail/setup" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SYNQ_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"serverId":"srv_123","domain":"example.com"}'

The stream emits step_start, log, and step_done events per step, plus these control events:

  • dns_records / dns_pending — the DKIM step publishes the records you must add, then holds. Add the records at your DNS provider and call POST /api/mail/setup/dns-ack, then re-POST /setup with the resumeStep from the event.
  • ptr_pending — after DNS is acknowledged, the wizard holds again for reverse-DNS (PTR). Set the PTR record at your VPS provider, call POST /api/mail/setup/ptr-ack, and resume.
  • complete — carries domain, webmailUrl, and adminUrl.
  • error — carries message and (when resumable) resumeStep.

The terminal verify_reachability step reads the target's TCP listener table and then connects from the API host to the public-DNS address on 25, 465, 587, and 993. Listener failures and off-box failures remain distinct in the result. A measured failure blocks completion and points at both the host firewall and the provider-level firewall/security group/security list/NSG; an unavailable probe is returned as a non-blocking warning rather than being invented as an outage.

GET /api/mail/health/:serverId reuses one public-port sweep for 60 seconds. Pass ?refreshReachability=1 after changing firewall rules to force an immediate recheck; concurrent requests are still coalesced into one bounded four-port probe.

Acknowledge DNS / PTR

Both flip a single flag in the on-server state file so the wizard can move past its gate on the next /setup POST. Both take the same body.

POST /api/mail/setup/dns-ack
POST /api/mail/setup/ptr-ack

Prop

Type

The same { serverId } body applies to POST /api/mail/scan, POST /api/mail/adopt, POST /api/mail/setup/cancel, and POST /api/mail/setup/reset.

Adopt an existing install

If Synq lost its record of a mail server (a rebuilt install, a wiped database), scan the server, then adopt it: no reinstall, nothing changes on the box.

POST /api/mail/scan
POST /api/mail/adopt
# 1. Probe for iRedMail + its on-server state
curl -X POST "$SYNQ_URL/api/mail/scan" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SYNQ_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"serverId":"srv_123"}'

# 2. Re-adopt it (idempotent)
curl -X POST "$SYNQ_URL/api/mail/adopt" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SYNQ_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"serverId":"srv_123"}'

Rotate the postmaster password

POST /api/mail/credentials/postmaster

Prop

Type

Add a mail domain

POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains

Prop

Type

PATCH /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain accepts the same fields (all optional) plus active (boolean).

curl -X POST "$SYNQ_URL/api/mail/admin/srv_123/domains" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SYNQ_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"domain":"example.com","defaultQuotaMB":2048}'

Create a mailbox

POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/mailboxes

Prop

Type

PATCH /api/mail/admin/:serverId/mailboxes/:email accepts name, password, quotaMB, and active (all optional). DELETE soft-deletes by default; add ?hard=true to purge the maildir.

curl -X POST "$SYNQ_URL/api/mail/admin/srv_123/mailboxes" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SYNQ_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"localPart":"alice","domain":"example.com","password":"a-strong-password"}'

Configure backups

Plugs the mail server into the general backup system — pick a destination and what to capture. Requires an existing backup destination in your organization.

POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/backup-policy

Prop

Type

Send a test email

POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/test-email

Prop

Type

Deploy webmail

Installs the webmail app from the app catalog, pointed at this mail server's IMAP/SMTP, then queues a deployment and starts it. Returns { deploymentId, projectId } so the dashboard can redirect to /build/[deploymentId]. Re-deploying an existing webmail reuses its project (and its stored sessions).

The IMAP/SMTP backend is derived from the mail server — mail.<domain> on 993/465 — so there is nothing to configure here. To point a webmail at a mailbox host you run elsewhere, install the webmail app from /apps (or use POST /api/mail/webmail/deploy-external) instead.

POST /api/mail/webmail/deploy-project

Prop

Type

target is one of:

  • { "kind": "self", "serverId": "srv_123" } — self-hosted on one of your Synq servers.
  • { "kind": "cloud" }: managed by a hosted cloud (switched off in Synq, so not offered).
curl -X POST "$SYNQ_URL/api/mail/webmail/deploy-project" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SYNQ_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"mailServerId":"srv_123","hostname":"mail.example.com","target":{"kind":"self","serverId":"srv_123"}}'

Replacing a pre-catalog webmail

Synq 0.6.1 and earlier shipped webmail as a prebuilt bundle rather than an image. Those installs can't be redeployed — they have to be replaced by the catalog app. GET /api/mail/status reports one as webmail.legacy: true, and a deploy over it is refused with 409 and "code": "LEGACY_WEBMAIL" until you retry the same request with replaceLegacy: true.

The replace tears the old project down — container, routes, host state directory, project row — and then installs the webmail app at the same hostname. Mailboxes, mail data and every message live on the mail server and are untouched; the old webmail's sign-in sessions and per-user settings are not, so everyone signs in again. If the old install can't be removed, nothing is installed and the existing webmail keeps running.

Errors

404 — Not available

You're calling a cloud instance. The Mail API is self-hosted only; run it on an instance where CLOUD_MODE is off.

404 — Server not found

The :serverId doesn't belong to your organization (or doesn't exist). List your mail servers with GET /api/mail/servers to get valid IDs.

409 — Setup already running

Only one install runs per instance at a time, and per-server writes (reset, postmaster rotation) are refused while its setup is active. Wait for it to finish, or cancel it with POST /api/mail/setup/cancel.

409 — LEGACY_WEBMAIL

The webmail linked to this mail server predates the catalog app, so it can only be replaced. Retry the same deploy-project call with replaceLegacy: true once you've confirmed the operator accepts losing the old webmail's sessions and per-user settings.

502 — Scan / adopt failed

Synq couldn't reach the server over SSH, or the probe threw. Check the server is online and its SSH credentials are valid, then retry.

Operations

OperationREST API
List mail aliases on a server.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/aliases
mail_server:list · Self-hosted
Create a mail alias.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/aliases
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Remove a mail alias.DELETE /api/mail/admin/:serverId/aliases/:id
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Update a mail alias.PATCH /api/mail/admin/:serverId/aliases/:id
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
The mail server's backup policy (or null).GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/backup-policy
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Create or update the backup policy.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/backup-policy
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Recent backup runs for the mail server.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/backup-runs
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Run an action (start/stop/restart/…) on one component.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/components/:key/:action
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Tail a component's logs.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/components/:key/logs
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Restart every mail component.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/components/restart-all
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Live DNS health scan (MX/SPF/DKIM/DMARC/PTR).GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/dns-scan
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
List mail domains on the server.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains
mail_server:list · Self-hosted
Add a mail domain.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
List additional domains whose DNS is still pending.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains-dns/pending
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Delete a domain (add ?cascade=true to remove its mailboxes too).DELETE /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Get one domain's config.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Update a domain (quotas, limits, active flag).PATCH /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Count mailboxes/aliases that depend on a domain.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain/dependents
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
DNS records + publish state for an additional domain.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain/dns
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Confirm a domain's DNS records are published.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain/dns/acknowledge
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Apply the mail domain's DNS plan through a configured provider.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain/dns/apply
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Preview the mail domain's DNS records.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/domains/:domain/dns/plan
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
List inbound mail rules.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/inbound-rules
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Create an inbound mail rule.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/inbound-rules
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Remove an inbound mail rule.DELETE /api/mail/admin/:serverId/inbound-rules/:ruleId
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Update an inbound mail rule.PATCH /api/mail/admin/:serverId/inbound-rules/:ruleId
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Evaluate a message against inbound mail rules.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/inbound-rules/test
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
List mailboxes in a domain.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/mailboxes
mail_server:list · Self-hosted
Create a mailbox.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/mailboxes
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Delete a mailbox (add ?hard=true to purge its maildir; default is a soft delete).DELETE /api/mail/admin/:serverId/mailboxes/:email
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Get one mailbox.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/mailboxes/:email
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Update a mailbox (name, password, quota, active).PATCH /api/mail/admin/:serverId/mailboxes/:email
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Rotate the platform mailbox credential.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/platform-mailbox/rotate
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Remove outbound relay configuration.DELETE /api/mail/admin/:serverId/relay
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Read outbound relay configuration.GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/relay
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Configure an outbound relay.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/relay
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Aggregate counts (domains, mailboxes, storage).GET /api/mail/admin/:serverId/stats
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Send a test email from the server.POST /api/mail/admin/:serverId/test-email
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Re-adopt a scanned server whose orchestrator state was lost.POST /api/mail/adopt
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Rotate the postmaster account password.POST /api/mail/credentials/postmaster
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Mail daemons, outbound delivery, and cached public-port reachability (TCP 25/465/587/993).GET /api/mail/health/:serverId
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Probe a server for an existing iRedMail install + its on-server state (read-only).POST /api/mail/scan
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
List every server Synq has provisioned (or is provisioning) mail on.GET /api/mail/servers
mail_server:list · Self-hosted
Stop managing a server (drops the DB row only; leaves the stack + state file intact).DELETE /api/mail/servers/:serverId
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Start or resume the install wizard — returns an SSE stream.POST /api/mail/setup
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Cancel the running setup.POST /api/mail/setup/cancel
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Mark DNS (DKIM) records as configured, releasing the DNS gate.POST /api/mail/setup/dns-ack
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Mark reverse-DNS (PTR) as configured, releasing the PTR gate.POST /api/mail/setup/ptr-ack
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Wipe the on-server state file (does not touch iRedMail).POST /api/mail/setup/reset
mail_server:admin · Self-hosted
Current setup progress for a server (rendered from its on-server state file).GET /api/mail/status
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
List all setup steps and the total count.GET /api/mail/steps
mail_server:read · Self-hosted
Deploy webmail for an external mail server.POST /api/mail/webmail/deploy-external
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
Create a webmail project + deployment and start the build.POST /api/mail/webmail/deploy-project
mail_server:write · Self-hosted
List deploy-target options (self-hosted servers / cloud).GET /api/mail/webmail/targets
mail_server:read · Self-hosted

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