Rail is a terminal-based email client for Gmail and Microsoft 365. It provides a keyboard-driven interface for reading, organising and composing messages without relying on a conventional graphical email application.
The client follows a local-first approach, maintaining a copy of email messages in an SQLite database. A background daemon synchronises messages with the configured accounts, allowing browsing and searching to operate against locally stored data. This separates everyday email navigation from network requests and helps keep the interface responsive.
Rail is designed for users who prefer managing email from the terminal. Its interface combines a mailbox sidebar, message list and conversation reader, with facilities for navigating multiple accounts from one application. Messages can be composed using the user’s preferred text editor, while the terminal interface handles mailbox management and other email operations.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Unified inbox combines messages from multiple Gmail and Microsoft 365 accounts.
- Background synchronisation daemon maintains a local SQLite email store.
- Conversation-oriented reader displays email threads with collapsible older messages and quoted text.
- Renders HTML messages with formatting and images, with controls governing the loading of remote pictures.
- Incremental filtering, saved searches and a command palette simplify mailbox navigation.
- Supports archiving, deleting, starring, marking messages as read, moving messages and managing Gmail labels.
- Bulk message operations, snoozing and undo functionality help manage larger mailboxes.
- Compose new messages, replies and forwards using an external text editor, with synchronised drafts and a ten-second undo-send window.
- Customisable keyboard shortcuts with Vim, Mutt, Emacs, Gmail and Outlook presets.
- Authentication tokens can be stored in the operating system’s keyring, a private file or 1Password.
- Includes the rail doctor diagnostic command and an MCP server for agent-assisted configuration.
- Cross-platform support – runs on Linux and macOS.
Website: github.com/vitosans/rail
Support:
Developer: Vito Sansevero
License: MIT License or Apache License 2.0
Rail is written in Rust. Learn Rust with our recommended free books and free tutorials
Related Software
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| Alpine | Alternatively Licensed Program for Internet News and Email |
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| aerc | Billed as a "pretty good email client" |
| matcha | Powerful, feature-rich email client for your terminal |
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| bower | Curses frontend for the Notmuch email system |
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| CXPost | Cross-platform desktop app for managing multiple accounts |
| mxr | Local-first messaging app built for speed and offline use |
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| Vmail | Vim interface to Gmail |
| neatmail | Non-interactive email client |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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