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diff --git a/doc/administration/reply_by_email.md b/doc/administration/reply_by_email.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..5a9a1582877 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/administration/reply_by_email.md @@ -0,0 +1,302 @@ +# Reply by email + +GitLab can be set up to allow users to comment on issues and merge requests by +replying to notification emails. + +## Requirement + +Reply by email requires an IMAP-enabled email account. GitLab allows you to use +three strategies for this feature: +- using email sub-addressing +- using a dedicated email address +- using a catch-all mailbox + +### Email sub-addressing + +**If your provider or server supports email sub-addressing, we recommend using it.** + +[Sub-addressing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_address#Sub-addressing) is +a feature where any email to `user+some_arbitrary_tag@example.com` will end up +in the mailbox for `user@example.com`, and is supported by providers such as +Gmail, Google Apps, Yahoo! Mail, Outlook.com and iCloud, as well as the Postfix +mail server which you can run on-premises. + +### Dedicated email address + +This solution is really simple to set up: you just have to create an email +address dedicated to receive your users' replies to GitLab notifications. + +### Catch-all mailbox + +A [catch-all mailbox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch-all) for a domain will +"catch all" the emails addressed to the domain that do not exist in the mail +server. + +## How it works? + +### 1. GitLab sends a notification email + +When GitLab sends a notification and Reply by email is enabled, the `Reply-To` +header is set to the address defined in your GitLab configuration, with the +`%{key}` placeholder (if present) replaced by a specific "reply key". In +addition, this "reply key" is also added to the `References` header. + +### 2. You reply to the notification email + +When you reply to the notification email, your email client will: + +- send the email to the `Reply-To` address it got from the notification email +- set the `In-Reply-To` header to the value of the `Message-ID` header from the + notification email +- set the `References` header to the value of the `Message-ID` plus the value of + the notification email's `References` header. + +### 3. GitLab receives your reply to the notification email + +When GitLab receives your reply, it will look for the "reply key" in the +following headers, in this order: + +1. the `To` header +1. the `References` header + +If it finds a reply key, it will be able to leave your reply as a comment on +the entity the notification was about (issue, merge request, commit...). + +For more details about the `Message-ID`, `In-Reply-To`, and `References headers`, +please consult [RFC 5322](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5322#section-3.6.4). + +## Set it up + +If you want to use Gmail / Google Apps with Reply by email, make sure you have +[IMAP access enabled](https://support.google.com/mail/troubleshooter/1668960?hl=en#ts=1665018) +and [allowed less secure apps to access the account](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6010255). + +To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow +[these instructions](./postfix.md). + +### Omnibus package installations + +1. Find the `incoming_email` section in `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`, enable the + feature and fill in the details for your specific IMAP server and email account: + + ```ruby + # Configuration for Postfix mail server, assumes mailbox incoming@gitlab.example.com + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_enabled'] = true + + # The email address including the `%{key}` placeholder that will be replaced to reference the item being replied to. + # The placeholder can be omitted but if present, it must appear in the "user" part of the address (before the `@`). + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_address'] = "incoming+%{key}@gitlab.example.com" + + # Email account username + # With third party providers, this is usually the full email address. + # With self-hosted email servers, this is usually the user part of the email address. + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_email'] = "incoming" + # Email account password + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_password'] = "[REDACTED]" + + # IMAP server host + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_host'] = "gitlab.example.com" + # IMAP server port + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_port'] = 143 + # Whether the IMAP server uses SSL + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_ssl'] = false + # Whether the IMAP server uses StartTLS + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_start_tls'] = false + + # The mailbox where incoming mail will end up. Usually "inbox". + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_mailbox_name'] = "inbox" + ``` + + ```ruby + # Configuration for Gmail / Google Apps, assumes mailbox gitlab-incoming@gmail.com + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_enabled'] = true + + # The email address including the `%{key}` placeholder that will be replaced to reference the item being replied to. + # The placeholder can be omitted but if present, it must appear in the "user" part of the address (before the `@`). + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_address'] = "gitlab-incoming+%{key}@gmail.com" + + # Email account username + # With third party providers, this is usually the full email address. + # With self-hosted email servers, this is usually the user part of the email address. + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_email'] = "gitlab-incoming@gmail.com" + # Email account password + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_password'] = "[REDACTED]" + + # IMAP server host + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_host'] = "imap.gmail.com" + # IMAP server port + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_port'] = 993 + # Whether the IMAP server uses SSL + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_ssl'] = true + # Whether the IMAP server uses StartTLS + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_start_tls'] = false + + # The mailbox where incoming mail will end up. Usually "inbox". + gitlab_rails['incoming_email_mailbox_name'] = "inbox" + ``` + +1. Reconfigure GitLab and restart mailroom for the changes to take effect: + + ```sh + sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure + sudo gitlab-ctl restart mailroom + ``` + +1. Verify that everything is configured correctly: + + ```sh + sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:incoming_email:check + ``` + +1. Reply by email should now be working. + +### Installations from source + +1. Go to the GitLab installation directory: + + ```sh + cd /home/git/gitlab + ``` + +1. Find the `incoming_email` section in `config/gitlab.yml`, enable the feature + and fill in the details for your specific IMAP server and email account: + + ```sh + sudo editor config/gitlab.yml + ``` + + ```yaml + # Configuration for Postfix mail server, assumes mailbox incoming@gitlab.example.com + incoming_email: + enabled: true + + # The email address including the `%{key}` placeholder that will be replaced to reference the item being replied to. + # The placeholder can be omitted but if present, it must appear in the "user" part of the address (before the `@`). + address: "incoming+%{key}@gitlab.example.com" + + # Email account username + # With third party providers, this is usually the full email address. + # With self-hosted email servers, this is usually the user part of the email address. + user: "incoming" + # Email account password + password: "[REDACTED]" + + # IMAP server host + host: "gitlab.example.com" + # IMAP server port + port: 143 + # Whether the IMAP server uses SSL + ssl: false + # Whether the IMAP server uses StartTLS + start_tls: false + + # The mailbox where incoming mail will end up. Usually "inbox". + mailbox: "inbox" + ``` + + ```yaml + # Configuration for Gmail / Google Apps, assumes mailbox gitlab-incoming@gmail.com + incoming_email: + enabled: true + + # The email address including the `%{key}` placeholder that will be replaced to reference the item being replied to. + # The placeholder can be omitted but if present, it must appear in the "user" part of the address (before the `@`). + address: "gitlab-incoming+%{key}@gmail.com" + + # Email account username + # With third party providers, this is usually the full email address. + # With self-hosted email servers, this is usually the user part of the email address. + user: "gitlab-incoming@gmail.com" + # Email account password + password: "[REDACTED]" + + # IMAP server host + host: "imap.gmail.com" + # IMAP server port + port: 993 + # Whether the IMAP server uses SSL + ssl: true + # Whether the IMAP server uses StartTLS + start_tls: false + + # The mailbox where incoming mail will end up. Usually "inbox". + mailbox: "inbox" + ``` + +1. Enable `mail_room` in the init script at `/etc/default/gitlab`: + + ```sh + sudo mkdir -p /etc/default + echo 'mail_room_enabled=true' | sudo tee -a /etc/default/gitlab + ``` + +1. Restart GitLab: + + ```sh + sudo service gitlab restart + ``` + +1. Verify that everything is configured correctly: + + ```sh + sudo -u git -H bundle exec rake gitlab:incoming_email:check RAILS_ENV=production + ``` + +1. Reply by email should now be working. + +### Development + +1. Go to the GitLab installation directory. + +1. Find the `incoming_email` section in `config/gitlab.yml`, enable the feature and fill in the details for your specific IMAP server and email account: + + ```yaml + # Configuration for Gmail / Google Apps, assumes mailbox gitlab-incoming@gmail.com + incoming_email: + enabled: true + + # The email address including the `%{key}` placeholder that will be replaced to reference the item being replied to. + # The placeholder can be omitted but if present, it must appear in the "user" part of the address (before the `@`). + address: "gitlab-incoming+%{key}@gmail.com" + + # Email account username + # With third party providers, this is usually the full email address. + # With self-hosted email servers, this is usually the user part of the email address. + user: "gitlab-incoming@gmail.com" + # Email account password + password: "[REDACTED]" + + # IMAP server host + host: "imap.gmail.com" + # IMAP server port + port: 993 + # Whether the IMAP server uses SSL + ssl: true + # Whether the IMAP server uses StartTLS + start_tls: false + + # The mailbox where incoming mail will end up. Usually "inbox". + mailbox: "inbox" + ``` + + As mentioned, the part after `+` is ignored, and this will end up in the mailbox for `gitlab-incoming@gmail.com`. + +1. Uncomment the `mail_room` line in your `Procfile`: + + ```yaml + mail_room: bundle exec mail_room -q -c config/mail_room.yml + ``` + +1. Restart GitLab: + + ```sh + bundle exec foreman start + ``` + +1. Verify that everything is configured correctly: + + ```sh + bundle exec rake gitlab:incoming_email:check RAILS_ENV=development + ``` + +1. Reply by email should now be working. |