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diff --git a/doc/incoming_email/README.md b/doc/incoming_email/README.md index 4cfb8402943..5a9a1582877 100644 --- a/doc/incoming_email/README.md +++ b/doc/incoming_email/README.md @@ -1,36 +1,99 @@ # Reply by email -GitLab can be set up to allow users to comment on issues and merge requests by replying to notification emails. +GitLab can be set up to allow users to comment on issues and merge requests by +replying to notification emails. -## Get a mailbox +## Requirement -Reply by email requires an IMAP-enabled email account, with a provider or server that supports [email sub-addressing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_address#Sub-addressing). 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. +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 -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 [allow less secure apps to access the account](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6010255). +### Email sub-addressing -To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow [these instructions](./postfix.md). +**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: +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 a placeholder for the key that references the item being replied to. - # The `%{key}` placeholder is added after the user part, before the `@`. + + # 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 @@ -47,18 +110,18 @@ To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow [these ```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 `%{key}` placeholder is added after the user part, after a `+` character, before the `@`. + # 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 @@ -72,8 +135,6 @@ To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow [these gitlab_rails['incoming_email_mailbox_name'] = "inbox" ``` - As mentioned, the part after `+` in the address is ignored, and any email sent here will end up in the mailbox for `incoming@gitlab.example.com`/`gitlab-incoming@gmail.com`. - 1. Reconfigure GitLab and restart mailroom for the changes to take effect: ```sh @@ -97,7 +158,8 @@ To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow [these 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: +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 @@ -109,7 +171,7 @@ To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow [these enabled: true # The email address including the `%{key}` placeholder that will be replaced to reference the item being replied to. - # The `%{key}` placeholder is added after the user part, after a `+` character, before the `@`. + # 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 @@ -138,7 +200,7 @@ To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow [these enabled: true # The email address including the `%{key}` placeholder that will be replaced to reference the item being replied to. - # The `%{key}` placeholder is added after the user part, after a `+` character, before the `@`. + # 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 @@ -161,8 +223,6 @@ To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow [these mailbox: "inbox" ``` - As mentioned, the part after `+` in the address is ignored, and any email sent here will end up in the mailbox for `incoming@gitlab.example.com`/`gitlab-incoming@gmail.com`. - 1. Enable `mail_room` in the init script at `/etc/default/gitlab`: ```sh @@ -195,8 +255,8 @@ To set up a basic Postfix mail server with IMAP access on Ubuntu, follow [these incoming_email: enabled: true - # The email address including a placeholder for the key that references the item being replied to. - # The `%{key}` placeholder is added after the user part, before the `@`. + # 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 |