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Installing EmailEngine

Choose your installation method based on your operating system and deployment requirements.

Quick Start​

# npm: Install globally (requires Node.js 20+)
npm install -g emailengine-app
emailengine --dbs.redis="redis://127.0.0.1:6379/8"

# Linux: Download binary
wget https://go.emailengine.app/emailengine.tar.gz
tar xzf emailengine.tar.gz
sudo mv emailengine /usr/local/bin/

# Docker: Run container
docker run -p 3000:3000 --env EENGINE_REDIS="redis://host.docker.internal:6379/8" postalsys/emailengine:v2

# Source: Production deployment (the tarball has no top-level directory, so make one)
wget https://go.emailengine.app/source-dist.tar.gz
mkdir emailengine && tar xzf source-dist.tar.gz -C emailengine && cd emailengine
node server.js

Installation Methods​

By Operating System​

Linux Installation​

Install on any distribution.

Methods:

  • Automated installer (Ubuntu/Debian) - installs Redis, Caddy, and a SystemD service in one run
  • Binary installation - standalone x86_64 executable
  • Source installation

Best for: Servers, VPS hosting, production deployments

View Linux guide →

macOS Installation​

Install on macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel).

Methods:

  • PKG installer - signed and notarized package, one per architecture
  • Source installation

Best for: Development, testing, local deployments

View macOS guide →

Windows Installation​

Install on Windows (native or WSL2).

Methods:

  • Windows executable - standalone .exe with a Redis-compatible server such as Memurai
  • WSL2 installation - the Linux build inside Windows
  • Docker Desktop

Best for: Development, testing, Windows servers

View Windows guide →

By Deployment Type​

Docker Installation​

Run in containers with Docker or Docker Compose.

Features:

  • Isolated environment
  • Easy scaling
  • Quick updates
  • Consistent across platforms

Best for: Containerized infrastructure, Kubernetes, cloud deployments

View Docker guide →

Source Installation​

Run from source code (Node.js 20+ required, 24+ recommended).

View source guide →

System Requirements​

Minimum (Development/Testing)​

  • CPU: 1-2 cores
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Storage: 10 GB
  • Network: Stable internet connection
  • CPU: 4+ cores
  • RAM: 4-8 GB (or more for high-volume)
  • Storage: 20+ GB SSD
  • Network: Low-latency, high-bandwidth connection

Cloud Platforms​

One-Click Deployments​

EmailEngine is available on popular cloud platforms:

Render.com​

Deploy to Render

Automatic setup with managed Redis.

View Render guide →

DigitalOcean Marketplace​

DigitalOcean

One-click droplet with everything pre-configured.

Note: DigitalOcean blocks outbound SMTP ports 25, 465, and 587 on Droplets (per Why is SMTP blocked?, checked 2026-08-26), so an EmailEngine on a Droplet can receive mail but cannot reach most providers' SMTP servers to send. Sending needs an SMTP relay on a port that is not blocked, or a host that allows SMTP.

Heroku​

Deploy to Heroku

The button reads the app.json in the EmailEngine repository. It provisions a heroku-redis add-on and sets EENGINE_WORKERS=1 because the Heroku Redis add-on caps the number of client connections; raise the worker count only together with a larger Redis plan. It also sets NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0, which the template needs to reach the Heroku Redis add-on over TLS and which disables certificate validation for every outbound TLS connection EmailEngine makes.

View all deployment guides →

Post-Installation Steps​

After installing EmailEngine:

1. Verify Installation​

# Check health endpoint
curl http://localhost:3000/health

# Expected response:
# {"success":true}

2. Access Web Interface​

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser and create your admin account.

3. Configure OAuth2​

Set up OAuth2 credentials for Gmail and Microsoft 365:

OAuth2 Configuration Guide →

4. Add Your First Account​

Register an email account via the web interface or API:

Account Setup Guide →

5. Set Up Webhooks​

Configure webhooks to receive real-time email notifications:

Webhooks Guide →

6. Secure Your Deployment​

For production deployments, follow security best practices:

Security Guide →

Getting Help​

If you encounter issues during installation:

  1. Check platform-specific guide for detailed instructions
  2. View troubleshooting documentation for common problems
  3. Check GitHub issues for known problems
  4. Contact support for assistance

Support page →

See Also​