# Bichon

Bichon is an open-source email archiving system that synchronizes emails from IMAP servers, indexes them for full-text search, and provides a REST API for programmatic access. It is open source and self-hosted, installable on Docker Hub, Proxmox, TrueNAS and Unraid.

Canonical page: https://ourlocalhost.com/app/959/bichon

## Description

Bichon is an open-source email archiving system that synchronizes emails from IMAP servers, indexes them for full-text search, and provides a REST API for programmatic access. Unlike email clients, Bichon is designed for archiving and searching rather than sending/receiving emails. It runs as a standalone server application that continuously synchronizes configured email accounts and maintains a searchable local archive. Built in Rust, it requires no external dependencies and provides fast, efficient email archiving, management, and search through a built-in WebUI. Default credentials: Username: admin Password: admin@bichon

## Platform availability

Available on 3 of 9 platforms: Unraid, TrueNAS, Proxmox.

## Health score

79/100 (Good), based on 3 of 4 factors.
- Maintained: 100 (last commit 19 days ago)
- Popular: 66 (1,981 GitHub stars)
- Easy to install: 55 (3 install platforms, install notes, Docker image)

## Links

- Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/r/rustmailer/bichon
- Proxmox: https://community-scripts.github.io/ProxmoxVE/scripts?id=bichon
- TrueNAS: https://apps.truenas.com/catalog/bichon/
- Unraid: https://ca.unraid.net/apps/bichon-0rn31st1tuchp5?q=Bichon

## Common questions

### What environment variable must be set before running Bichon in Docker?

Set BICHON_ENCRYPT_PASSWORD to a strong password because it protects Bichon's encrypted data. If it is skipped, Bichon may not start correctly and your data may not be protected as expected.

### Which port and default login should be handled when exposing Bichon?

Open port 15630 so the web page can be reached from a browser. Log in with admin and admin@bichon, then change the login immediately.

### What IMAP authentication methods does Bichon support?

Bichon can sync IMAP accounts using password or OAuth2. It stores emails locally as deduplicated compressed EML files.

### What ongoing self-hosting maintenance is expected?

Self-hosting Bichon requires ongoing maintenance, including OS updates, monitoring, backups, and occasional troubleshooting.

---
Source: Our Local Host (https://ourlocalhost.com/app/959/bichon), the self-hosted and open-source app directory.