CTL_CYRUSDB(8)

💖 ctl_cyrusdb — the Cyrus IMAP database wrangler manual (section 8) 💖

okay bestie, welcome to CTL_CYRUSDB(8) from the Cyrus IMAP docs ✨ this is the little tool that does admin stuff directly on your Cyrus IMAP databases, no middleman, no cap.

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✨ NAME ✨

ctl_cyrusdb — Cyrus IMAP documentation 💅

Perform administrative operations directly on Cyrus IMAP databases. periodt.

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

ctl_cyrusdb [ -C config-file ] -c
ctl_cyrusdb [ -C config-file ] -r [ -x ]

like… that's it. that's the whole vibe. two modes, choose your fighter 🔥

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

okay so ctl_cyrusdb is used to perform various administrative operations on the Cyrus IMAP databases. she's giving backend queen, she's giving maintenance era.

she reads her configuration options out of the imapd.conf(5) file unless you specify otherwise with -C. and the configdirectory option in imapd.conf(5)? that's the one that determines the default location of the Cyrus databases 🫶 iykyk.

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💅 OPTIONS 💅

• -C config-file — use the specified configuration file config-file rather than the default imapd.conf(5). yes, you can point her at a whole other config. icon behaviour.
• -r, --recover — recover the database after an application or system failure 😭💀 also performs database cleanups like removing mailbox reservations (and the associated mailbox files).

all mailbox files are also checked to make sure the file format matches the configured database type in imapd.conf. if not, the file is automatically converted using the same logic as cvt_cyrusdb. she's not just recovering, she's renovating ✨

if the reverseacls option in imapd.conf(5) is enabled, and the RACL entries in the database are an old version or do not exist, they will be generated. conversely, if RACL entries do exist in the database, but the reverseacls option is disabled, then the entries will be cleaned up. so either way she's tidying 🧹

• -x, --no-cleanup — used with -r to only recover the database, and prevent any cleanup. like, just the rescue, no decluttering. minimal queen 💜
• -c, --checkpoint — checkpoint and archive (a copy of) the database 👑

changes to the database which are part of the committed transactions are written to disk.

the archive is created via a hot backup, and inactive log files are removed. hot girl backup fr fr 🔥

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🌈 EXAMPLES 🌈

ctl_cyrusdb -r

recover databases, performing cleanup. this is commonly used in the START section of cyrus.conf(5). like, this is her routine, her daily slay 🎀

ctl_cyrusdb -x -r

recover database only. no cleanup, no extras, just the recovery.

ctl_cyrusdb -c

checkpoint databases. commonly used in the EVENTS section of cyrus.conf(5). the scheduled glow-up 💖

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🦋 FILES 🦋

/etc/imapd.conf /etc/cyrus.conf

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💜 SEE ALSO 💜

cyrus.conf(5), imapd.conf(5), master(8)

(the whole friend group, honestly 🫶)

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👑 AUTHOR 👑

The Cyrus Team, Nic Bernstein (Onlight), Jeroen van Meeuwen (Kolab Systems)

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🍓 COPYRIGHT 🍓

1993–2026, The Cyrus Team

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okay that's the whole page bestie, you're officially certified in direct database admin 💅✨

this was ctl_cyrusdb from Cyrus IMAP, version 3.12.3, dated Jul 15, 2026 — and we're all obsessed with her. no cap. mwah 🎀💖🌈