Project Alexandria
A personal archive of correspondence — letters sent, received, and preserved.
Project Alexandria is a self-hosted, web-based email platform built from the ground up for Lindeier.at. Named after the great Library of Alexandria — a singular place where knowledge was gathered, preserved, and shared — this project applies the same philosophy to personal correspondence: your messages, your server, your control.
The system is built on a Python FastAPI backend, communicating with a dedicated mail server via IMAP and SMTP, and presented through a clean, purpose-built web interface integrated directly into the Lindeier.at platform.
Alexandria is intentionally minimal in scope and maximal in ownership. Rather than relying on third-party email providers or off-the-shelf webmail clients, every layer of the stack — from mail delivery to the user interface — is built and controlled here, on this server.
Like the other projects on this platform, Alexandria follows a strict separation of concerns: the mail engine handles protocol-level operations, the API layer bridges backend and frontend, and the interface renders only what the backend provides. No magic. No hidden state. Everything explicit and traceable.
The mail infrastructure is built on Postfix for SMTP (sending and receiving) and Dovecot for IMAP (storage and retrieval). DNS records — MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC — are configured to ensure deliverability and authenticity. Accounts on this system correspond directly to authenticated Lindeier.at users, managed through the existing Shambala authentication layer.
The FastAPI backend exposes a clean internal API for inbox listing, message retrieval, composition, and sending. The frontend consumes this API exclusively — no direct protocol exposure to the browser.
Alexandria is currently in early development. The mail server infrastructure is being configured and the web interface is taking shape. A read-only demo is available below, showcasing the intended UI with a set of example messages. Full functionality is accessible to authenticated users with a linked mailbox.
Eventually, Alexandria will serve as the unified communication layer for the Lindeier.at platform — enabling project notifications, member messaging, and potentially inter-project communication. For now, it stands as an exercise in building something foundational: a place where messages live and endure, managed entirely from within.
Below is a live preview of the Alexandria interface, populated with example messages. Navigation and message viewing are fully functional in the demo. Compose, reply, and send are intentionally disabled — full access requires an authenticated account.
Prefer a full view? Open the demo in a new tab.
The Alexandria web application is available to authenticated Lindeier.at members with an active mailbox. Login is handled through the existing Shambala authentication system — no separate credentials required.
Member Login required to access Alexandria
Mailbox access is available to authenticated users only.