Organization

We've divided this tutorial into four parts, each addressing a particular aspect of sendmail as a whole.

Part I - A Tutorial

Part One is a tutorial than can serve as either a hands-on, step-by-step introduction to sendmail for the beginner or a succinct review for the more experienced user. Introduction through How to Run sendmail form an overview of email in general, and discuss the roles, behavior, and parts of sendmail. The sendmail.cf File through Install and Test the client.cf File examine the configuration file in detail. In them, we develop a mini-configuration file, suitable for use on some client workstations. The null.mc File and m4 and The Hub's Complex Rules conclude the tutorial, tying up loose ends and transitioning into more complex configuration files.

Part II - Installation

Part Two covers compilation and installation of sendmail. Compile and Install sendmail shows how to compile and install sendmail from the source. V8 m4 Configuration shows how to create a configuration file with the m4(1) configuration technique. The checkcompat() tutorial concludes by illustrating the checkcompat() routine.

Part III - Administration

Part Three covers general administration of sendmail for more experienced users. DNS and sendmail covers DNS in general and MX records specifically. Security shows how to protect your site from intrusion. The Queue through Logging and Statistics round out the picture with details about the queue, aliases, mailing lists, logging, and statistics.

Part IV - Reference

Part Four is the nitty-gritty - a reference section that provides more detail about sendmail than you may ever need. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific aspect of sendmail or its configuration file. Defined Macros, for example, details defined macros, and includes an alphabetized reference. Debugging with -d shows all the debugging switches.