himalaya

Original source / Raw SKILL.md

---
name: himalaya
description: "CLI to manage emails via IMAP/SMTP. Use `himalaya` to list, read, write, reply, forward, search, and organize emails from the terminal. Supports multiple accounts and message composition with MML (MIME Meta Language)."
homepage: https://github.com/pimalaya/himalaya
metadata: {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"📧","requires":{"bins":["himalaya"]},"install":[{"id":"brew","kind":"brew","formula":"himalaya","bins":["himalaya"],"label":"Install Himalaya (brew)"}]}}
---

# Himalaya Email CLI

Himalaya is a CLI email client that lets you manage emails from the terminal using IMAP, SMTP, Notmuch, or Sendmail backends.

## References

- `references/configuration.md` (config file setup + IMAP/SMTP authentication)
- `references/message-composition.md` (MML syntax for composing emails)

## Prerequisites

1. Himalaya CLI installed (`himalaya --version` to verify)
2. A configuration file at `~/.config/himalaya/config.toml`
3. IMAP/SMTP credentials configured (password stored securely)

## Configuration Setup

Run the interactive wizard to set up an account:
```bash
himalaya account configure
```

Or create `~/.config/himalaya/config.toml` manually:
```toml
[accounts.personal]
email = "[email protected]"
display-name = "Your Name"
default = true

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "imap.example.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.encryption.type = "tls"
backend.login = "[email protected]"
backend.auth.type = "password"
backend.auth.cmd = "pass show email/imap"  # or use keyring

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp.example.com"
message.send.backend.port = 587
message.send.backend.encryption.type = "start-tls"
message.send.backend.login = "[email protected]"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "password"
message.send.backend.auth.cmd = "pass show email/smtp"
```

## Common Operations

### List Folders

```bash
himalaya folder list
```

### List Emails

List emails in INBOX (default):
```bash
himalaya envelope list
```

List emails in a specific folder:
```bash
himalaya envelope list --folder "Sent"
```

List with pagination:
```bash
himalaya envelope list --page 1 --page-size 20
```

### Search Emails

```bash
himalaya envelope list from [email protected] subject meeting
```

### Read an Email

Read email by ID (shows plain text):
```bash
himalaya message read 42
```

Export raw MIME:
```bash
himalaya message export 42 --full
```

### Reply to an Email

Interactive reply (opens $EDITOR):
```bash
himalaya message reply 42
```

Reply-all:
```bash
himalaya message reply 42 --all
```

### Forward an Email

```bash
himalaya message forward 42
```

### Write a New Email

Interactive compose (opens $EDITOR):
```bash
himalaya message write
```

Send directly using template:
```bash
cat << 'EOF' | himalaya template send
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Test Message

Hello from Himalaya!
EOF
```

Or with headers flag:
```bash
himalaya message write -H "To:[email protected]" -H "Subject:Test" "Message body here"
```

### Move/Copy Emails

Move to folder:
```bash
himalaya message move 42 "Archive"
```

Copy to folder:
```bash
himalaya message copy 42 "Important"
```

### Delete an Email

```bash
himalaya message delete 42
```

### Manage Flags

Add flag:
```bash
himalaya flag add 42 --flag seen
```

Remove flag:
```bash
himalaya flag remove 42 --flag seen
```

## Multiple Accounts

List accounts:
```bash
himalaya account list
```

Use a specific account:
```bash
himalaya --account work envelope list
```

## Attachments

Save attachments from a message:
```bash
himalaya attachment download 42
```

Save to specific directory:
```bash
himalaya attachment download 42 --dir ~/Downloads
```

## Output Formats

Most commands support `--output` for structured output:
```bash
himalaya envelope list --output json
himalaya envelope list --output plain
```

## Debugging

Enable debug logging:
```bash
RUST_LOG=debug himalaya envelope list
```

Full trace with backtrace:
```bash
RUST_LOG=trace RUST_BACKTRACE=1 himalaya envelope list
```

## Tips

- Use `himalaya --help` or `himalaya <command> --help` for detailed usage.
- Message IDs are relative to the current folder; re-list after folder changes.
- For composing rich emails with attachments, use MML syntax (see `references/message-composition.md`).
- Store passwords securely using `pass`, system keyring, or a command that outputs the password.


---

## Referenced Files

> The following files are referenced in this skill and included for context.

### references/configuration.md

```markdown
# Himalaya Configuration Reference

Configuration file location: `~/.config/himalaya/config.toml`

## Minimal IMAP + SMTP Setup

```toml
[accounts.default]
email = "[email protected]"
display-name = "Your Name"
default = true

# IMAP backend for reading emails
backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "imap.example.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.encryption.type = "tls"
backend.login = "[email protected]"
backend.auth.type = "password"
backend.auth.raw = "your-password"

# SMTP backend for sending emails
message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp.example.com"
message.send.backend.port = 587
message.send.backend.encryption.type = "start-tls"
message.send.backend.login = "[email protected]"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "password"
message.send.backend.auth.raw = "your-password"
```

## Password Options

### Raw password (testing only, not recommended)
```toml
backend.auth.raw = "your-password"
```

### Password from command (recommended)
```toml
backend.auth.cmd = "pass show email/imap"
# backend.auth.cmd = "security find-generic-password -a [email protected] -s imap -w"
```

### System keyring (requires keyring feature)
```toml
backend.auth.keyring = "imap-example"
```
Then run `himalaya account configure <account>` to store the password.

## Gmail Configuration

```toml
[accounts.gmail]
email = "[email protected]"
display-name = "Your Name"
default = true

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "imap.gmail.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.encryption.type = "tls"
backend.login = "[email protected]"
backend.auth.type = "password"
backend.auth.cmd = "pass show google/app-password"

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp.gmail.com"
message.send.backend.port = 587
message.send.backend.encryption.type = "start-tls"
message.send.backend.login = "[email protected]"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "password"
message.send.backend.auth.cmd = "pass show google/app-password"
```

**Note:** Gmail requires an App Password if 2FA is enabled.

## iCloud Configuration

```toml
[accounts.icloud]
email = "[email protected]"
display-name = "Your Name"

backend.type = "imap"
backend.host = "imap.mail.me.com"
backend.port = 993
backend.encryption.type = "tls"
backend.login = "[email protected]"
backend.auth.type = "password"
backend.auth.cmd = "pass show icloud/app-password"

message.send.backend.type = "smtp"
message.send.backend.host = "smtp.mail.me.com"
message.send.backend.port = 587
message.send.backend.encryption.type = "start-tls"
message.send.backend.login = "[email protected]"
message.send.backend.auth.type = "password"
message.send.backend.auth.cmd = "pass show icloud/app-password"
```

**Note:** Generate an app-specific password at appleid.apple.com

## Folder Aliases

Map custom folder names:
```toml
[accounts.default.folder.alias]
inbox = "INBOX"
sent = "Sent"
drafts = "Drafts"
trash = "Trash"
```

## Multiple Accounts

```toml
[accounts.personal]
email = "[email protected]"
default = true
# ... backend config ...

[accounts.work]
email = "[email protected]"
# ... backend config ...
```

Switch accounts with `--account`:
```bash
himalaya --account work envelope list
```

## Notmuch Backend (local mail)

```toml
[accounts.local]
email = "[email protected]"

backend.type = "notmuch"
backend.db-path = "~/.mail/.notmuch"
```

## OAuth2 Authentication (for providers that support it)

```toml
backend.auth.type = "oauth2"
backend.auth.client-id = "your-client-id"
backend.auth.client-secret.cmd = "pass show oauth/client-secret"
backend.auth.access-token.cmd = "pass show oauth/access-token"
backend.auth.refresh-token.cmd = "pass show oauth/refresh-token"
backend.auth.auth-url = "https://provider.com/oauth/authorize"
backend.auth.token-url = "https://provider.com/oauth/token"
```

## Additional Options

### Signature
```toml
[accounts.default]
signature = "Best regards,\nYour Name"
signature-delim = "-- \n"
```

### Downloads directory
```toml
[accounts.default]
downloads-dir = "~/Downloads/himalaya"
```

### Editor for composing
Set via environment variable:
```bash
export EDITOR="vim"
```

```

### references/message-composition.md

```markdown
# Message Composition with MML (MIME Meta Language)

Himalaya uses MML for composing emails. MML is a simple XML-based syntax that compiles to MIME messages.

## Basic Message Structure

An email message is a list of **headers** followed by a **body**, separated by a blank line:

```
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Hello World

This is the message body.
```

## Headers

Common headers:
- `From`: Sender address
- `To`: Primary recipient(s)
- `Cc`: Carbon copy recipients
- `Bcc`: Blind carbon copy recipients
- `Subject`: Message subject
- `Reply-To`: Address for replies (if different from From)
- `In-Reply-To`: Message ID being replied to

### Address Formats

```
To: [email protected]
To: John Doe <[email protected]>
To: "John Doe" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected], [email protected], "Jane" <[email protected]>
```

## Plain Text Body

Simple plain text email:
```
From: alice@localhost
To: bob@localhost
Subject: Plain Text Example

Hello, this is a plain text email.
No special formatting needed.

Best,
Alice
```

## MML for Rich Emails

### Multipart Messages

Alternative text/html parts:
```
From: alice@localhost
To: bob@localhost
Subject: Multipart Example

<#multipart type=alternative>
This is the plain text version.
<#part type=text/html>
<html><body><h1>This is the HTML version</h1></body></html>
<#/multipart>
```

### Attachments

Attach a file:
```
From: alice@localhost
To: bob@localhost
Subject: With Attachment

Here is the document you requested.

<#part filename=/path/to/document.pdf><#/part>
```

Attachment with custom name:
```
<#part filename=/path/to/file.pdf name=report.pdf><#/part>
```

Multiple attachments:
```
<#part filename=/path/to/doc1.pdf><#/part>
<#part filename=/path/to/doc2.pdf><#/part>
```

### Inline Images

Embed an image inline:
```
From: alice@localhost
To: bob@localhost
Subject: Inline Image

<#multipart type=related>
<#part type=text/html>
<html><body>
<p>Check out this image:</p>
<img src="cid:image1">
</body></html>
<#part disposition=inline id=image1 filename=/path/to/image.png><#/part>
<#/multipart>
```

### Mixed Content (Text + Attachments)

```
From: alice@localhost
To: bob@localhost
Subject: Mixed Content

<#multipart type=mixed>
<#part type=text/plain>
Please find the attached files.

Best,
Alice
<#part filename=/path/to/file1.pdf><#/part>
<#part filename=/path/to/file2.zip><#/part>
<#/multipart>
```

## MML Tag Reference

### `<#multipart>`
Groups multiple parts together.
- `type=alternative`: Different representations of same content
- `type=mixed`: Independent parts (text + attachments)
- `type=related`: Parts that reference each other (HTML + images)

### `<#part>`
Defines a message part.
- `type=<mime-type>`: Content type (e.g., `text/html`, `application/pdf`)
- `filename=<path>`: File to attach
- `name=<name>`: Display name for attachment
- `disposition=inline`: Display inline instead of as attachment
- `id=<cid>`: Content ID for referencing in HTML

## Composing from CLI

### Interactive compose
Opens your `$EDITOR`:
```bash
himalaya message write
```

### Reply (opens editor with quoted message)
```bash
himalaya message reply 42
himalaya message reply 42 --all  # reply-all
```

### Forward
```bash
himalaya message forward 42
```

### Send from stdin
```bash
cat message.txt | himalaya template send
```

### Prefill headers from CLI
```bash
himalaya message write \
  -H "To:[email protected]" \
  -H "Subject:Quick Message" \
  "Message body here"
```

## Tips

- The editor opens with a template; fill in headers and body.
- Save and exit the editor to send; exit without saving to cancel.
- MML parts are compiled to proper MIME when sending.
- Use `himalaya message export --full` to inspect the raw MIME structure of received emails.

```