What is Squirrelmail and what are the benefits?

The software SquirrelMail is one of the oldest applications for webmail and started as a project in 1999. It quickly established itself as the de facto standard for email communication. With the increasing popularity of Linux as an operating system for servers, SquirrelMail also positioned itself as a market leader for almost a decade, managing to set new standards in security, usability, and features. However, it gradually lost influence as other software like Roundcube or Horde emerged as alternatives, offering more extensive functionality and higher modularity in design and application. Find our web hosting comparison with SquirrelMail here.

What is SquirrelMail and what tasks does it perform?

Essentially, the software SquirrelMail provides a interface for email traffic, similar to a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla, but communicating with external services to receive and send new information. It largely serves as a frontend for mail services such as SMTP and IMAP, written in PHP and usable without additional programming languages like JavaScript. Its primary tasks include:

• Communication with services like Postfix, Dovecot, Courier, or Sendmail
• Central management of information in directories or databases
• Display of content through a user-friendly, clear web interface
• Interactive functions like input, sending, or accessing messages
• Abstraction layer between client and server for user authentication
• Integration with internal services, external mail servers, and databases

With the development of new devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs, and the increasing user demands for features and usability, the rather minimalist approach of SquirrelMail lost its appeal. This led to a gradual loss of market share, which has accelerated over the past decade.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of SquirrelMail?

In the early years after the beginning of the new millennium, some priorities took centre stage which gradually lost importance in the following decade. This led to SquirrelMail having some advantages but also significant disadvantages in today's time:

Advantages:

• Lightweight software that consumes minimal resources
• Easy access to essential functions
• Low requirements on the server environment
• Installation only requires PHP as a programming language
• Compatible with all common mail services
• Simple installation and setup on various operating systems
• Enhanced security and functionality through modules and plugins

Disadvantages:

• Low compatibility with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs
• Outdated interface with limited features
• Higher workload for customising functions and design
• Transition from versions to rolling releases

Crucial in most cases is the last point - the development of SquirrelMail, including response times for security-critical vulnerabilities, currently does not meet common standards. Instead of clear labelling of updates, a gradual elimination of errors is carried out, with the responsibility for their resolution not always clearly defined. Find a comparison of the best webmail services here.

Which software offers more advantages than SquirrelMail?

Installing SquirrelMail on private and experimental virtual or dedicated servers, or on web hosting, is generally safe from a contemporary perspective, but may no longer meet current standards. If there are no specific reasons to the contrary, alternatives such as the Horde Framework or Roundcube offer some significant advantages. Although SquirrelMail should not be underestimated in its usefulness and capabilities even today, it is advisable to thoroughly weigh its practical advantages against other options.

If you are directly looking for web hosting with your webmail app, check here:

Web Hosting Comparison with SquirrelMail
Web Hosting Comparison with Horde
Web Hosting Comparison with Roundcube

Photo: Stefan Hoffmann on Pixabay