Package Mox as a service #677

themadbit · 2025-03-27T11:52:09Z

Exposed Mox as a service to resolve issue(s).
Initial tests are running, and a local rebuild of NixOS with the module included runs just fine.
i.e:

However, it fails to start/survive reboot with:

[themadbit@nixos:~]$ systemctl status mox
○ mox.service
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/mox.service; enabled; preset: ignored)
     Active: inactive (dead)

Mar 27 14:40:30 nixos systemd[1]: Dependency failed for mox.service.
Mar 27 14:40:30 nixos systemd[1]: mox.service: Job mox.service/start failed with result 'dependency'.

So, I'll leave this as a draft PR as I investigate further. Putting it out here in case you've had a similar headache and know the painkiller 😅

themadbit · 2025-04-03T10:33:24Z

Update: I've run the test interactively for debugging and got access to the VM. The VM might not have a running nameserver, and I'd like to know if there's a way I can get one running as part of the machine configs before running the test(s). @eljamm, any pointers for further debugging?

ss of log:

eljamm · 2025-04-03T18:33:42Z

Turns out that it was just a matter of modifying the service order since the dns configuration is not over by the time the mox-setup service tries to start. With the following patch, the setup completes, the server runs and the NixOS Test succeeds:

fix-mox-service-order.patch

---
 projects/Mox/module.nix | 9 ++++++---
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/projects/Mox/module.nix b/projects/Mox/module.nix
index 43bb8d7..91d38d7 100644
--- a/projects/Mox/module.nix
+++ b/projects/Mox/module.nix
@@ -48,23 +48,26 @@
     systemd.services.mox-setup = {
       description = "Setup Mox Mail Server";
       wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
+      requires = [ "network-online.target" ];
+      after = [ "network-online.target" ];
       before = [ "mox.service" ];
       serviceConfig = {
         Type = "oneshot";
         RemainAfterExit = true;
+        User = "mox";
+        Group = "mox";
       };
       script = ''
         mkdir -p /var/lib/mox
         cd /var/lib/mox
         ${pkgs.mox}/bin/mox quickstart -hostname ${config.services.mox.hostname} ${config.services.mox.user}
-        chown -R mox:mox /var/lib/mox
       '';
     };

     systemd.services.mox = {
       wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
-      after = [ "network.target" "mox-setup.service" ];
-      requires = [ "mox-setup.service" ]; # This ensures mox-setup must succeed
+      after = [ "mox-setup.service" ];
+      requires = [ "mox-setup.service" ];
       serviceConfig = {
         WorkingDirectory = "/var/lib/mox";
         ExecStart = "${pkgs.mox}/bin/mox -config /var/lib/mox/config/mox.conf serve";
--
2.47.2

themadbit · 2025-04-03T18:39:15Z

lol. Been on it since I left the office hour
I also figured out a way to get it working. But it is a very brute force way (but at least I got to learn lots of networking configs).

I added services.dnsmasq and enabled dnssec and had the mox-setup unit wait for that to be up and running.

eljamm · 2025-04-03T18:42:33Z

I added services.dnsmasq and enabled dnssec and had the mox-setup unit wait for that to be up and running.

That sounds like it could be useful for a separate example config that uses DNSSEC, for those interested in that

themadbit · 2025-04-03T19:23:52Z

That sounds like it could be useful for a separate example config that uses DNSSEC, for those interested in that

Yess. I've stashed changes using dnsmasq to have a running service first, and then I can build upon it slowly. Ultimately a user should be able to specify all their desired config(s) which means supporting sconf. Nonetheless, the current implementation, if successfully built, a user with a working and configured domain can have Mox running and set up working emails.

projects/Mox/test.nix

projects/Mox/example.nix

- Expose Mox as a service

eljamm · 2025-04-04T09:04:54Z

I think the test fails in CI because it's not running with .driver or .driverInteractive as those give the VM an internet connection (which is required here for dns, I guess). To reproduce this, one can run:

nix build .#checks.x86_64-linux.projects/Mox/nixos/tests/basic

which will fail.

themadbit · 2025-04-10T04:03:28Z

After many days of debugging, I got it working @eljamm
Instead of using static files, I worked through to get the quickstart command tested, as it allows better reproducibility than the alternative. I'll now clean up the commits (maybe stash some) and consider packaging it as a program.

I've refreshed my knowledge on DNSs quite much in this process. It was as good as it was heartbreaking 😅

Kindly give it a review. Thanks for the time you've dedicated to my issues.

eljamm

Well done @themadbit! This is shaping up really nicely.

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:14:40Z

projects/Mox/module.nix

+{
+  options = {
+    services.mox = {
+      enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Enable Mox Mail Server";


This makes it easier for users to change/override the mox package if they need to

Suggested change

enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Enable Mox Mail Server";

enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Enable Mox Mail Server";

package = lib.mkPackageOption pkgs "mox" { };

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:15:34Z

projects/Mox/module.nix

+  pkgs,
+  ...
+}:
+


Suggested change

let

cfg = config.services.mox;

in

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:15:53Z

projects/Mox/module.nix

+    environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
+      mox
+    ];


Suggested change

environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [

mox

];

environment.systemPackages = [

cfg.package

];

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:16:05Z

projects/Mox/module.nix

+    };
+  };
+
+  config = lib.mkIf config.services.mox.enable {


Suggested change

config = lib.mkIf config.services.mox.enable {

config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:20:41Z

projects/Mox/module.nix

+        mkdir -p /var/lib/mox
+        cd /var/lib/mox


We can just use serviceConfig.stateDirectory which is relative to /var/lib

Suggested change

mkdir -p /var/lib/mox

cd /var/lib/mox

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:44:07Z

projects/Mox/module.nix

+    users.groups.mox = {
+      name = "mox";
+    };


Suggested change

users.groups.mox = {

name = "mox";

};

users.groups.mox = { };

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:45:07Z

projects/Mox/test.nix

+  nodes = {
+    machine =
+      { ... }:
+      rec {


rec is not necessary, here

Suggested change

rec {

{

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:47:29Z

projects/Mox/default.nix

+      Mox is a modern, secure, and open-source email server that implements all modern email protocols.
+      It makes it easy for people and organizations to run their own email server in minutes using mox quickstart.


I'd say this is short and descriptive enough

Suggested change

Mox is a modern, secure, and open-source email server that implements all modern email protocols.

It makes it easy for people and organizations to run their own email server in minutes using mox quickstart.

Modern, secure, and open-source email server that implements all modern email protocols.

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:48:46Z

projects/Mox/default.nix

+      It makes it easy for people and organizations to run their own email server in minutes using mox quickstart.
+    '';
+    subgrants = [
+      "Mox"


Suggested change

"Mox"

"Mox"

"Mox-API"

"Mox-Automation"

eljamm · 2025-04-10T07:49:29Z

projects/Mox/test.nix

+          25
+          80
+          143
+          443
+          587
+          993
+          5335


Are all of these necessary? Can we add comments on why they're needed?

github-project-automation bot added this to Nix@NGI Mar 27, 2025

themadbit changed the title ~~Add Mox Project~~ Package Mox as a service Mar 27, 2025

themadbit force-pushed the expose-mox branch from 109fe06 to ec1252c Compare March 27, 2025 17:30

themadbit force-pushed the expose-mox branch 2 times, most recently from 530c09e to 077a483 Compare April 3, 2025 19:16

themadbit force-pushed the expose-mox branch from c9728cd to 077a483 Compare April 4, 2025 07:09

eljamm reviewed Apr 4, 2025

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eljamm reviewed Apr 4, 2025

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themadbit added 2 commits April 4, 2025 11:34

Add Mox Project

430a558

- Expose Mox as a service

Package Mox as a service

6e1f2cd

themadbit force-pushed the expose-mox branch from 077a483 to 6e1f2cd Compare April 4, 2025 08:45

themadbit added 4 commits April 4, 2025 12:54

Use unbound for dnssec

79f79a2

Use unbound for local resolving

69a0904

resolve queries locally

740a0aa

nixfmt all files

2a1f981

themadbit requested a review from eljamm April 10, 2025 04:03

eljamm reviewed Apr 10, 2025

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Package Mox as a service #677

Package Mox as a service #677

themadbit commented Mar 27, 2025 •

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	enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Enable Mox Mail Server";
	enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Enable Mox Mail Server";
	package = lib.mkPackageOption pkgs "mox" { };

+let
+  cfg = config.services.mox;
+in

-    environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
-      mox
-    ];
+    environment.systemPackages = [
+      cfg.package
+    ];

	config = lib.mkIf config.services.mox.enable {
	config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {

		Mox is a modern, secure, and open-source email server that implements all modern email protocols.
		It makes it easy for people and organizations to run their own email server in minutes using mox quickstart.

	Mox is a modern, secure, and open-source email server that implements all modern email protocols.
	It makes it easy for people and organizations to run their own email server in minutes using mox quickstart.
	Modern, secure, and open-source email server that implements all modern email protocols.

-      "Mox"
+      "Mox"
+      "Mox-API"
+      "Mox-Automation"

Package Mox as a service #677

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Package Mox as a service #677

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themadbit commented Mar 27, 2025 •

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