kernoid

~$ kernoid --about

One core for email, identity and storage

kernoid is one self-hostable system for an organisation's core: an account is created once and is at the same time the mailbox, the login for single sign-on and the owner of files. Free software in Rust – everything included.

./whitepaper github.com/kernoid

what it is

Good free software exists for mail, for identity and for files – but as separate systems, each with its own users, its own administration and its own operations. kernoid is one system for all three.

one identity

Mailbox, login and file owner are the same object. Nothing to synchronise; leaving ends access everywhere in one step.

one administration

Users, groups, domains, roles and policies in one place – one interface, one API.

one operation

One container image on Docker or Kubernetes. It needs PostgreSQL and S3-compatible storage – nothing else.

everything included

Single sign-on, provisioning, multi-tenancy, clustering: one edition, free for everyone. No telemetry.

how it is built

open standards

SMTP, IMAP, JMAP, CalDAV, CardDAV, WebDAV; OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, SAML 2.0, SCIM 2.0, LDAP. The same protocols take your data out again.

on proven work

kernoid takes over AGPL code from Stalwart and carries the concepts of Zitadel over to Rust – credited in every file.

modules, not bloat

Connections to other services – video, office editing and more – are modules: off by default, switched on where they are needed.

apps under MIT

The server is AGPL-3.0; first-party apps are MIT and speak an open protocol. Anyone can write their own.

roadmap

kernoid is at its beginning – there is nothing to install yet. The order is fixed, the windows are rough.

  1. nowbefore the startwhitepaper, talks with Stalwart and Zitadel, funding
  2. alpha12–18 monthsidentity and mail – tenants, accounts, roles, MFA and passkeys, OpenID Connect; SMTP, IMAP, JMAP
  3. beta+9–12 monthscalendars and contacts, SAML, SCIM, LDAP, files and sync, the first app (web)
  4. 1.0+6–12 monthsready for production, external security audit

Counted from the start of funded development, with two to three full-time developers. Details in the whitepaper.

get involved

developers

Rust, identity and mail protocols, distributed systems, apps, operation. Contributions under the DCO.

organisations

Test the alpha and the beta, fund the development, or run kernoid for your customers.

the whitepaper

Questions and corrections are welcome as issues or pull requests in kernoid/whitepaper.

contact

Write to support@falkoss.org – kernoid is published by falkOSS.