known file/etc/aliases

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About

/etc/aliases is the default spec for the file used to generate the email address aliases database (aliases.db) used by Postfix. Given its location, it may also be used by other email packages, but we are not currently aware of any.

The actual filespec is defined by the alias_maps = <filespec>, with the default for <filespec> being hash:/etc/aliases. "hash:" therefore presumably means: "This is the source file for generating the hash database file <filespec>.db".

The file has a specific format which specifies a receiving address (the alias) and one or more destinations; these can be other addresses, user mailboxes, or files.

By default, this file is only used when looking up email generated or forwarded internally; for email coming in from outside, Postfix uses the /etc/postfix/virtual file, which is not as flexible.

Notes

  • Webmin seems to automatically run the newaliases utility when you add or modify an individual alias, but not when you use it to edit the /etc/aliases file directly. Changes made to /etc/aliases will not take effect until the database hash-file is updated.
  • Stopping and starting the postfix daemon does not update from the aliases file; you still have to run newaliases.

Links

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