Install Stalwart with deliberate storage and directory choices

Stalwart is an integrated mail/collaboration server, not merely an SMTP relay. Its modular storage and directory choices affect recovery and account administration, so decide those before importing real users.

For the architectural trade-offs, see Stalwart in our Linux mail-server comparison.

Prepare the deployment

1. Follow the current installation guide for your platform and selected release. Pin the deployment version and keep its upgrade notes.
2. Select the data/blob/search storage roles required by that topology. A single-node embedded setup and a distributed deployment have different persistence needs.
3. Choose the internal directory or a supported external directory for accounts/authentication; storage backend selection is not the same decision.
4. Protect bootstrap administration, replace initial credentials, configure trusted TLS, and limit management access before exposing the host.

Use a dedicated test domain and verify host port availability and persistent storage permissions. Do not copy another release’s entire configuration over your selected backend settings.

Verify the selected topology

Confirm administrative access, service logs, and the actual storage/directory configuration. Restart the test deployment and check that account/configuration state survives. A healthy web UI alone does not prove SMTP or mailbox access.

Before moving MX, prove the receiving domain and a controlled account/client path in the next guide. Document who maintains external storage and directory services; Stalwart cannot remove their backup, credential-rotation, or network-security responsibilities.