Himalaya MCP
An agent summarizes correspondence from a selected mailbox while leaving messages unchanged until the user enables write tools.
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- Apache-2.0
Extended access
Why this level
- The server reads private correspondence and returns it to an agent; separately enabled tools can modify messages and send mail.
Install
- Works in
Manual install
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pimalaya/himalaya/master/install.sh | sudo shFirst README installer runs as root. A regular-user installation route follows.
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The server reads private correspondence and returns it to an agent; separately enabled tools can modify messages and send mail.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Himalaya runs an MCP server for one configured email account. An agent lists folders, searches messages by sender or subject and reads their contents. Only read tools are available by default. The user adds `--allow-write` for moving or deleting messages and changing flags, and `--allow-send` for sending mail. These permissions are independent. The server uses stdio: the MCP client launches a local Himalaya process and communicates with it without an HTTP address.
Who it is for. Work-mailbox owners delegating message searches without automatic reply sending.
Good fit when
- A correspondent remembers an email subject and asks the agent to find its contents.
- An agent summarizes incoming mail from one selected account.
- A user starts with read-only tools.
- A separate workflow authorizes flag changes or message moves.
Not a fit when
- A received email would grant the agent permission to send or delete.
- One server process must handle every configured account simultaneously.
- The task requires arbitrary local attachment downloads through MCP.
Example request
Find messages on the agreed topic in the work account and summarize them without changing flags or sending mail.MCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- not required
Limitations
Each MCP process serves one account; configure a separate connection for a second mailbox. Protocol support depends on the Himalaya build, with custom feature sets built through Cargo. MCP does not download attachments to local files or read files named in message text. Emails may contain instructions aimed at an agent, so enabling send access alongside reading requires review of reply recipients and content.
How to disable. Remove the Himalaya MCP connection and stop its process. Changed flags, moved messages and sent mail remain in the account.
FAQ
Will reading a message mark it as seen?
MCP does not change flags by default. Marking a read message as seen requires the tools enabled by `--allow-write`.
How do I allow moving messages without enabling sending?
Add `--allow-write` to the `himalaya mcp` arguments. Leave out `--allow-send`; without it, the server does not expose send tools.
How do I select the work account?
The configuration example uses `--account work`.
Will a path in message text be read as a file?
No. MCP treats it as message content even when it resembles a path.
Will an invalid argument be ignored?
No. The server rejects arguments unsupported by that tool.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The CLI supports several mail protocols and local stores. Accounts are configured in TOML separately from the MCP client.