feat: add Python packaging metadata and a Nix flake (#16)

## What

- `pyproject.toml` — setuptools metadata with a `legacy-email-proxy` console script. Runtime dependencies are read dynamically from `requirements.txt`, so the Docker build and the package cannot drift apart.
- `proxy_server.run()` — a synchronous entry point for that console script; `main` is a coroutine and cannot be referenced by one. The `__main__` path behaves as before.
- `flake.nix` / `package.nix` — the package, `overlays.default`, a dev shell, and `checks`. The pytest suite runs as part of the build.
- `module.nix` — a NixOS module: `services.legacy-email-proxy` with freeform `settings` (environment variables) and a separate `environmentFile` for credentials, so secrets stay out of the Nix store. Runs under `DynamicUser`, takes `CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE` only while a listener is on a privileged port, and opens no firewall ports.
- README: pip install, Nix usage, and a NixOS service example.

## Why

The proxy could only be consumed as a container. Anyone deploying it on NixOS had to vendor a package definition into their own configuration — which is exactly what happened downstream, and is now deleted there in favour of this.

## Not in scope

- The `Dockerfile` and its CI workflow are untouched.
- No Nix job in CI; the runner has no Nix. The build is reproducible locally with `nix flake check`.
- `version` is static and tracks the latest tag (`0.3.0`); bump it with the tag.

## Verification

- `nix flake check` — package builds, 14 tests pass inside the build.
- Consumed from a downstream NixOS host with `--override-input`: the unit's `ExecStart` resolves to the module's own build, and that flake's checks pass too.

---------

Co-authored-by: Emma Thorpe <emma.thorpe@citrix.com>
Reviewed-on: #16

.gitignore

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+result
+result-*
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
+.venv/
+.pytest_cache/
+*.egg-info/

README.md

@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ Proxy an unauthenticated, unencrypted POP3 / SMTP server to authenticated IMAPS
 - `BACKEND_SMTP_USE_SSL` (default `true`)
 - `BACKEND_SMTP_USE_TLS` (default `false`)
 
+- `BACKEND_MUTATE` (default `false`) - when `true`, POP3 deletions are propagated to the
+  backend IMAP server (STORE +FLAGS / EXPUNGE). Default behaviour is to never mutate
+  the backend mailbox on POP client deletions; the proxy only hides messages for the
+  duration of the client session.
+
 ## Build and run
 
 This project targets the latest Python LTS release. The included `Dockerfile` uses `python:3.12-slim`, which is compatible with Python 3.12 and later LTS releases.
@@ -48,6 +53,67 @@ docker run --rm -p 110:110 -p 25:25 \
   legacy-email-proxy
 ```
 
+The project is also a standard Python package (`pyproject.toml`), so it
+installs without Docker. This puts a `legacy-email-proxy` command on `PATH`:
+
+```bash
+pip install .
+legacy-email-proxy
+```
+
+`requirements.txt` remains the single source of runtime dependencies;
+`pyproject.toml` reads it, so the Docker build and the package cannot drift.
+
+## Nix
+
+The repository is a flake. It exposes the package, an overlay, and a NixOS
+module.
+
+```bash
+nix run .#legacy-email-proxy   # run it
+nix build .#legacy-email-proxy # build it; the test suite runs as part of the build
+nix develop                    # dev shell with pytest
+```
+
+As a NixOS service, with the proxy's own flake as an input:
+
+```nix
+{
+  inputs.legacy-email-proxy.url = "git+https://code.emmathe.dev/lyrathorpe/legacy-email-proxy";
+  # optionally: inputs.legacy-email-proxy.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
+}
+```
+
+```nix
+{
+  imports = [ inputs.legacy-email-proxy.nixosModules.default ];
+
+  services.legacy-email-proxy = {
+    enable = true;
+    settings = {
+      POP3_BIND_ADDR = "10.0.0.1";
+      SMTP_BIND_ADDR = "10.0.0.1";
+      BACKEND_IMAP_HOST = "imap.example.com";
+      BACKEND_IMAP_USER = "someone@example.com";
+      BACKEND_SMTP_HOST = "smtp.example.com";
+      BACKEND_SMTP_USER = "someone@example.com";
+    };
+    # Credentials belong here, not in `settings` -- anything in `settings`
+    # lands in the world-readable Nix store.
+    environmentFile = "/var/lib/legacy-email-proxy/backend.env";
+  };
+}
+```
+
+`settings` accepts any of the environment variables listed above; booleans and
+integers are converted for you. The service runs under `DynamicUser`, with
+`CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE` granted only while a listener is on a privileged port.
+It opens no firewall ports — see "Security".
+
+Prefer to manage the package yourself? `overlays.default` provides
+`pkgs.legacy-email-proxy`, and `nixosModules.legacy-email-proxy` is the same
+module without the package default wired to this flake.
+
 ## Tests
 
 Install development dependencies and run the test suite:

flake.lock

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+{
+  "nodes": {
+    "nixpkgs": {
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1787135253,
+        "narHash": "sha256-RD2kNWCG+Bjo6h+JVjWVNntZs2GtRoeY2xHjts/FNkA=",
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "rev": "ffb3c9b700e759be2ef13237c9d8f953b32a1e46",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "ref": "nixos-unstable",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
+    "root": {
+      "inputs": {
+        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs"
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "root": "root",
+  "version": 7
+}

flake.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+{
+  description = "Unauthenticated POP3/SMTP front end proxied to authenticated IMAPS/SMTPS backends";
+
+  inputs.nixpkgs.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
+
+  outputs =
+    { self, nixpkgs }:
+    let
+      systems = [
+        "x86_64-linux"
+        "aarch64-linux"
+        "x86_64-darwin"
+        "aarch64-darwin"
+      ];
+      forAllSystems = fn: nixpkgs.lib.genAttrs systems (system: fn nixpkgs.legacyPackages.${system});
+    in
+    {
+      overlays.default = final: _prev: {
+        legacy-email-proxy = final.callPackage ./package.nix { };
+      };
+
+      packages = forAllSystems (pkgs: rec {
+        legacy-email-proxy = pkgs.callPackage ./package.nix { };
+        default = legacy-email-proxy;
+      });
+
+      # The NixOS module with its package option pointed at this flake's build,
+      # so consumers need no overlay. Use nixosModules.legacy-email-proxy
+      # instead if you would rather apply overlays.default yourself.
+      nixosModules.default =
+        { lib, pkgs, ... }:
+        {
+          imports = [ ./module.nix ];
+          services.legacy-email-proxy.package =
+            lib.mkDefault
+              self.packages.${pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.system}.legacy-email-proxy;
+        };
+      nixosModules.legacy-email-proxy = ./module.nix;
+
+      # The package builds only if the test suite passes, so this covers both.
+      checks = forAllSystems (pkgs: {
+        inherit (self.packages.${pkgs.system}) legacy-email-proxy;
+      });
+
+      devShells = forAllSystems (pkgs: {
+        default = pkgs.mkShellNoCC {
+          inputsFrom = [ self.packages.${pkgs.system}.legacy-email-proxy ];
+          packages = [ pkgs.python3Packages.pytest ];
+        };
+      });
+
+      formatter = forAllSystems (pkgs: pkgs.nixfmt-tree);
+    };
+}

module.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+# NixOS module for legacy-email-proxy.
+#
+# Consumed either through this flake's nixosModules.default (which defaults the
+# package to the flake's own build) or directly, alongside overlays.default.
+{
+  config,
+  lib,
+  pkgs,
+  ...
+}:
+let
+  cfg = config.services.legacy-email-proxy;
+
+  renderValue =
+    value:
+    if lib.isBool value then
+      lib.boolToString value # the proxy accepts 1/true/yes/on
+    else
+      toString value;
+
+  environment = lib.mapAttrs (_name: renderValue) (lib.filterAttrs (_: v: v != null) cfg.settings);
+
+  # The default listeners are 110 and 25, so the service normally needs
+  # CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE. Drop it when both are configured above 1024.
+  portOf =
+    name: default:
+    let
+      value = cfg.settings.${name} or default;
+    in
+    if lib.isInt value then value else lib.toInt (toString value);
+
+  needsPrivilegedPorts = portOf "POP3_BIND_PORT" 110 < 1024 || portOf "SMTP_BIND_PORT" 25 < 1024;
+in
+{
+  options.services.legacy-email-proxy = {
+    enable = lib.mkEnableOption "the legacy POP3/SMTP proxy";
+
+    package = lib.mkPackageOption pkgs "legacy-email-proxy" { };
+
+    settings = lib.mkOption {
+      type =
+        with lib.types;
+        attrsOf (
+          nullOr (oneOf [
+            bool
+            int
+            str
+          ])
+        );
+      default = { };
+      example = lib.literalExpression ''
+        {
+          POP3_BIND_ADDR = "10.0.0.1";
+          BACKEND_IMAP_HOST = "imap.example.com";
+          BACKEND_IMAP_USER = "someone@example.com";
+          BACKEND_MUTATE = false;
+        }
+      '';
+      description = ''
+        Environment variables for the proxy, passed to the service as-is.
+        Booleans render as `true`/`false`, which the proxy accepts. The full
+        list of variables is in the project README.
+
+        Everything set here lands in the Nix store and is world-readable. Put
+        credentials in {option}`services.legacy-email-proxy.environmentFile`
+        instead.
+      '';
+    };
+
+    environmentFile = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.nullOr lib.types.path;
+      default = null;
+      example = "/var/lib/legacy-email-proxy/backend.env";
+      description = ''
+        Path to a systemd `EnvironmentFile` holding the backend credentials
+        (`BACKEND_IMAP_PASS`, `BACKEND_SMTP_PASS` and anything else that should
+        not be in the Nix store). Read by systemd at start, not by the service
+        user, so it can be root-owned and mode 0600.
+      '';
+    };
+  };
+
+  config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {
+    systemd.services.legacy-email-proxy = {
+      description = "Legacy POP3/SMTP proxy to authenticated IMAPS/SMTPS backends";
+      wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
+      after = [ "network.target" ];
+
+      environment = environment // {
+        PYTHONUNBUFFERED = "1";
+      };
+
+      serviceConfig = {
+        ExecStart = lib.getExe cfg.package;
+        Restart = "always";
+        RestartSec = 5;
+
+        DynamicUser = true;
+        AmbientCapabilities = lib.optional needsPrivilegedPorts "CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE";
+        CapabilityBoundingSet = lib.optional needsPrivilegedPorts "CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE";
+
+        NoNewPrivileges = true;
+        PrivateDevices = true;
+        PrivateTmp = true;
+        ProtectControlGroups = true;
+        ProtectHome = true;
+        ProtectKernelModules = true;
+        ProtectKernelTunables = true;
+        ProtectSystem = "strict";
+        # AF_NETLINK is not gratuitous: glibc's getaddrinfo opens a netlink
+        # socket to sort resolver results, and backends are reached by name.
+        RestrictAddressFamilies = [
+          "AF_INET"
+          "AF_INET6"
+          "AF_UNIX"
+          "AF_NETLINK"
+        ];
+        RestrictNamespaces = true;
+        RestrictRealtime = true;
+        RestrictSUIDSGID = true;
+        SystemCallArchitectures = "native";
+        SystemCallFilter = [ "@system-service" ];
+      }
+      // lib.optionalAttrs (cfg.environmentFile != null) {
+        EnvironmentFile = cfg.environmentFile;
+      };
+    };
+  };
+}

package.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+{
+  lib,
+  python3Packages,
+}:
+python3Packages.buildPythonApplication {
+  pname = "legacy-email-proxy";
+  inherit ((lib.importTOML ./pyproject.toml).project) version;
+  pyproject = true;
+
+  # Only the files that affect the build, so editing the README or the CI
+  # workflow does not invalidate it.
+  src = lib.fileset.toSource {
+    root = ./.;
+    fileset = lib.fileset.unions [
+      ./proxy_server.py
+      ./pyproject.toml
+      ./requirements.txt
+      ./pytest.ini
+      ./tests
+    ];
+  };
+
+  build-system = [ python3Packages.setuptools ];
+  dependencies = [ python3Packages.aiosmtpd ];
+
+  nativeCheckInputs = [ python3Packages.pytestCheckHook ];
+
+  meta = {
+    description = "Unauthenticated POP3/SMTP front end proxied to authenticated IMAPS/SMTPS backends";
+    longDescription = ''
+      Exposes cleartext POP3 and SMTP to clients that cannot speak TLS or
+      modern authentication, and forwards them to an authenticated IMAPS/SMTPS
+      backend. The front-end listeners are unauthenticated by design and must
+      be confined to a trusted network.
+    '';
+    homepage = "https://code.emmathe.dev/lyrathorpe/legacy-email-proxy";
+    mainProgram = "legacy-email-proxy";
+    platforms = lib.platforms.unix;
+  };
+}

proxy_server.py

@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ class Settings:
     BACKEND_SMTP_PASS = os.getenv("BACKEND_SMTP_PASS")
     BACKEND_SMTP_USE_SSL = env_bool("BACKEND_SMTP_USE_SSL", True)
     BACKEND_SMTP_USE_TLS = env_bool("BACKEND_SMTP_USE_TLS", False)
+    # When false (default) the proxy will not mutate backend mailboxes
+    # (no STORE +FLAGS / EXPUNGE). Set to true only when deletions should
+    # be propagated to the backend IMAP server.
+    BACKEND_MUTATE = env_bool("BACKEND_MUTATE", False)
 
     @classmethod
     def validate(cls):
@@ -376,9 +380,12 @@ class POP3Session:
 
     async def handle_quit(self):
         if self._imap:
-            for uid in self.deleted:
+            # Only propagate deletes to the backend when explicitly enabled.
-                await asyncio.to_thread(self._imap.mark_deleted, uid)
+            if Settings.BACKEND_MUTATE:
-            await asyncio.to_thread(self._imap.expunge)
+                for uid in self.deleted:
+                    await asyncio.to_thread(self._imap.mark_deleted, uid)
+                await asyncio.to_thread(self._imap.expunge)
+            # Always logout the backend connection.
             self._imap.logout()
         await self.send_line("+OK Goodbye")
 
@@ -451,8 +458,17 @@ async def main():
         await pop3_server.serve_forever()
 
 
-if __name__ == "__main__":
+def run():
+    """Run the proxy until interrupted.
+
+    Entry point for the ``legacy-email-proxy`` console script; ``main`` is a
+    coroutine and cannot be referenced directly by one.
+    """
     try:
         asyncio.run(main())
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         logger.info("Shutdown requested")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    run()

pyproject.toml

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools>=77"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
+
+[project]
+name = "legacy-email-proxy"
+version = "0.3.0"
+description = "Unauthenticated POP3/SMTP front end proxied to authenticated IMAPS/SMTPS backends"
+readme = "README.md"
+requires-python = ">=3.12"
+dynamic = ["dependencies"]
+
+[project.scripts]
+legacy-email-proxy = "proxy_server:run"
+
+[project.urls]
+Homepage = "https://code.emmathe.dev/lyrathorpe/legacy-email-proxy"
+
+# requirements.txt stays the single source of runtime dependencies, so the
+# Dockerfile and this file cannot drift apart.
+[tool.setuptools.dynamic]
+dependencies = { file = ["requirements.txt"] }
+
+[tool.setuptools]
+py-modules = ["proxy_server"]

tests/test_proxy_server.py

@@ -143,6 +143,95 @@ def test_smtp_proxy_handler_forwards_message_over_ssl(monkeypatch):
     Settings.BACKEND_SMTP_PASS = previous_pass
 
 
+def test_pop3_quit_does_not_mutate_backend_by_default():
+    import asyncio
+
+    class DummyBackend:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.deleted_called = []
+            self.expunge_called = False
+            self.logged_out = False
+
+        def mark_deleted(self, uid):
+            self.deleted_called.append(uid)
+
+        def expunge(self):
+            self.expunge_called = True
+
+        def logout(self):
+            self.logged_out = True
+
+    session = POP3Session(None, None)
+    backend = DummyBackend()
+    session._imap = backend
+    session.deleted = {b"1", b"2"}
+
+    # Provide a dummy writer so send_line can be awaited without a socket.
+    class DummyWriter:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.buf = b""
+            self.closed = False
+
+        def write(self, data):
+            self.buf += data
+
+        async def drain(self):
+            return None
+
+        def close(self):
+            self.closed = True
+
+        async def wait_closed(self):
+            return None
+
+    session.writer = DummyWriter()
+
+    # Ensure default is not to mutate
+    previous_mutate = Settings.BACKEND_MUTATE
+    Settings.BACKEND_MUTATE = False
+    asyncio.run(session.handle_quit())
+    Settings.BACKEND_MUTATE = previous_mutate
+
+    assert backend.deleted_called == []
+    assert backend.expunge_called is False
+    assert backend.logged_out is True
+
+
+def test_pop3_quit_mutates_backend_when_enabled():
+    import asyncio
+
+    class DummyBackend:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.deleted_called = []
+            self.expunge_called = False
+            self.logged_out = False
+
+        def mark_deleted(self, uid):
+            self.deleted_called.append(uid)
+
+        def expunge(self):
+            self.expunge_called = True
+
+        def logout(self):
+            self.logged_out = True
+
+    session = POP3Session(None, None)
+    backend = DummyBackend()
+    session._imap = backend
+    session.deleted = {b"1", b"2"}
+
+    session.writer = DummyWriter()
+
+    previous_mutate = Settings.BACKEND_MUTATE
+    Settings.BACKEND_MUTATE = True
+    asyncio.run(session.handle_quit())
+    Settings.BACKEND_MUTATE = previous_mutate
+
+    assert set(backend.deleted_called) == {b"1", b"2"}
+    assert backend.expunge_called is True
+    assert backend.logged_out is True
+
+
 class FakeWriter:
     def __init__(self):
         self.buffer = bytearray()
@@ -160,6 +249,26 @@ class FakeWriter:
         pass
 
 
+class DummyWriter:
+    """Simple writer used by tests where we only need write/drain/close."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.buf = b""
+        self.closed = False
+
+    def write(self, data):
+        self.buf += data
+
+    async def drain(self):
+        return None
+
+    def close(self):
+        self.closed = True
+
+    async def wait_closed(self):
+        return None
+
+
 class RecordingIMAP:
     """In-memory IMAPBackend stand-in for POP3 session tests."""
 
@@ -278,6 +387,7 @@ def test_dele_survives_stat_list_uidl_until_quit():
     asyncio.run(session.handle_list([]))
     asyncio.run(session.handle_uidl([]))
     assert b"2" in session.deleted
+    # Default behaviour is not to mutate the backend mailbox on QUIT.
     asyncio.run(session.handle_quit())
-    assert session._imap.marked == [b"2"]
+    assert session._imap.marked == []
-    assert session._imap.expunged is True
+    assert session._imap.expunged is False