Are you tired of paying ever-increasing monthly fees for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 just to host your email? Are you concerned about tech giants scanning your private correspondence or arbitrarily locking you out of your account? It’s time to declare digital independence.
Meet Haven: a lightweight, self-hosted groupware solution that brings your email, contacts, and tasks back where they belong—under your complete control.
What is Haven?
Haven is a complete mail server and groupware system designed from the ground up to be incredibly efficient. Instead of wrestling with a complex web of outdated, resource-hungry software components (the traditional “mail stack”), Haven is a modern, single-process application. It includes everything you need out of the box: a beautiful, dark-mode webmail interface, a built-in SMTP server for sending and receiving mail, and an IMAP4 server so you can continue using your favorite desktop or mobile email clients (like Apple Mail or Thunderbird).
The core philosophy of Haven is simplicity and self-reliance. You don’t need a powerful enterprise server or expensive cloud infrastructure to run it. In fact, Haven is perfectly tailored to run on a low-cost, low-powered device like a Raspberry Pi sitting right on your desk.
System Overview & Components
Haven achieves its remarkable efficiency by eliminating the bloat. There is no Docker, no Java Virtual Machine (JVM), and no PHP.
- The Core: Written entirely in Go, Haven compiles into a single, highly optimized binary executable.
- The Database: We use SQLite—a fast, embedded database—to index your emails, store your contacts, and manage your tasks without the headache of setting up and maintaining a heavy database server.
- The Storage: Your emails are stored directly on your device’s disk as standard files, ensuring your data is always accessible and easy to back up.
- The Interface: A sleek, letter-like web application serves as your dashboard. We also offer mobile companion apps for iOS and Android that connect directly to your Haven server.
Footprint & Requirements
Because Haven does away with traditional, heavy mail stacks, its footprint is astonishingly small:
- Memory: Typically consumes under a couple of hundred megabytes of RAM.
- Hardware: Runs flawlessly on a Raspberry Pi 4.
- Network: Requires standard internet mail ports forwarded on your router (25, 587 for SMTP, and 993 for IMAP). (Note: If your residential internet provider blocks outbound port 25, Haven has built-in support to seamlessly route outbound mail through a low-cost relay host).
Two Ways to Break Free
We understand that everyone’s technical comfort level is different, so we offer two ways to bring Haven into your life:
1. The Self-Hosted Solution (DIY)
For the tinkerers, developers, and privacy advocates who want total control. You provide the hardware (like a Raspberry Pi), configure your DNS records, and run the server from your home or office.
- Cost: The Haven software is completely free to use indefinitely for your self-hosted setup.
- Updates: To ensure your server stays secure and receives the latest feature updates, a lightweight software subscription is required.
2. The FWD Hosted Solution (Fully Managed)
Want the privacy and clean interface of Haven without the hassle of managing your own hardware, IP reputation, and DNS records? FWD (Freelance Web Development) will host it for you.
- Cost: A straightforward, affordable monthly hosting charge. We handle the server maintenance, backups, security, and deliverability, so you can just enjoy your private email experience.
Reclaim Your Data
Stop renting your digital identity from massive corporations. Whether you choose to run it on a Raspberry Pi in your living room or let FWD host it securely for you, Haven provides a fast, beautiful, and secure alternative for your daily communication.
