Zero: Self-Host an AI-Powered Email App

Overview

Zero is an email app that you can self-host and connect to external providers, including Gmail and Outlook. It aims to make email more customizable and bring AI-agent features into a unified inbox, rather than requiring users to rely on a single closed email service.

It may suit people who want to run their own email interface or developers interested in adapting an email app. Self-hosting the app does not mean every connected service is self-hosted: provider integrations remain subject to those providers' policies and terms.

Key Features

• Self-hostable email application.
• Unified inbox for multiple email providers, including Gmail and Outlook.
• AI-agent and LLM integrations for email workflows.
• Customizable interface and features.
• PostgreSQL-backed application using Drizzle ORM.
• Google OAuth support for Gmail integration.

Use Cases

• Privacy-conscious individuals who want to host their email app themselves and connect supported providers.
• People who manage several email accounts and want to work with them through one inbox.
• Developers who want to explore or extend an email app built with TypeScript and a web stack.
• Teams or individuals evaluating AI-assisted email workflows while retaining control over the app deployment.

Getting Started

The repository documents a local setup using Node.js, pnpm, Docker, and PostgreSQL:

git clone https://github.com/Mail-0/Zero.git
cd Zero
pnpm install
pnpm docker:db:up
pnpm nizzy env
pnpm nizzy sync
pnpm db:push
pnpm dev

See the README for environment configuration, OAuth setup, and other requirements.

Alternatives

• agentic-inbox: Agentic Inbox is built for Cloudflare Workers and uses Cloudflare Access, while Zero connects multiple email providers in a unified inbox.

Considerations

• Local development requires Node.js v18 or higher, pnpm v10 or higher, Docker v20 or higher, and PostgreSQL.
• Gmail integration requires Google OAuth credentials and enabled Google APIs. Other integrations may also require provider configuration.
• The documented setup includes third-party services for some functionality, including Autumn for some encryption and Twilio for SMS integration.
• Zero states that it does not track, collect, or sell user data, but data passed to external email services is governed by those services' privacy policies and terms.
• Self-hosting means you are responsible for configuring and operating the app and its supporting services.