Something to sit up for: After relaunching the Thunderbird undertaking in 2020 by establishing the brand new MZLA subsidiary, the Mozilla Foundation is busy bettering its e-mail consumer software program. The group has now unveiled among the most attention-grabbing modifications anticipated in the approaching months.
Last 12 months was a “unbelievable” one for Thunderbird, in line with Mozilla. However, the perfect is but to come back. The “Supernova” improve (Thunderbird 115) was essentially the most vital milestone of the previous 12 months, introducing a brand new codebase (as soon as once more based mostly on the Firefox undertaking) to additional modernize probably the most in style (and open-source) e-mail shoppers on the market.
Despite the controversial reception of Supernova’s rebuilt interface, MZLA developers are diligently working so as to add extra flexibility, reliability, and customizable choices to Thunderbird. The e-mail consumer goals to accommodate totally different wants and workflows, as Mozilla states. The undertaking’s revitalization is now symbolized by a brand new emblem created by Jon Hicks, the designer of the unique Firefox and Thunderbird logos.
One of the first modifications Thunderbird developers are at present working on is support for Microsoft Exchange, the favored mail server and calendaring platform designed to run solely on Windows Server working methods. Mozilla acknowledges that Thunderbird customers are “anticipating” this performance, and a few “exploratory work” has already been carried out on that entrance.
The Thunderbird codebase can now make the most of the Rust programming language, seemingly a prerequisite for each bettering the present code structure and introducing Exchange support. Native support for the Exchange protocol is a “complicated matter,” warns Mozilla, however no less than it’s now formally on this system’s roadmap.
According to Bugzilla’s related bug monitoring thread, Mozilla plans to “totally support” Microsoft Exchange, together with person authentication, e-mail, calendar, and contacts. Thunderbird goals to supply support for Exchange by means of the EWS (Exchange Web Services) protocol, a substitute for the usual Microsoft MAPI protocol.
EWS is a deprecated characteristic that can be deserted by Exchange Online on October 1, 2026. However, developers argue that the protocol stays the easiest way to allow support for each Exchange Online and on-premise customized Exchange Server installations. Microsoft’s new Graph API for cloud entry has been thought of and “could also be” revisited in the longer term.
In addition to implementing Exchange support, the Thunderbird workforce is focusing on bettering communication with the group and introducing beforehand introduced options reminiscent of Sync and Account Hub. Marketing efforts may even be elevated, that includes new tutorials, video guides, and different productivity-focused content material.