#1126833 please update dovecot in trixie to 2.4.2

#1126833#5
Date:
2026-02-02 07:37:01 UTC
From:
To:
Please consider updating dovecot in trixie to current
upstream release 2.4.2.  This is a stable/bugfix release,
there should be no problems updating to it in trixie.

I understand some fixes from 2.4.2 are already present in
debian 2.4.1+dfsg1-6+deb13u2.  There are more in upstream
version, and if you update to actual upstream 2.4.2, it
will be immediately obvious which fixes are included, at
least.

It is a normal practice to update to a next bugfix upstream
release in debian stable, if upstream is known to produce
stable bugfix releases.

Thanks,

/mjt

#1126833#10
Date:
2026-02-02 08:01:03 UTC
From:
To:
As far as I can see, all current changes in sid, up to the
current 2.4.2+dfsg1-2 version, are okay for trixie -- all
are fixes of one or another kind.

If not for trixie, I'd provide a trixie-backports rebuild
of the current dovecot package from forky.

Thanks,

/mjt

#1126833#15
Date:
2026-02-02 13:54:54 UTC
From:
To:
Unfortunately, the switch to libpcre for the regex processor has
introduced some behavior changes. See
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1121519.  It's likely
that widespread migration to 2.4.2 in a stable point release would
trigger additional such reports.  (Whether or not the new behavior
constitutes a regression is another matter.)  So I do not believe a
stable update would be appropriate.

Given the above, I expect to continue backporting fixes for 2.4.1 while
trixie is stable.  Do you have any specific fixes you're looking for, or
is this a general request?

noah

#1126833#20
Date:
2026-02-02 13:57:24 UTC
From:
To:
As trixie-backports is not intended to be a mechanism for addressing
bugs in trixie, I don't agree that the changes to the dovecot packages
in forky belong there.  As you say, they're all fixes.

If there are specific bugs impacting the trixie packages, I'm entirely
open to fixing them there.

noah

#1126833#25
Date:
2026-02-03 10:19:38 UTC
From:
To:
a good reason NOT to push 2.4.2 to trixie.

BTW, you can do it other way around: package 2.4.2 for trixie and revert
that particular pcre change to keep it compatible with the trixie
behavior.  That'd be fun though.

It's interesting to note though - that the more 2.4.1 version is in use,
the more people will use the old regex syntax, so the more people will
be affected when upgrading to forky.  I found this whole situation a
bit fun.

..

No, unfortunately not.  I see my dovecot in trixie is crashing (rarely
but surely), and my questions to upstream about this got suggestions to
upgrade to the current version (2.4.2) only, so far.  Yes, I'll try to
install 2.4.2 (debian package in forky built for trixie) just to see if
it changes this particular problem.  Debugging were not successful so
far, either.

 > As trixie-backports is not intended to be a mechanism for addressing
 > bugs in trixie, I don't agree that the changes to the dovecot packages
 > in forky belong there.  As you say, they're all fixes.

I'm not about fixing bugs in trixie using backports, - it is not what I
mean.  It is more about staying "future-compatible", using particular
features which current packaged version does not provide.  And pcre
in sieve might be one such example too - to keep users sieve scripts
upgrade-to-fokry-proof, so to say :)

Since I already rebuilt forky package for trixie (essentially creating
a backport), I might as well upload it to the debian archive - since it
is already sort of useful for me (if not just to verify if the bug I'm
facing is still there or not).

Either way, I'm not uploading it just yet, let's see about the bug.
If it's fixed in 2.4.2, we can pick up that particular change to trixie.

Thanks,

/mjt

#1126833#30
Date:
2026-02-04 00:53:28 UTC
From:
To:
"fun" yeah.

It is definitely not an ideal situation.

What component is crashing for you?

If you're able to get a stack trace, that might help track down a fix
upstream, assuming the issue has been fixed in 2.4.2.  It's entirely
possible that it is, as they've fixed quite a few crashes.

I've already got one crash fix queued for a trixie upload.
(https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1121000)  I intend to
go over the upstream changes looking for more that look worth pulling
in.

That would be ideal.  If you do end up looking to upload to
trixie-backports, I'd like to ask that you maintain the backport in a
branch in https://salsa.debian.org/debian/dovecot/

noah