View source for GNOME Evolution

{{Short description|Personal information manager software and workgroup information management tool for GNOME}}
{{Distinguish|Genome evolution}}
{{Infobox software
| title = GNOME Evolution
| logo = GNOME Evolution logo (official).svg
| screenshot = Evolution 36 mail.png
| caption = Evolution 3.6; September 2012
| author = [[Ximian]]
| developer = [[GNOME Project]]
| released = {{Start date and age|2000|05|10|df=yes}}<ref name=evo-firstrel/>
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q336251|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q336251|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
| latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q336251|P348|P548=Q21727724}}
| latest preview date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q336251|P348|P548=Q21727724|P577}}
| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]] ([[GTK]])
| operating system = [[Unix-like]]
| genre = [[Personal information manager]]
| language = English, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Slovenian, Ukrainian<ref name=evo-trans/><!-- are 100% translated -->
| language count = 53<ref name=evo-trans/><!-- are more than 80% translated -->
| license = [[GNU Lesser General Public License|LGPL 2.1 only]]{{efn|LGPL-2.1-only or LGPL-3.0-only}} and others<ref>[https://git.gnome.org/browse/evolution/tree/COPYING COPYING-File] in the Sourcecode-repository of Evolution</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/evolution/-/wikis/home}}
}}

'''GNOME Evolution''' (formerly '''Novell Evolution''' and '''Ximian Evolution''', before [[Novell]] acquired [[Ximian]] in 2003) is the official [[personal information manager]] for [[GNOME]]. It has been an official part of GNOME since Evolution 2.0 was included with the GNOME 2.8 release in September 2004.<ref name=gnome28-relnotes/> It combines [[email]], [[address book]], [[calendaring software|calendar]], [[time management|task list]], and [[note-taking]] features. Its [[user interface]] and functions are similar to [[Microsoft Outlook]]. Evolution is [[free software]] licensed under the terms of the [[GNU Lesser General Public License]] (LGPL).

==Features==
{{Multiple image
| align = right
 | direction = vertical
 | width = 200
 | header = Evolution
| image1 = Evolution mail.png
| caption1 = Older version
| image2 = Evolution 36 calendar.png
| caption2 = Calendar function
}}
Evolution delivers the following features:<ref name=evo-docs/>
* Email retrieval with the [[Post Office Protocol]] (POP) and [[Internet Message Access Protocol]] (IMAP) protocols and email transmission with [[Simple Mail Transfer Protocol]] (SMTP)
* Secure network connections encrypted with [[Transport Layer Security]] (SSL, TLS), and [[Opportunistic TLS|STARTTLS]]
* Email encryption with [[GNU Privacy Guard]] (GPG) andSecure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions ([[S/MIME]])
* [[Markdown]] email formatting<ref>{{Cite web |title=Support markdown in composer (#449): Issues: GNOME: evolution |url=https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/evolution/-/issues/449 |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=GitLab |date=18 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[email filtering|Email filters]]
* Search folders: saved searches that look like normal mail folders as an alternative to using filters and search queries
* Automatic [[Spam (electronic)|spam]] filtering with [[SpamAssassin]] and [[Bogofilter]]
* Connectivity to [[Microsoft Exchange Server]], [[Novell GroupWise]] and [[Kolab]]<ref name=evo-kolab/> (provided in separate packages as [[plug-in (computing)|plug-ins]])
* Calendar support for the [[iCalendar]] file format, the [[WebDAV]] and [[CalDAV]] standards and [[Google Calendar]]
* Contact management with local address books, [[CardDAV]], [[LDAP]] and Google address books
* Synchronization via [[SyncML]] with [[SyncEvolution]] and with [[Palm OS]] devices via gnome-pilot
* Address books that can be used as a data source in [[LibreOffice]]
* User [[Avatar (computing)|avatars]] loading from address book, [[Email#Header fields|email headers]] X-Face, Face or automatic lookup by [[Hash function|hashed]] email address from [[Gravatar]] service
* An [[news aggregator|RSS reader]] plug-in<ref name=evo-rss/>
* A [[Newsreader (Usenet)|news client]]
* Import from [[Microsoft Outlook]] archives (dbx, pst) and [[mbox|Berkeley Mailbox]]


The Novell GroupWise plug-in is no longer in active development.<ref name=evo-newin36/> A [[Scalix]] plug-in<ref name=evo-scalix/> is also available, but its development stopped in 2009.<ref name=evo-scalixlog/>

=== Evolution Data Server ===
''Evolution Data Server'' (EDS) is a set of libraries and session [[Daemon (computing)|services]] for storing address books and calendars.<ref name=evo-edsmanual/> Other software such as ''California''<ref name=gnome-cali/> and ''GNOME Calendar''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Calendar |title=GNOME Calendar}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://packages.debian.org/stretch/gnome-calendar |title=gnome-calendar in Debian with dependencies}}</ref> depends on EDS also.

Some documentation about the software architecture is available in the GNOME wiki.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Evolution/EDS_Architecture|title=Apps/Evolution/EDS_Architecture - GNOME Wiki!}}</ref>

===Connecting to Microsoft Exchange Server===
Depending on which version of Microsoft Exchange Server is used, different packages need to be installed to be able to connect to it. The documentation recommends the ''evolution-ews'' [[Package manager|package]] (which uses [[Microsoft Exchange Server#Clients|Exchange Web Services]]) for Exchange Server 2007, 2010 and newer. If ''evolution-ews'' does not work well, it is advised to try the ''evolution-mapi'' package. This supports Exchange Server 2010, 2007 and possibly older versions supporting Messaging Application Programming Interface ([[MAPI]]). For Exchange Server 2003, 2000 and possibly earlier versions supporting [[Outlook Web App]] the package ''evolution-exchange'' is recommended.<ref name=evo-exchange/>

==History==
Ximian decided to develop Evolution in 2000. It felt there were no email clients for [[Linux]] at the time that could provide the functionality and interoperability necessary for corporate users. Ximian saw an opportunity for Linux to penetrate the corporate environment if the right [[enterprise software]] was available for it. It released Evolution 1.0 in December 2001 and offered the paid Ximian Connector plug-in which allowed users to connect with Microsoft Exchange Server. Evolution itself has been free software from the start, but Ximian Connector was sold as [[proprietary software]] so that Ximian could generate revenue.<ref name=register/> This changed after Novell's acquisition of Ximian in August 2003. Novell decided to integrate the Exchange plug-in as free software in Evolution 2.0 in May 2004.<ref name=novell/>

Novell was in turn acquired by [[The Attachmate Group]] in 2011. It transferred Novell's former Evolution developers to its subsidiary [[SUSE S.A.|SUSE]]. In 2012 SUSE decided to stop its funding of Evolution's development and assigned its developers elsewhere. As a consequence only two full-time developers employed by [[Red Hat]] remained.<ref name=evo-newin36/> Later in 2013 Red Hat dedicated more developers to the project, reinvigorating its development. The reasons given for the decision were the cessation of active development on [[Mozilla Thunderbird]] and the need for an email client with good support for Microsoft Exchange.<ref name=evo-newdev/>

==Distribution==
As a part of GNOME, Evolution is released as [[source code]]. [[Linux distribution]]s provide [[Package manager|packages]] of GNOME for end-users. Evolution is used as the default personal information manager on several Linux distributions which use GNOME by default, most notably [[Debian]] and [[Fedora (operating system)|Fedora]]. [[Ubuntu]] has replaced Evolution with [[Mozilla Thunderbird]] as the default email client since [[Ubuntu version history#1110|Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot]].<ref name =ubuntu-relnotes/>

===Defunct Mac OS X and Windows ports===
In the past,{{when|date=December 2024}} Evolution was [[porting|ported]] to [[macOS|Apple Mac OS X]] and [[Microsoft Windows]], but these ports are discontinued.{{when|date=December 2024}}

In 2006, Novell released an installer for Evolution 2.6 on Mac OS X.<ref name=evo-mac/> In January 2005, Novell's [[Nat Friedman]] announced in his blog<ref name=friedman/> that the company had hired Tor Lillqvist, the programmer who ported [[GIMP]] to Microsoft Windows, to do the same with Evolution. Before this announcement, several projects with the same goal had been started but none of them reached alpha status. In 2008, DIP Consultants released a Windows installer for Evolution 2.28.1-1 for Microsoft [[Windows XP]] and newer.<ref name=dip/> As of 2025, it is available for download from only the [[SourceForge]] project page.<ref name=evo-sf/>

A slightly more recent (2010–2011) experimental installer for Evolution 3.0.2 is provided by [[openSUSE]].<ref name=striba/><ref name=evo-windows-packages/> Users have faced difficulties getting this version working.<ref name=gnome-bugzilla/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[Geary (e-mail client)|Geary]] – another email client for GNOME
* [[List of personal information managers]]
* [[Comparison of email clients]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name=evo-firstrel>{{cite web|last=Icaza|first=Miguel de|author-link=Miguel de Icaza|title=Evolution "Prokaryote" 0.0 has been released|url=https://mail.gnome.org/archives/evolution-hackers/2000-May/msg00002.html|work=evolution-hackers mailing list|publisher=GNOME|access-date=27 January 2013|date=10 May 2000}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-trans>{{cite web|title=Module Statistics: evolution|url=http://l10n.gnome.org/module/evolution/|work=Damned Lies|publisher=GNOME|access-date=27 January 2013}}</ref>
<ref name=gnome28-relnotes>{{cite web|last1=Cumming|first1=Murray|last2=Charles|first2=Colin|last3=Madeley|first3=Davyd|title=GNOME 2.8 Release Notes|url=http://library.gnome.org/misc/release-notes/2.8/#rnevolution|publisher=GNOME|date=15 September 2004|access-date=27 January 2013|archive-date=17 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117014508/http://library.gnome.org/misc/release-notes/2.8/#rnevolution|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-docs>{{cite web|title=Evolution Mail and Calendar documentation|url=http://library.gnome.org/users/evolution/stable/|work=GNOME Library|publisher=GNOME|access-date=26 January 2013}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-kolab>{{cite web|title=evolution-kolab|url=http://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Evolution/Kolab|work=GNOME Wiki|publisher=GNOME|access-date=15 December 2013}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-newin36>{{cite web|last=Barnes|first=Matthew|title=What's New in Evolution 3.6|url=https://mail.gnome.org/archives/evolution-list/2012-September/msg00046.html|work=evolution-list mailing list|publisher=GNOME|access-date=29 January 2013|date=19 September 2012}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-newdev>{{cite web|last=Ruiz|first=Alberto|title=Evolution needs your help!|url=http://aruiz.synaptia.net/siliconisland/2013/11/evolution-is-seeking-brave-hackers.html|work=Silicon Island|access-date=5 January 2014|archive-date=31 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331202215/http://aruiz.synaptia.net/siliconisland/2013/11/evolution-is-seeking-brave-hackers.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
<ref name=evo-rss>{{cite web|title=Evolution RSS Reader Plugin|url=http://gnome.eu.org/evo/index.php/Evolution_RSS_Reader_Plugin|publisher=Evolution plugins|access-date=29 January 2013|archive-date=28 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328105717/http://gnome.eu.org/evo/index.php/Evolution_RSS_Reader_Plugin|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-scalix>{{cite web|title=Scalix Connect for Evolution|url=http://www.scalix.com/enterprise/technology/evolution.php|publisher=Xandros Corporation|access-date=29 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130109163542/http://www.scalix.com/enterprise/technology/evolution.php|archive-date=9 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-scalixlog>{{cite web|title=Git log of evolution-scalix|url=http://git.gnome.org/browse/evolution-scalix/log/|work=GNOME Git|publisher=GNOME|access-date=29 January 2013}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-edsmanual>{{cite web |url=https://developer.gnome.org/eds/unstable/ |title=Evolution Data Server Reference Manual |publisher=GNOME |access-date=9 February 2015 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714133337/https://developer.gnome.org/eds/unstable/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name=gnome-cali>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/California |title=California |publisher=GNOME |access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-exchange>{{cite web|title=Choosing the right connector|url=http://library.gnome.org/users/evolution/stable/exchange-connectors-overview.html.en|work=GNOME Library|publisher=GNOME|access-date=29 January 2013|archive-date=18 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118045417/http://library.gnome.org/users/evolution/stable/exchange-connectors-overview.html.en|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name=register>{{cite web|last=Barr|first=Joe|title=Ximian Evolution 1.0 links Linux to Exchange|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/12/03/ximian_evolution_1_0_links/|publisher=The Register|access-date=29 January 2013|date=3 December 2001}}</ref>
<ref name=novell>{{cite web|title=Novell Announces Evolution 2.0 and Release of Connector for Microsoft Exchange Server Under Open Source License|url=http://www.novell.com/news/press/2004/5/novell-announces-evolution-20-and-release-of-connector-for-microsoft-exchange-server-under-open-source-license.html|publisher=Novell|access-date=29 January 2013|date=11 May 2004}}</ref>
<ref name=ubuntu-relnotes>{{cite web|title=Oneiric Ocelot Release Notes|url=https://wiki.ubuntu.com/OneiricOcelot/ReleaseNotes#Updated_Applications|work=Ubuntu Wiki|publisher=Ubuntu|date=12 March 2012|access-date=26 January 2013}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-mac>{{cite web|url=http://forge.novell.com/modules/xfcontent/downloads.php/evolution/builds/Evolution%202.6%20for%20Mac%20OS%20X%20/|title=Evolution 2.6 for Mac OS X|publisher=Novell|access-date=26 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070528161309/http://forge.novell.com/modules/xfcontent/downloads.php/evolution/builds/Evolution%202.6%20for%20Mac%20OS%20X%20/|archive-date=28 May 2007}}</ref>
<ref name=friedman>{{cite web|last=Friedman|first=Nat|author-link=Nat Friedman|title=Evolution for Windows|url=http://nat.org/blog/2005/01/17-january-2005/|work=Nat Friedman's Blog|date=17 January 2005|access-date=26 January 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415120525/http://nat.org/blog/2005/01/17-january-2005/|archive-date=15 April 2013}}</ref>
<ref name=dip>{{cite web|url=http://www.dipconsultants.com/evolution/|title=Evolution for Windows|publisher=DIP Consultants|access-date=26 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091219153349/http://www.dipconsultants.com/evolution/|archive-date=19 December 2009}}</ref>
<ref name=striba>{{cite web|last=Strba|first=Fridrich|title=Experimental Evolution installer for Windows|url=https://fridrich.blogspot.com/2010/05/experimental-evolution-installer-for.html|date=25 May 2010|access-date=26 January 2013}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-windows-packages>{{cite web|title=Experimental Evolution 3.0.2 packages for Windows|url=http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/windows:/mingw:/win32:/EXPERIMENTAL/openSUSE_Factory/noarch/|publisher=openSUSE|date=28 August 2011|access-date=26 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114142404/http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/windows:/mingw:/win32:/EXPERIMENTAL/openSUSE_Factory/noarch/|archive-date=14 November 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name=evo-sf>{{citation |title=SourceForge |contribution=Evolution |contribution-url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/shellter/files/Evolution/ |type=project}}</ref>
<ref name=gnome-bugzilla>{{cite web|title=windows Evolution doesn't start: libglade*/libgdk*/libg*.dll missing|url=https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=659688|work=GNOME Bugzilla|publisher=GNOME|date=21 September 2011|access-date=26 January 2013}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Evolution (software)}}
*{{Official website|https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Evolution}}

{{Email clients}}
{{Calendaring software}}
{{FreeCollabManageSoftware}}
{{GNOME}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evolution (Software)}}
[[Category:Email client software for Linux]]
[[Category:Email clients that use GTK]]
[[Category:Free calendaring software]]
[[Category:Free email software]]
[[Category:Free personal information managers]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in C]]
[[Category:Office software that uses GTK]]