Sync and TUI

Sync and TUI

This page covers the common sync commands, the main TUI navigation, and the background sync behavior that runs while the TUI stays open.

Prerequisites

• Install CRIEW and verify the environment with criew doctor.
• Configure [imap] only if you want real IMAP INBOX sync.
• Configure a kernel tree if you want code browsing and local patch review context.

Workflow

Check the environment

criew doctor

Sync a lore mailbox

criew sync --mailbox io-uring

Sync a real IMAP inbox

criew sync --mailbox INBOX

Use local .eml fixtures

criew sync --mailbox test --fixture-dir ./fixtures

Start the TUI

criew tui

TUI actions

For the full key list, including modal editors, Send Preview, and the inline code editor, see Keybindings.

• : opens the command palette.
• The header shows the active keymap scheme: default, vim, or custom.
• A numeric prefix repeats vertical movement: count+i/k for default and custom, count+j/k for vim.
• y and n enable or disable the selected subscription.
• Enter opens the selected mailbox or thread and moves focus to threads or preview.
• [ and ] expand the focused mail pane left or right.
• { and } shrink the focused mail pane and persist the widths in ui-state.toml.
• - and = switch to the previous or next mail while preview stays focused.
• Tab switches between the mail page and the code browser.
• With ui.keymap = "vim", gg jumps to the first line in the active pane, G jumps to the last line, and qq exits quickly.

Command palette

Common commands are:

• sync
• sync <mailbox>
• config
• vim
• restart
• quit
• !<shell command>

Background sync

When IMAP is configured, My Inbox joins startup sync and continues periodic background sync while the TUI remains open.

Enabled mailing-list subscriptions also continue periodic background sync while the TUI remains open, so Linux lore and QEMU archive mailboxes keep pulling new mail.

Verify the result

Success means:

• the requested mailbox sync completes without transport errors
• thread lists populate after sync
• the TUI can open mailboxes, threads, and preview panes without falling back to empty-state errors

See also

• Configuration
• Keybindings
• Patch and Reply