Radicale is a simple CalDAV (calendar, to-do lists) and CardDAV (contacts) server that is easy to install and maintain, does not require a database, and can optionally use a git storage backend. Radicale does not implement the full specification, but a subset.
Radicale may not be the best choice for mixed environments.
The Radicale software stack layers are as follows:
| Layer | Part | Function | Provider | Protocol, Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daemon | Storage | Radicale | iCal/vCard |
| 2 | Daemon | Server | Radicale | CalDAV/CardDAV |
| (3) | Daemon | Server | nginx | socket/proxy |
| 4 | Transfer | Network | internet | http + TLS / https proxy |
| 5 | Client | Receiver | Evolution | CalDAV/CardDAV |
| 6 | Client | GUI | Evolution | Terminal, GTK, Web, … |
Radicale uses different formats at different levels to allow flexibility and compatibility with different calendar clients.
At the storage layer, Radicale uses the iCalendar format (ICS) as the primary format for storing calendar data. This is a standard format that is widely supported by many different calendar clients. However, Radicale also supports other formats such as vCard.
At the transport layer, Radicale uses various protocols to exchange calendar data with different clients and servers. For example, it supports the CalDAV protocol, which is a standard protocol for exchanging calendar data over the Web.
The Radicale daemon can theoretically be built and installed via:
| # | From | Via | Version | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | tar | source | 3.0.6 | NT | |
| 02 | tar | [packages] | 2.1.11-6 | OK | See below |
| 03 | git | pip | 3.0.6 | Package not tried, install works, function not tested | |
| 04 | git | debuild, dpkg | 2.1.12 | NT | |
| 05 | git | debuild, dpkg | 3.0.6* | NG | tried with changed Debian dir from 2.1.12-1 |
| 06 | git | stdeb | 3.0.6* | NG | tried latest |
| 07 | git | stdeb | 3.0.6* | NG | tried with modified setup.py and setup/cfg |
| 08 | tar | stdeb | 3.0.6 | NG | tried |
| 09 | tar | stdeb | 3.0.6 | NG | tried with modified setup.py and setup/cfg |
| 10 | deb | apt-get or aptitude | 2.1.11-6 | OK | works |
| 11 | deb | apt-get or aptitude | 2.1.12-2 | OK | works |
| 12 | deb | apt-get or aptitude | 3.0.6-1 | NA | |
| 13 | deb | apt-get or aptitude | 3.0.6-3 | NT | TODO |
Abbreviations:
| Explanation | |
|---|---|
| NT | not tried |
| NG | not good (failed) |
| OK | good (passed) |
| NA | not available |
As of now (2020-12-29) only version 2.1.11-6 is available for Debian Buster and 2.1.12-2 for Debian Sid. There is no official Debian package for 3.0.x in Debian Buster. The 3.0.x version comes with Debian Bullseye.
| Debian | Version |
|---|---|
| Stretch | 1.1.1+20160115-4 |
| Buster | 2.1.11-6 |
| Bullseye | 3.0.6-3 |
To the best of our knowledge, the following build dependencies should be met in order to build radicale 2.1.11
aptitude install help2man dh-buildinfo devscripts cdbs python3-atomicwrites \
python3-bcrypt python3-passlib python3-pytest python3-vobject quilt dh-python \
python3-setuptoolsFor Radicale 2.1.11, the process is straightforward on Debian 10 Buster after installing the dependencies.
wget http://deb.debian.org/debian/pool/main/r/radicale/radicale_2.1.11.orig.tar.gz
wget http://deb.debian.org/debian/pool/main/r/radicale/radicale_2.1.11-6.debian.tar.xz
tar xvzf radicale_2.1.11.orig.tar.gz
cd Radicale-2.1.11
tar xvJf ../radicale_2.1.11-6.debian.tar.xz
debuild -us -ucThis will create radicale_2.1.11-6_all.deb.
It is not possible (easy) to build Debian packages from the upstream git source repository, as it does not contain a debian directory. The debian directory for 2.1.11 does not work for 3.0.x.
| Version | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1.5 | 2023-04-01 | Improve writing, add content |
| 0.1.4 | 2022-07-05 | Shell->Bash |
| 0.1.3 | 2022-05-09 | Change level of section ‘Links’ |
| 0.1.2 | 2020-12-29 | Update front matter, links, Sid package version |
| 0.1.1 | 2020-12-29 | Update build process |
| 0.1.0 | 2020-11-02 | Initial release |