Fix stale PostgreSQL claims across the appliance docs/scripts - it ships SQLite

.github/workflows/appliance.yml

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 name: Appliance
 
 # Builds the downloadable virtual appliances for ALL hypervisors in one job: customizes the Ubuntu 24.04
-# cloud image with libguestfs (no Hyper-V host / nested virt needed) into a Gen2/UEFI image with PostgreSQL
-# + Dispatch baked in, emits it as VHDX (Hyper-V), OVA (VMware), and qcow2 (KVM/Proxmox), then boots
-# it under QEMU/UEFI to prove the service comes up on first boot. Artifacts: dispatch-appliance-hyperv,
-# dispatch-appliance-vmware, dispatch-appliance-kvm.
+# cloud image with libguestfs (no Hyper-V host / nested virt needed) into a Gen2/UEFI image with Dispatch
+# baked in (bundled SQLite - no database server), emits it as VHDX (Hyper-V), OVA (VMware), and qcow2
+# (KVM/Proxmox), then boots it under QEMU/UEFI to prove the service comes up on first boot. Artifacts:
+# dispatch-appliance-hyperv, dispatch-appliance-vmware, dispatch-appliance-kvm.
 on:
   # Runs AFTER a release is published - linked to the release, but it never blocks or races it (the release
   # is already out; this attaches the appliance images to it). The Build workflow also kicks this off after
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ jobs:
             sudo convert /tmp/screen.ppm "$1" 2>/dev/null && echo "captured $1" || echo "no screenshot"
           }
           ok=0
-          for i in $(seq 1 90); do          # up to ~8 min (KVM boot is fast; this is mostly PostgreSQL first-run)
+          for i in $(seq 1 90); do          # up to ~8 min - generous headroom for slow CI runners' boot + first-run
             if curl -fsSk -m 3 https://localhost:8420/health >/dev/null 2>&1; then ok=1; break; fi
             [ "$i" = 18 ] && screenshot boot-90s.png   # ~90s in: capture whatever's on screen
             sleep 5

appliance/Import-DispatchAppliance.ps1

@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
 .DESCRIPTION
   Creates a Generation 2 VM, copies the appliance VHDX into the chosen storage location, sets the Secure
   Boot template to the Microsoft UEFI Certificate Authority (required for Linux), connects a virtual
-  switch (optionally on a specific VLAN), and (optionally) starts it. The appliance configures PostgreSQL
-  + Dispatch on first boot; browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420 and set the admin password.
+  switch (optionally on a specific VLAN), and (optionally) starts it. The appliance creates its bundled
+  SQLite database and starts Dispatch on first boot; browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420 and set the admin
+  password.
 
   Run it with no networking/storage flags for a guided menu: it lists the host's virtual switches and
   storage volumes and prompts for the VLAN, memory, and CPU. Pass -SwitchName for fully unattended use.
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ function Select-Storage([string]$Default) {
     Where-Object { $_.DriveLetter -and $_.Size -gt 0 } | Sort-Object DriveLetter | ForEach-Object {
       Write-Host ("  {0}:  {1:N0} GB free of {2:N0} GB  {3}" -f $_.DriveLetter, ($_.SizeRemaining / 1GB), ($_.Size / 1GB), $_.FileSystemLabel)
     }
-  Write-Host "  (The appliance disk is ~6-10 GB thin-provisioned; PostgreSQL + logs grow it over time.)"
+  Write-Host "  (The appliance disk is ~6-10 GB thin-provisioned; the SQLite database + logs grow it over time.)"
   return (Read-WithDefault "VM storage folder" $Default)
 }
 
@@ -106,13 +107,13 @@ if (-not ($isAdmin -or $isHyperVAdm)) {
 if (-not $VhdxPath) {
   $found = @(Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath $PSScriptRoot -Filter *.vhdx -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
   if ($found.Count -eq 1) { $VhdxPath = $found[0].FullName; Write-Host "Using VHDX: $VhdxPath" }
-  elseif ($found.Count -eq 0) { throw "No .vhdx found next to this script. Unzip dispatch-appliance.vhdx.zip here first, or pass -VhdxPath." }
+  elseif ($found.Count -eq 0) { throw "No .vhdx found next to this script. Unzip the downloaded dispatch-appliance-*-hyperv.zip here first, or pass -VhdxPath." }
   else { throw "Multiple .vhdx files found next to this script; pass -VhdxPath to pick one." }
 }
 if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $VhdxPath -PathType Leaf)) { throw "VHDX file not found: $VhdxPath" }
 $VhdxPath = (Resolve-Path -LiteralPath $VhdxPath).Path
 if ([System.IO.Path]::GetExtension($VhdxPath) -notin @('.vhdx', '.vhd')) {
-  throw "-VhdxPath must point at the appliance .vhdx file, but got '$VhdxPath'. Unzip dispatch-appliance.vhdx.zip and pass the dispatch-appliance.vhdx inside it."
+  throw "-VhdxPath must point at the appliance .vhdx file, but got '$VhdxPath'. Unzip the downloaded dispatch-appliance-*-hyperv.zip and pass the dispatch-appliance.vhdx inside it."
 }
 
 # Detect a failover cluster on this host (Get-Cluster ships in the FailoverClusters module, present only on
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ try {
   Set-VMProcessor -VM $vm -Count $CpuCount
   # Linux on Gen2 needs the Microsoft UEFI CA Secure Boot template (not the default Windows one).
   Set-VMFirmware -VM $vm -EnableSecureBoot On -SecureBootTemplate "MicrosoftUEFICertificateAuthority"
-  # PostgreSQL needs a stable working set; disable Dynamic Memory.
+  # A relay service needs a stable working set; disable Dynamic Memory.
   Set-VMMemory -VM $vm -DynamicMemoryEnabled $false
   # Apply a VLAN tag to the adapter if requested (access mode = single tagged VLAN).
   if ($VlanId -gt 0) {
@@ -211,7 +212,7 @@ Write-Host ("Created '{0}' (Gen2, {1} vCPU, {2} GB, switch '{3}'{4}{5})." -f `
   $Name, $CpuCount, $MemoryGB, $SwitchName, $(if ($VlanId -gt 0) { ", VLAN $VlanId" } else { "" }), $(if ($AddToCluster) { ", clustered" } else { "" }))
 if ($Start) {
   Start-VM -VM $vm
-  Write-Host "Started. First boot configures PostgreSQL + Dispatch (a few minutes)."
+  Write-Host "Started. First boot creates the bundled SQLite database and starts Dispatch - it's quick."
 } else {
   Write-Host "Start it with:  Start-VM -Name '$Name'"
 }

appliance/README.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Dispatch SMTP Relay - virtual appliance
 
-A ready-to-run **Ubuntu 24.04 LTS** virtual machine with Dispatch and PostgreSQL pre-installed. Import it, power it on, and the dashboard comes up - no .NET, database, or command line needed.
+A ready-to-run **Ubuntu 24.04 LTS** virtual machine with Dispatch pre-installed, using its bundled SQLite database. Import it, power it on, and the dashboard comes up - no .NET, database server, or command line needed.
 
 There's a **separate download per hypervisor** - each is a single zip (unzip once) with that format's image, its README, and the import helper:
 
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ There's a **separate download per hypervisor** - each is a single zip (unzip onc
 | **VMware** (vSphere/ESXi/Workstation/Fusion) | `dispatch-appliance-vmware` | `dispatch-appliance.ova` + README |
 | **KVM/libvirt & Proxmox** | `dispatch-appliance-kvm` | `dispatch-appliance.qcow2` + `import-libvirt.sh` / `import-proxmox.sh` + README |
 
-All are **Gen2/UEFI**, ~4 GB RAM recommended (PostgreSQL needs ~2 GB). They boot on DHCP, but a relay your apps point at should have a **static IP** - set one after first boot (see [Static IP](#static-ip)).
+All are **Gen2/UEFI**, ~4 GB RAM recommended. They boot on DHCP, but a relay your apps point at should have a **static IP** - set one after first boot (see [Static IP](#static-ip)).
 
 ## Hyper-V
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Creates a q35/OVMF VM, imports the disk as `scsi0`, and sets it to boot.
 
 ## First boot
 
-On first start the appliance gives itself a **unique** database password, creates the `dispatch` role and `DispatchLog` database, starts PostgreSQL, and starts Dispatch (the schema is created automatically). This takes a couple of minutes the first time.
+On first start Dispatch creates its bundled SQLite database under `/var/lib/dispatch` (the schema is created automatically) and starts - there's no database server to bootstrap, so it's quick.
 
 Then browse to the dashboard:
 
@@ -90,15 +90,14 @@ Pass `-i <nic>` to target a specific interface (see `ip a`); run `dispatch-set-i
 ## Maintenance (console)
 
 - Service: `systemctl status dispatch` · logs: `journalctl -u dispatch -f` and `/var/log/dispatch/`.
-- PostgreSQL: `systemctl status postgresql`.
+- Database: bundled SQLite file at `/var/lib/dispatch` - no separate server process to manage.
 - Config (connection string only): `/var/lib/dispatch/appsettings.json` - everything else is in the dashboard.
 
 ## Security notes
 
-- Every appliance generates its **own** database password, at-rest encryption key (`.dispatch-key`), dashboard TLS cert, SSH host keys, and machine-id on first boot - nothing secret is shared across downloads.
+- Every appliance generates its **own** at-rest encryption key (`.dispatch-key`), dashboard TLS cert, SSH host keys, and machine-id on first boot - nothing secret is shared across downloads.
 - The **OS login** (`ubuntu`/`dispatch`) is a known default but **must be changed on first login** - do so immediately, especially before exposing the VM beyond a trusted LAN.
 - The dashboard admin password is set by **you** on first login and is stored only as a bcrypt hash in the database.
-- The appliance bundles **PostgreSQL**, which is free and open source.
 
 ## Building it yourself
 

appliance/build-appliance.sh

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 # Dispatch SMTP Relay - Hyper-V appliance builder (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS).
 #
 # Customizes the official Ubuntu cloud image offline with libguestfs (no Hyper-V host, no nested virt) and
-# converts it to a Gen2/UEFI dynamic VHDX. PostgreSQL's binaries are baked in; each VM configures the
-# Dispatch starts on first boot against the bundled SQLite database it creates under /var/lib/dispatch.
+# converts it to a Gen2/UEFI dynamic VHDX. Dispatch is baked in and starts on first boot against the
+# bundled SQLite database it creates under /var/lib/dispatch - no database server to install or configure.
 #
 # Requires (host): libguestfs-tools, qemu-utils, curl.
 # Usage:
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ docker run --rm -e KVER="$KVER" -v "$STAGE/debs:/debs" ubuntu:24.04 bash -ec '
   export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
   apt-get update -qq
   apt-get install -y -qq curl ca-certificates >/dev/null
-  # PostgreSQL 16 ships in the default Ubuntu 24.04 repos, so no extra apt source or signing key is needed.
   cd /debs
   # Full recursive runtime dependency closure of the target packages (skip virtual/undownloadable entries).
   deps=$(apt-cache depends --recurse --no-recommends --no-suggests --no-conflicts --no-breaks --no-replaces --no-enhances \
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ echo "==> Expanding the root partition into a ${DISK_SIZE} working image"
 qemu-img create -f qcow2 "$WORK/disk.qcow2" "$DISK_SIZE"
 virt-resize --expand /dev/sda1 "$WORK/base.img" "$WORK/disk.qcow2"
 
-echo "==> Customizing the image (PostgreSQL + Dispatch + first-boot)"
+echo "==> Customizing the image (Dispatch + first-boot)"
 # --no-network: provisioning installs pre-downloaded .debs offline, so the appliance needs no in-guest
 # network (and we avoid libguestfs's passt networking, which fails on CI runners).
 virt-customize -a "$WORK/disk.qcow2" \

appliance/dispatch.ovf.template

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <!--
   OVF descriptor for the Dispatch SMTP Relay VMware appliance (vSphere/ESXi). Generated from the same
-  Ubuntu 24.04 + PostgreSQL + Dispatch image as the Hyper-V VHDX. Conservative virtual hardware (EFI,
+  Ubuntu 24.04 + Dispatch (bundled SQLite) image as the Hyper-V VHDX. Conservative virtual hardware (EFI,
   LSI Logic SCSI, E1000e NIC) for broad import compatibility; placeholders (@@...@@) are filled by
   build-appliance.sh. vmx-14 = ESXi 6.7+.
 -->

appliance/hyperv-README.txt

@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ This zip contains:
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Notes
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  * First boot configures PostgreSQL + Dispatch; allow a few minutes.
+  * First boot creates the bundled SQLite database and starts Dispatch - no
+    database server to bootstrap, so it's quick.
   * The appliance is self-contained - no separate .NET runtime needed.
-  * Full docs: https://chrismuench.github.io/Dispatch-SMTP-Relay/
+  * Full docs: https://docs.dispatchrelay.app/
 ==============================================================================

appliance/import-libvirt.sh

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 #
 # Import the Dispatch SMTP Relay appliance qcow2 into KVM/libvirt as a UEFI VM (virt-install --import).
-# The appliance configures PostgreSQL + Dispatch on first boot; then browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420.
+# The appliance creates its bundled SQLite database and starts Dispatch on first boot (quick - no database
+# server to bootstrap); then browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420.
 #
 # Usage:
 #   sudo ./import-libvirt.sh dispatch-appliance.qcow2 [--name dispatch] [--memory 4096] [--vcpus 2]
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ virt-install \
 # qemu-guest-agent then reports the VM's IP to libvirt ("virsh domifaddr <vm> --source agent").
 
 echo
-echo "VM '$NAME' defined. First boot configures PostgreSQL + Dispatch (a few minutes)."
+echo "VM '$NAME' defined. First boot creates the bundled SQLite database and starts Dispatch - it's quick."
 [ "$START" = 1 ] || echo "Start it with:  virsh start $NAME"
 echo "Find its IP with:  virsh domifaddr $NAME"
 echo "Then browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420 and set the admin password."

appliance/import-proxmox.sh

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 #
 # Import the Dispatch SMTP Relay appliance qcow2 into Proxmox VE as a UEFI (OVMF) VM. Run on the Proxmox
-# host. The appliance configures PostgreSQL + Dispatch on first boot; then browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420.
+# host. The appliance creates its bundled SQLite database and starts Dispatch on first boot (quick - no
+# database server to bootstrap); then browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420.
 #
 # Usage:
 #   ./import-proxmox.sh dispatch-appliance.qcow2 <vmid> [--storage local-lvm] [--bridge vmbr0]
@@ -50,6 +51,6 @@ qm set "$VMID" --scsi0 "$disk"
 qm set "$VMID" --boot order=scsi0
 
 echo
-echo "VM $VMID ($NAME) created. First boot configures PostgreSQL + Dispatch (a few minutes)."
+echo "VM $VMID ($NAME) created. First boot creates the bundled SQLite database and starts Dispatch - it's quick."
 if [ "$START" = 1 ]; then qm start "$VMID"; echo "Started."; else echo "Start it with:  qm start $VMID"; fi
 echo "Then browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420 and set the admin password."

appliance/kvm-README.txt

@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ This zip contains:
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  After import
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  * Start the VM. First boot configures PostgreSQL + Dispatch (allow a
-    few minutes). The VM uses DHCP.
+  * Start the VM. First boot creates the bundled SQLite database and starts
+    Dispatch - no database server to bootstrap, so it's quick. The VM uses
+    DHCP.
   * Browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420 (self-signed cert - accept the warning) and
     SET THE ADMIN PASSWORD on the first login.
-  * Full docs: https://chrismuench.github.io/Dispatch-SMTP-Relay/
+  * Full docs: https://docs.dispatchrelay.app/
 ==============================================================================

appliance/vmware-README.txt

@@ -23,9 +23,10 @@ This zip contains:
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  After import
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  * Power on the VM. First boot configures PostgreSQL + Dispatch (allow a
-    few minutes). The VM uses DHCP.
+  * Power on the VM. First boot creates the bundled SQLite database and
+    starts Dispatch - no database server to bootstrap, so it's quick. The VM
+    uses DHCP.
   * Browse to https://<vm-ip>:8420 (self-signed cert - accept the warning) and
     SET THE ADMIN PASSWORD on the first login.
-  * Full docs: https://chrismuench.github.io/Dispatch-SMTP-Relay/
+  * Full docs: https://docs.dispatchrelay.app/
 ==============================================================================