You can just use a custom domain at Tuta, Proton, or any of the other email providers until you decide to self-host. Honestly, I don’t think self-hosting is worth it, I value the spam filtering and uptime that major providers offer.
The sending mail server will keep trying for a period of time. Eventually though it will give up and return the email to the sender with an error message.
I have been exploring self hosting my email.
Docker mail server for backend. Roundcube for web ui
Still keeping accounts at mainstream providers though as backup, especially for outgoing mail.
You can just use a custom domain at Tuta, Proton, or any of the other email providers until you decide to self-host. Honestly, I don’t think self-hosting is worth it, I value the spam filtering and uptime that major providers offer.
What happens when you self host email but your home is offline just as someone tries to send you an email?
Will their mail bounce? Vanish?
The sending mail server will keep trying for a period of time. Eventually though it will give up and return the email to the sender with an error message.
Register a domain, Postfix, spamassassin, freebsd jails… Do it like we did in the early 2000s, it never got better