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No, Horde is much more than just a webmail client, it is a PHP-based framework designed for collaboration and can be described as web-based groupware. The whole Horde package includes the Horde IMP email client, task tracking tools, wiki system, file manager, calendar and note app. However, Horde does trace its roots back to the Internet Messaging Project (IMP) webmail designed in the late nineties. Since then, it has evolved into the Horde Project, which encompasses a range of other applications.

Of course, Horde IMP webmail is still a standalone option, in case you don’t need any groupware functionality. In addition to IMP, Horde also offers MIMP, which is a streamlined version of IMP and supports more hardware platforms. The Sork email package uses four Horde modules to manage accounts, passwords, forwarding and vacation settings. In case you need an email filter rules manager, you should take a look at Horde Ingo.

Horde groupware consists of four basic modules, a note manager dubbed Mnemo; Nag, which is a task list manager; a calendar application called Kronolith and the Horde address book and contact manager, called Turba. Gollem is Horde’s web-based file manager. Horde Groupware Webmail Edition extends this package with IMP and Ingo.

Gollem provides users with the ability to manage file systems stored in several backends, including SQL databases, FTP, Samba or on SSH servers. It can also be used to manage files in a real file-system. It relies on Horde’s MIME viewer framework to identify file types, view file contents, associate icons and more.

Horde is working on a new time tracking application called Hermes. The tool will employ a new dynamic view and a host of advanced features, but it’s only available as a dev build for the time being. Horde also offers Sesha, an inventory manager designed to track items rather than time and tasks. It supports multiple categories with unique properties and stackable organization of various items.

LMNucleus still receives some updates and new plugins. The latter are designed to take advantage of PHP 5.4 or PHP 5.5. LMNucleus also addresses a number of issues faced by Nucleus in PHP 5.x. You might want to do a bit of research, but moving to LMNucleus is an option you should consider.

Horde’s wiki tool is called Wicked and in addition to powering Horde’s official wiki, it also supports several different markup dialects, so you should have no trouble using it if you’re familiar with other wikis. The Ansel photo management application allows you to create image galleries and integrate them with the other Horde applications, in case you need to share various images such as screenshots or product photos.

Horde is free, and this applies to all modules. Horde is published under the GNU Lesser General Public License, which means some restrictions may apply, but the vast majority of users should not be affected.

No, Horde does not rely on any technology or service that could add to your hosting bill. There is nothing to worry about, as Horde will run on just about any web hosting server.

You don’t have to worry about installation, either. Horde is already integrated in cPanel/WHM and Plesk control panels. This means you should be able to set it up with no hassle.

No, you will have to use third-party instant messaging to talk to your team. Horde only handles other aspects of team management and collaboration, such as task tracking, scheduling, email and so on.

Horde is a relatively popular platform and in terms of features it is roughly on par with alternative solutions. The only features it lacks compared to its competitors are email storage, IMAP sharing, instant messaging and embedded antivirus software. If any of these are must-have features, you can choose from a few dozen web-based groupware solutions.

Roundcube is a very good webmail solution and many users are quick to point out that it has a cleaner and easier to use UI than Horde. It offers a three-pane interface which is used on most email clients like Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird, so novice users should have no trouble finding their way around it. However, Horde still has a few additional features for advanced users.

Squirrelmail is all about ease of use and speed, so it has a basic UI and lists all your emails in one place. It’s a good alternative for those looking for the simplest possible webmail platform, basically a backup in case they can’t use their email client. It is no match for Horde in terms of features or capabilities.

Horde IMP, Squirrelmail, and Roundcube and the most widely used webmail solutions, so most people stick with them. However, this does not mean there are no alternatives worth checking out – there are plenty. Atmail, Zimbra, FastMail, Hive Mail and a number of other interesting alternatives.