Thunderbird makes progress with Rust integration, Exchange support, and calendar overhaul

Thunderbird has released its monthly development digest for August, detailing several key advancements. The team is progressively increasing the Rust code within Thunderbird, following its initial integration months ago. Efforts continue on the Exchange implementation, aiming to enable this feature by default in an upcoming beta. The goal is to achieve complete email support and begin integrating calendar and address book features before the next Extended Support Release (ESR).

Additionally, Thunderbird is developing a global database to mitigate common data loss issues and enhance performance in message search and archiving. A complete rebuild of the calendar is also underway, focusing on backend code improvements for protocols and synchronization, alongside a revamped UI and UX for a more intuitive and flexible user experience. This includes reducing dialog boxes and incorporating expected calendar features.