A digest is a compilation of all messages sent to a mailing list over a configurable period. Digests are periodically sent to users who have subscribed to a special digest-only version of the regular mailing list. Copies of digests already sent out are stored in a directory called "[listname]-digest.archive" under the "archive" directory in your home directory.

Subscribers to the digest version of a mailing list will not receive the individual messages sent to the list being digested, since in most cases, users subscribing to a digest want to to avoid filling up their mailbox with large numbers of separate messages. For the same reason, subscribers to the list being digested will not be sent copies of the digest (since it contains duplicates of messages they have already received) unless they choose to subscribe to the digest version of the list as well.

Any messages sent to the digest list will be forwarded to the list being digested. Where responses to the digest messages themselves go may be configured by the list-owner. By default, these are also sent to the list being digested.