# Sending emails

You can send emails from any MailSlurp inbox that you have created.

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Free MailSlurp accounts cannot send emails to some common email domains such as gmail and yahoo (paid accounts aren't affected). This is to reduce spam. To send emails to all addresses please use a paid account or contact support. For more information see the sending limits page.

# Basic

The simplest email you can send only requires a recipient and an inbox.

// minimum example
await mailslurp.sendEmal(inbox.id, { to: ["me@test.com"] });

This will send an empty email from the inboxes email address to the recipient. Most emails however are more complicated than this. Let us see the options next.

# Options

# From and reply-to

Emails have a reply-to and from header. Emails use the inbox email address by default for from and reply-to. You can set these as options:

await mailslurp.sendEmal(inbox.id, {
    // can include names in addresses in the format below
    replyTo: '"Support" <support@my-ap.com>',
    // quote the property if a reserved word
    ['from']: inbox2.emailAddress
});

# Recipients

You can provide to, cc, and bcc recipient lists. Each must be in array format.

Example:

await mailslurp.sendEmal(inbox.id, {
    // use lists of email addresses
    to: ["user1@hexample.com"],
    cc: ["a@1.com", "b@2.com"],
    // to specify a name use quotes `"` and angle brackets `<` and `>` in the named style
    from: [`"Admin Desk" <${inbox.emailAddress}>`]
});

# Recipient format

Each recipient must be a valid email address and can either be specified directly or with a name:

Plain format: hello.team@myapp.com
Named format: "Sender Name" <sender@example.com>

# Internationalization

If your email address uses special characters encode it first using Punycode local encoding on part before the @ sign.

张伟@mydomain.com = xn--cpqy30b@mydomain.com

# Subject line

You can specify subject as follows:

await mailslurp.sendEmal(inbox.id, {
  to: ["me@test.com"],
  subject: "my subject line",
});

# Body

The body of an email is a string. If the body includes HTML set html: true to ensure the correct content-type header is used with the email.

await mailslurp.sendEmal(inbox.id, {
  to: ["me@test.com"],
  body: "Hi there",
});

You can specify character encoding with the charset option, eg: charset: "utf8". See i18n guide for more information.

# HTML encoding

You can also send HTML by setting html: true. All emails are UTF-8 by default and [support i18n].

Here is a full example with multiline HTML and UTF8 characters.

await mailslurp.sendEmal(inbox.id, {
  to: ["me@test.com"],
  body: `
  <article>
    <h1>γειά σου κόσμος</h1>
  </article>
`,
  charset: "utf8",
  html: true,
});

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When sending HTML you should use tables and inlined CSS for better rendering in most clients.

# Attachments

You can submit a list of attachment IDs when sending emails to attach files. You must upload the files before sending using the attachment upload endpoints.

// first upload attachments as base64 encoded string
const file = {
    base64Contents: "iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhE...",
    contentType: "image/png",
    filename: "pixel.png"
}
const attachmentId = await mailslurp.uploadAttachment(file)
// send email with attachment ID in array
await mailSlurp.sendEmail(inbox.id, {
  to: ['test@test.com'],
  attachments: [attachmentId]
})

# Encoding

MailSlurp expects files as base 64 encoded strings. You can do this by reading a file as bytes and then converting those to base64. Here is an example using NodeJS:

import { readFileSync } from "fs";
const bytes = readFileSync(path);
const base64Contents = new Buffer(bytes).toString("base64");

# Bounce rate and reputation

When you send emails from a free account Mailslurp monitors email bounces. A bounce is when an email is rejected by an email provider. To avoid bounce warnings upgrade to a paid account.

# Templates

MailSlurp supports sending emails with predefined templates.

# Capabilities

Templates can be created in code or designed in the dashboard. Templates support HTML, variables, and handlebars templating syntax.

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Unlike other services MailSlurp will warn you if you try to send a template with missing variables.

# Creating templates

await mailslurp.createTemplate({ content: "Welcome to our app" });

# Variable syntax

If you want to use variables in your templates simple wrap each variable in double curly braces:

await mailslurp.createTemplate({
  name: "Welcome email",
  content: "Hello {{firstName}}. Welcome to {{brandName}}.",
});

MailSlurp will recognize the firstName and brandName variables which can then be supplied as a map of templateVariables in sendEmail() methods. They will also be displayed in the dashboard:

email templates

# Passing variable values

When you send an email with a template you can pass a map of template variables and values.

await mailslurp.sendEmail(inbox.id, {
  to: [''],
  template: templateId,
  templateVariables: {
    firstName: '',
    brandName: ''
  }
})

MailSlurp will validate emails and return an error if passed variable names do not match template variables.

# Contacts and groups

MailSlurp also supports contact and contact groups. You can create these in the dashboard.

To send an email to a contact use the toContacts property:

await mailslurp.sendEmail(inbox.id, { toContacts: [contactId1, contactId2] });

To send emails to each contact in a group use the toGroup property.

await mailslurp.sendEmail(inbox.id, { toGroup: groupId });

# Next Steps

See documentation