Do you know that a lot of web applications right now that send emails whenever there are triggers? For example, you may open this certain website for the first time on your new device. You will be sent an email that your account has been opened from another device. This is a security feature that you can benefit from. If in case it isn’t you who is trying to access your account, you can block the person from getting further. You may even be asked to verify if it’s you.
Let us say that you are using Node JS and you would like to accomplish some tasks. You know that this is only possible if you can send emails. It can be confusing especially when this is completely new to you.
Emails in Node JS are also very important because you will be notified of the important updates. You will also be informed if there are some new things regarding your application.
SMTP to Send Emails
Are you familiar with what SMTP is? If not, this stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. This is a type of technology that you can use when you want to send different emails to different networks. This is also the most common transport method used whenever people would like to send messages across networks.
What does this mean? This is the process that will be followed:
- You can send an email to someone else using your usual email client.
- The outgoing SMTP server will pick up the email and start sending the email to the recipient.
- Your server and the server of your recipient will communicate.
- Some details will be exchanged regarding the sender and the recipient.
- The SMTP server will proceed in providing aid to make the email delivery take place.
Pros of Using SMTP
The fact that a lot of people are familiar with this says a lot about how widely used it is. These are other benefits that you should know:
- This is easy to set up.
- This can be integrated into a web application.
- You can gain control over almost every aspect of sending the email from Node JS.
Cons of Using SMTP
There are some reasons why people still consider other choices when sending emails. Some of the drawbacks are as follows:
- This is not as secure as the other available choices. Some have reported that their emails have gotten hacked.
- This can be more susceptible to different types of attacks.
- Sending emails can be slower. This can be a problem when you want to send your email as fast as possible.
Transactional Email API
This is another option that you can use. This will help you send an email from the app that you are using with the help of a hosted API. This will eliminate the need to have different email servers open. You also do not have to worry about the requirements when you are sending emails.
There are a lot of transactional email services that you can choose from. You just need to pick the most trusted one for you. Check reviews beforehand too so that you will not get disappointed with your choice.
Pros of Using Transactional Email API
- Setting this up is a breeze.
- The services will come with a lot of documentation so you know exactly what to expect.
- You can add an extra layer of security with the use of API keys which means that you will feel more at ease while you are using it.
Cons of Using Transactional Email API
- You are going to rely on another app to send the email. You should do more research about the provider before you make a decision.
- Your recipient will be notified that you are about to send an email.
- You need to place some extra effort to send your email to the recipient.
Multi-Channel Notification Service
Are you still searching for more options to send emails from Node JS? This is another option that you can use. This will help you reach a lot of users from different channels. You can also bring your provider to your channel.
Some people like it because, from its name, you can add multiple channels. You can choose the email service provider without worrying too much about the other things that you need to do. The added functionality and features can be nice too depending on the channels that you would choose.
Pros of Using Multi-Channel Notification Service
- Sending notifications from different channels can be done easily. There is no need to maintain a lot of codes especially when you are using different channels to send your messages and emails.
- You do not have to be very schooled on technical stuff to use this type of service.
- Different customization features are available.
Cons of Using Multi-Channel Notification Service
- You need to rely on a third-party provider to make sure that your email will be sent properly.
- There is no guarantee that the email will be received correctly or if there would be no changes when it is received by your recipient.
- There are different plans available and it can be overwhelming especially if it is your first time using it.
Sending Emails with Node JS
Node JS would usually rely on Nodemailer to send emails. Different packages are available. You just have to pick the one that will work best for your needs. Nodemailer is effective in doing the following:
- Creating HTML
- Making messages that can be sent as plain text
- Adding attachments
You can also send emails through various transport methods. Remember that you need to have Node.js 6.0 or newer so that you can use this.
These are the steps that you have to follow to have Nodemailer:
- Create Node.js application.
- Create a folder.
- Initialize a package.
- Install the Nodemailer module
- You need to place your credentials.
- Start using your Nodemailer.
Some people may still be unfamiliar with this especially if they are using it for the first time. If you are still unsure if this is safe, you can try by sending an email to another account using a different channel. You should receive your email safely if you have installed Nodemailer correctly.
Will Sending Emails Be Complicated?
Doing things for the first time can make you feel frustrated. You are doing things for the first time and you may be outside your comfort zone. Do remember that you are trying to do things that can make you grow. Trying this for the first time may seem hard but the more that you familiarize yourself with it and the options, the better that you will be at it.
Just remember that for every service that you will use to send emails, make sure that you have a secure account. This will help you send your messages and emails properly to your recipients.