Learn how to send an email with Nodemailer in Node.js using SMTP in just a few simple steps. Our support team is always here to help you.
How to Send an Email with Nodemailer in Node.js
If you’re looking for a quick and effective way to send emails from your Node.js application, Email with Nodemailer is the most reliable solution available. Whether you’re building a contact form, sending OTPs, or automating reports, this tool handles it all with minimal setup. In this post, you’ll learn exactly how to send emails with Nodemailer using simple steps. No fluff, just the core information you need here.
An Overview
Step 1: Install Nodemailer
To start using Email with Nodemailer, install it using npm:
npm install nodemailerStep 2: Import Nodemailer
After installation, import it into your Node.js app:
import nodemailer from 'nodemailer'This prepares your app to create the email transporter.
Step 3: Create the Transporter
The transporter is responsible for handling the actual delivery. You’ll need SMTP credentials from a provider like Gmail, SendGrid, or your hosting server.
const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
host: 'smtp.yoursmtpserver.com',
port: 465,
secure: true,
auth: {
user: 'smtp_user',
pass: 'smtp_pass',
},
})Replace the host, user, and pass fields with your real SMTP details. This is the core of Email with Nodemailer, the step that allows your server to send messages through an external SMTP service.
Step 4: Define Email Options
Set up your message details: sender, receiver, subject, and content (send to multiple recipients). HTML content is also supported:
const options = {
from: 'flavio@blabla.com',
to: 'flavio@yo.com',
subject: 'Hi!',
html: `<p>Hello</>`,
}This object is passed directly to the mail-sending function.
Step 5: Send the Email
You can send the message using a callback:
transporter.sendMail(options, (err, info) => {
if (err) {
console.log(err)
} else {
console.log('EMAIL SENT')
}
})Or go the modern async/await route:
const info = await transporter.sendMail(options)Either way, you’ll get confirmation or an error log in return. Both methods are widely supported and work reliably.
Full Example
Here’s the full working code to send an Email with Nodemailer:
import nodemailer from 'nodemailer'
const sendEmail = () => {
const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
host: 'smtp.yoursmtpserver.com',
port: 465,
secure: true,
auth: {
user: 'smtp_user',
pass: 'smtp_pass',
},
})
const options = {
from: 'flavio@blabla.com',
to: 'flavio@yo.com',
subject: 'Hi!',
html: `<p>Hello</>`,
}
transporter.sendMail(options, (err, info) => {
if (err) {
console.log(err)
} else {
console.log('EMAIL SENT')
}
})
}API vs Nodemailer (SMTP): Which Should You Use?
Choosing between an Email API and Nodemailer with SMTP depends on your requirements.
Ease of Use
- Email API: Easy to integrate with SDKs and documentation.
- Nodemailer: Simple to use, but setting up your own SMTP can be more involved.
Features
- Email API: Offers templates, analytics, bounce tracking, list management, and more.
- Nodemailer: Focuses on sending emails, no built-in advanced features.
Reliability
- Email API: High deliverability with built-in retries and failover handling.
- Nodemailer: Reliable if using third-party SMTP; less so with self-hosted SMTP.
Scalability
- Email API: Designed to handle large-scale email operations smoothly.
- Nodemailer: Depends on SMTP setup—scalable with managed services, limited with self-hosting.
Security
- Email API: Comes with DKIM, SPF, DMARC support by default.
- Nodemailer: Security depends on your SMTP server configuration.
Customization & Control
- Email API: Limited to what the provider allows.
- Nodemailer: More control, especially with self-managed servers.
Cost
- Email API: Usage-based pricing.
- Nodemailer: Cost-effective if self-hosted; variable with SMTP providers.
Setup Complexity
- Email API: Quick to set up with minimal configuration.
- Nodemailer: Simple with a third-party SMTP, but more complex if managing your own.
Support & Community
- Email API: Strong vendor support and official documentation.
- Nodemailer: Large community, tons of guides, and wide adoption.
[If needed, Our team is available 24/7 for additional assistance.]
Conclusion
That’s it. With just a few lines of code, you’re able to send emails in your Node.js app using Email with Nodemailer. No complex setups or unnecessary plugins. Just reliable, working email logic. Make sure to keep your SMTP credentials secure and use environment variables in production.
Using Email with Nodemailer makes your backend instantly more powerful, and with this setup, you’re just one step away from automating any email functionality you need.
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