How to send Email using Python?

In this article, we'll show you how to send emails using Python, one of the most popular programming languages in the world. Email is an important aspect of computing that still plays a major role in communication. Emailing with Python opens up a variety of options, from basic email handling to custom automated email updates.

For those familiar with coding, Python is a great choice for learning and mastering email abilities. In this guide, we'll cover the basics of how to get started and what to consider when coding your emails in Python.

Setting Up Your Python Environment

The first step in any Python project is to set up your environment. Python uses packages and modules to organize your code, which makes programming and debugging easier.

Before you can start coding in Python for email, familiarize yourself with the most popular Python libraries for Email automation:

• Email: For configuring email messages and managing their content, the Email module is a great starting point.
• SMTPlib: Use this library to develop your own mail transfer protocol and customize your email handling.
• JSON: JSON stands for "JavaScript Object Notation," a useful tool for passing data between systems.

Once you've identified the appropriate libraries for your project, the next step is to set your environment up. To do this, use [Pipenv](https://pipenv-fork.readthedocs.io/en/latest/, the official Python packaging tool.

To install Pipenv, open your terminal and type the following command:

pip install --user pipenv

This will install Pipenv in the user directory. Once installed, type the following command:

pipenv shell

This will enter the Pipenv shell and set it up with the packages and modules you need.

Writing Your Email in Python

Now that you have your environment set up, you can start to code your email. In Python, there are a variety of ways to write your emails. The two most popular methods are the email.message.Message and smtplib.SMTP classes.

email.message.Message Class

The email.message.Message class provides an easy and efficient way to create an email in Python. The class includes a constructor, which you can use to create an "email object" that contains all the information you need to send an email message.

To create an email object, use the following syntax:

info = email.message.Message(
    From='sender@email.com',
    To='recipient@email.com',
    Subject='My First Email with Python'
)

Once created, you can add additional information to the structure including the message body and any attachments.

smtplib.SMTP Class

The smtplib.SMTP class is a more sophisticated approach to sending emails. The class handles the actual transmission of emails and can adjust or modify the email as it goes through.

To use the smtplib.SMTP class, create two objects, one to act as the SMTP server and one to act as the client. For example:

# Create SMTP server
server=smtplib.SMTPServer(host='smtp.example.com', port=587)

# Create SMTP client
client=smtplib.SMTP(server.local_addrport)

From here, you can:

• Connect to the server.
• Login to the server.
• Send the email.
• Disconnect from the server.

Using the smtplib.SMTP class allows for greater flexibility, such as sending HTML-formatted emails or customizing the delivery of emails.

Adding Customizations to Your Email

Adding a few "bells and whistles" to your email can give it a professional and personalized feel. You can do this in a few different ways.

Preheaders and Subject Lines

Preheaders are text that appears in the email preview. Most email clients display the preheader first, so it can be helpful to use a preheader to provide context for the email.

To add a preheader to your email, include the following headers when creating your email object:

info = email.message.Message(
    From='sender@email.com',
    To='recipient@email.com',
    Subject='My First Email with Python',
    Preheader= 'A quick guide on how to send emails with Python.'
)

Your subject line should also be customized to be meaningful and impactful. Use keywords that are relevant to your message and make sure to avoid spammy or pushy language.

Formatting Your Email

You can also use HTML and CSS to customize the formatting of your email. HTML makes it easy to create meaningful content, while CSS allows you to use styles to make your email look polished.

To add HTML and CSS to your email, use the MIME type:

info.add_alternative('text/html', html_content)

You can also set MIME types for images, attachments, and other types of content. Make sure to include both the HTML and plain text versions of your email for maximum compatibility.

Automating Your Emails

Automating emails in Python is relatively simple. You can use a library like schedule to create functions that will automatically send emails at predetermined times.

For example, let's say you want to send a weekly reminder email to a group of people. You could create a function like this:

def send_reminder_email():
    info = email.message.Message(
        From='sender@email.com',
        To='reminder_recipients@email.com',
        Subject='Weekly Reminder',
        Preheader='Don't forget to check off your tasks this week!'
    )
    
    info.add_alternative('text/html', html_content)
    client.sendmail('sender@email.com', 'reminder_recipients@email.com', info.as_string())

You can the set the function to run at predetermined intervals using the schedule library:

schedule.every().monday.at("09:00").do(send_reminder_email)

You can also use other libraries like Celery for more complex message scheduling and delivery tasks.

Conclusion

Sending emails with Python opens up a world of possibilities for automating, customizing, and optimizing your email workflow. With just a few lines of code, you can easily create and send professional emails from the comfort of your own home.

Whether you're a programmer or just curious about the possibilities, learning how to send emails with Python is a great way to increase your productivity and take your emails to the next level. You'll find yourself mastering email in no time!