CandyMail - Email Automation for Node.js

Candymail makes it easy to trigger and send multi-step email sequences in Node.js using a single JSON file. Built for bootstrappers, indie makers with special care.

New in 1.0.12

• Add HTML in body
• Unsubscribe Option added to email footer
• Full Typescript Support

Features

1. Portable: Create, share and reuse email marketing strategies between different products
2. Simple to use: Time to send, subject, body of the emails can all be set up in a single JSON file
3. Free: No need to pay for monthly Mailchimp etc. payments for email automation plans

Use Cases

• Build better onboarding by guiding the user through the app with paced training emails
• Reduce churn by sending exciting community content every few days
• Convert more customers to paid plans by offering discounts based on the user's usage activity

Installation

Install candymail using yarn:

yarn add candymail

Or npm:

npm install --save candymail

Getting Started

Configuration

Create a candymail.automation.json file on the root level of your project.

Here's a sample:

{
  "automations": [
    {
      "name": "automation1",
      "description": "tell users about pro features",
      "trigger_name": "proplan",
      "emails": [
        {
          "trigger": "time",
          "sendDelay": 1,
          "subject": "Have you tried Feature A?",
          "body": "Feature A will let you do ABC things. <p>We can also do HTML!</p>",
          "from": "[email protected]"
        },
        {
          "trigger": "time",
          "sendDelay": 3,
          "subject": "Try our feature B!",
          "body": "We released feature B just last week and can't wait for you to try it out :)",
          "from": "[email protected]"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Supported Email Providers

• Gmail
• Looking for more support? Send me a message.

Simple Usage

require('dotenv').config()
const candymail = require('candymail')
const automations = require('../candymail.automation.json')

candymail.init(automations.automations, {
  mail: {
    host: 'smtp.gmail.com',
    port: 465,
    secure: true,
    auth: {
      user: process.env.MAIL_USER,
      pass: process.env.MAIL_PASSWORD,
    },
    tls: {
      rejectUnauthorized: true,
    },
  },
  hosting: { url: process.env.HOSTING_URL },
})

candymail.start()

// candymail.unsubscribeUser('[email protected]') // Immediatedly unsubscribe user and they will not receive any more messages

const someConditionSatisfiedByUser = () => {
  const user = process.env.RECIPIENT_EMAIL
  candymail.runAutomation('automation1', user)
  console.log({ get: candymail.getAllScheduledMessages() })
}

someConditionSatisfiedByUser()

Usage with Express Server

require('dotenv').config()
const candymail = require('../../lib')
const express = require('express')
const app = express()
const port = 3000

const automations = require('../candymail.automation.json')
candymail.init(automations.automations, {
  mail: {
    host: 'smtp.gmail.com',
    port: 465,
    secure: true,
    auth: {
      user: process.env.MAIL_USER,
      pass: process.env.MAIL_PASSWORD,
    },
    tls: {
      rejectUnauthorized: true,
    },
  },
  hosting: { url: process.env.HOSTING_URL },
})

candymail.start()

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  const user = process.env.RECIPIENT_EMAIL
  candymail.runAutomation('automation1', user)

  res.send(
    `Welcome to Candymail Demo. Messages scheduled: ${JSON.stringify(
      candymail.getAllScheduledMessages()
    )} `
  )
})

app.get('/unsubscribe', (req, res) => {
  const { email } = req.query
  candymail.unsubscribeUser(email)
  res.send(`Sent a unsubscribe request for ${email}`)
})

app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Learn about our new features at http://localhost:${port}`)
})

Note: Having problems with Gmail? Enable Allow less secure apps in Google Account settings here.

Automation File Options

Methods

init (automations, options)

Loads up all the automations and the options.

• automations: Automations to be run.

• options: { mail: { host: 'smtp.gmail.com', port: 465, secure: true, auth: { user: process.env.MAIL_USER, pass: process.env.MAIL_PASSWORD, }, tls: { rejectUnauthorized: true, }, }, hosting: { url: process.env.HOSTING_URL }

start()

Starts the internal timer that will send emails at appropriate times.

runAutomation(automationName)

Triggers an automation based on name specified in the candymail.automation.json file. Needs candymail.start() to have been called.

• automationName: Name of automation in candymail.automation.json. Example: 'automation1'.

getAllScheduledMessages()

Get the list of all scheduled messages.

getScheduledMessagesAtTime(time)

Get the list of scheduled messages for a particular time.

• time: Time should be specified in this format: MM/DD/YYYY:HH. For Example: 8/20/2020:2.

clearAllScheduledMessages()

Clears all scheduled messages.

stop()

Stops the internal timer. Can be restarted with candymail.start()

destroy()

Destroys the internal timer.

unsubscribeUser(email)

Unsubscribes a user's email. No further emails will be sent out to the user.

Notes

1. Only the hour value will be used in the cron, minutes will be ignored. +1 hour at 11:58 is 12.
2. Object keys: MM/DD/YYYY:HH. Hours are specified in 24-hour format.
3. There is currently no Unsubscribe option in the emails. Being worked on right now.
4. Only supports GMail. More providers being added right now.

Looking to contribute?

Read the CONTRIBUTING.md and pick up issues to work on from the Project Roadmap here.

Got Feedback? Hit me up at [email protected]
Now available for freelance work.