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Asked: 2024-09-25T12:53:57+05:30 In: ,

What are the methods to send emails using the command line in Ubuntu?

I’ve been diving into the command line on my Ubuntu system lately, and I stumbled across a question that I really want to figure out: how do I send emails directly from the terminal? I mean, it seems like such a cool feature, right? Just imagine being able to shoot off an email without even having to open a browser or an email client—just pure command line magic!

I know that there are a few tools out there, but I’m not quite sure which ones are the best or easiest to use. Is there a straightforward method that won’t make my head spin with configurations? I’ve heard of a few like `sendmail`, `mailx`, and even `mutt`, but honestly, they all sound somewhat intimidating. Do you really need to tweak a bunch of settings just to send a simple email?

Also, what about authentication? I don’t want to end up sending emails from a script and have them flagged as spam because I did something wrong with the configuration. Can someone guide me on how to set it up properly? For example, if I decide to use `ssmtp` or `msmtp`, how hard is it to link them to my Gmail account? Are there potential pitfalls that I should watch out for? I feel like I could really benefit from being able to automate email notifications or reports right from the command line, especially for those tasks that I run regularly.

And speaking of automation, are there any scripts or commands that people recommend for sending attachments or HTML emails? I’m curious about best practices too—like how to ensure my emails look decent when they arrive in someone’s inbox.

If you’ve been down this road, I’d really appreciate any tips, tricks, or resources you can share! How do you usually set things up? What’s your go-to method for sending emails from the command line in Ubuntu? I’m all ears for any advice or simple guides!

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    2 Answers



    1. Sending Emails from the Command Line on Ubuntu

      How to Send Emails from the Terminal in Ubuntu

      It’s definitely awesome to be able to send emails directly from the command line! There are a few tools that can help you do this without getting tangled in complex configurations. Here’s a simple way to get started.

      1. Using `ssmtp` (Simple SMTP)

      One of the easiest tools to configure for sending emails via Gmail is ssmtp. Here’s how to set it up:

      1. Install ssmtp using:
        2. sudo apt install ssmtp
      2. Configure ssmtp by editing:
        3. sudo nano /etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf
        • Add your Gmail details at the end:
          • 
AuthUser=your-email@gmail.com
AuthPass=your-password
Mail=your-email@gmail.com
Hostname=your-hostname
FromLineOverride=YES
UseTLS=YES
UseSTARTTLS=YES
      3. Make sure to replace your-email@gmail.com and your-password with your actual email and app-specific password if you have 2FA enabled.

      2. Sending an Email

      To send a simple email, use:

      echo "This is the body" | ssmtp recipient@example.com

      3. Using `mailx`

      If you want to send more complex emails, like those with attachments, you can use mailx. Here’s how to set it up:

      1. Install it:
        2. sudo apt install heirloom-mailx
      2. For attachments, you can send an email with:
        3. echo "Body of email" | mailx -s "Subject" -a /path/to/file recipient@example.com
      3. For HTML emails, you can use mutt as well, which is also available through:
        4. sudo apt install mutt
      4. To send an HTML email:
        5. echo "
        This is HTML
        " | mutt -e "set content_type=text/html" -s "HTML Email" recipient@example.com

      Tips for Avoiding Spam Filters

      When sending emails from scripts, always:

      • Use a consistent “From” email address.
      • Consider using a custom domain or a service like Mailgun or SendGrid for better deliverability.

      Watch out for:

      1. Less secure apps: You might need to allow less secure apps on your Gmail, but using app-specific passwords is safer.
      2. Rate limits: Sending too many emails quickly can get your account suspended.

      Conclusion

      With these methods, you should be able to send emails straight from your terminal without too much hassle! Each tool has its quirks, so you might want to try a couple out and see which one fits your workflow the best.


    2. To send emails from your Ubuntu terminal, a popular and user-friendly option is to use `msmtp`, which acts as a lightweight SMTP client. This tool allows you to connect to your existing email accounts, including Gmail, without needing to run a full-fledged mail server. To set it up, you’ll start by installing it with `sudo apt-get install msmtp msmtp-mta`. After installation, create a configuration file at `~/.msmtprc`. Here’s a basic example configuration for Gmail:

      # ~/.msmtprc
account default
host smtp.gmail.com
port 587
auth on
user your-email@gmail.com
password your-password
tls on
from your-email@gmail.com
logfile ~/.msmtp.log

      Be sure to secure this file by running `chmod 600 ~/.msmtprc`. Once you’ve got that set up, you can send a simple email like this:

      echo "This is the body of the email" | msmtp recipient@example.com

      For sending attachments or HTML emails, consider using `mutt` as it handles more complex email formats quite well. To send an attachment, use the command:

      echo "Body text" | mutt -s "Subject" -a /path/to/attachment recipient@example.com

      The primary pitfall to be aware of, particularly with Gmail, is to ensure that you’ve enabled ‘Less secure app access’ in your Google account settings, or better yet, set up an App password if you’re using two-factor authentication. By following these guidelines, you can automate email notifications or send reports directly from your terminal without the usual configurations making your head spin. Utilizing scripts can streamline repetitive emailing tasks while maintaining a professional appearance in your correspondence.

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