QuickTip: Simplify Email Sending in Umbraco with Built-in Services

In many older Umbraco projects, you might encounter custom code for sending emails using classes like SmtpClient. While this approach works, there is a more modern and future-proof alternative: leveraging Umbraco’s built-in services. By using Umbraco’s abstractions, you not only simplify your code but also make it more adaptable to future platform updates.

Typical Custom Email Code

Below is an example of a common custom implementation you might come across:

public interface IEmailService
{
    Task SendEmailAsync(string recipient, string subject, string body);
}

public class SmtpEmailService : IEmailService
{
    private readonly string _from;
    private readonly string _host;
    private readonly int _port;
    private readonly string _username;
    private readonly string _password;

    public SmtpEmailService(IConfiguration configuration)
    {
        var smtpSettings = configuration.GetSection("Umbraco:CMS:Global:Smtp");
        _from = smtpSettings["From"];
        _host = smtpSettings["Host"];
        _port = int.Parse(smtpSettings["Port"]);
        _username = smtpSettings["Username"];
        _password = smtpSettings["Password"];
    }

    public async Task SendEmailAsync(string recipient, string subject, string body)
    {
        using var smtpClient = new SmtpClient(_host, _port)
        {
            Credentials = new NetworkCredential(_username, _password),
            EnableSsl = true
        };
        var mailMessage = new MailMessage(_from, recipient, subject, body);
        await smtpClient.SendMailAsync(mailMessage);
    }
}

While functional, this approach involves significant custom logic to configure and handle SMTP settings.

The Better Way: Umbraco's IEmailSender

Starting with Umbraco 9, you can use the built-in IEmailSender service, which simplifies email sending and integrates seamlessly with Umbraco’s configuration.

public interface IEmailSender
{
    Task SendAsync(EmailMessage message, string emailType);
    Task SendAsync(EmailMessage message, string emailType, bool enableNotification);
    bool CanSendRequiredEmail();
}

With IEmailSender, there is no need to manually manage SMTP settings. These can be retrieved directly from Umbraco’s configuration:

IOptions<GlobalSettings> globalSettings;
var from = globalSettings.Value.Smtp?.From ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(globalSettings.Value.Smtp.From));

Sending Emails with IEmailSender

You can send a basic email by injecting IEmailSender. Simply create an email message and send it:

 var emailMessage = new EmailMessage(_fromEmail, receiver.Email, subject, body, true);

var result = _emailSender.SendAsync(emailMessage, "Newsletter");

This approach eliminates the need to manage low-level SMTP configurations, streamlining the logic and aligning with Umbraco’s built-in standards.

Why Use IEmailSender?

  • Future-Proofing: Umbraco manages the underlying email configuration, so any changes in future versions are handled automatically.
  • Reduced Code Complexity: With IEmailSender, there’s no need to parse SMTP settings manually or handle related exceptions.
  • Alignment with Standards: Using Umbraco’s built-in services ensures adherence to best practices and leverages the platform’s full potential.

By switching to IEmailSender, you save time, reduce potential bugs, and ensure your email logic aligns with Umbraco’s ecosystem.