Coding an email is like constructing a well-designed home.
Let me explain. A builder carefully crafts a house with a solid foundation, appealing layout, and all the necessary amenities. Similarly, coding an email involves constructing a message that’s visually appealing, functional across platforms, and engaging for the reader. Every element, from the HTML structure to the final call-to-action needs to be carefully designed to create an experience that’s both inviting and effective.
In this article, we’ll explore what an email code is, its different parts and the best practices to follow while coding an email.
What is an email code?
An email code is the HTML code and CSS code that shapes the structure and design of your emails. It’s what ensures your email looks the way you intend, whether it's opened on a phone or desktop. Unlike web code, email code is streamlined to work across different email clients. It is essential for consistent, polished communication.
What does an email code look like?
An email code is like the blueprint of your email. It’s built with key components: the header, body, and footer.
- Header: This part houses metadata, the subject line and preheader text, that helps guide how the email is displayed. It also includes links to external CSS files for styling.
- Body: The main content lives here. The body contains everything your recipient sees, from text and images to buttons and links. Inline CSS is often used here to maintain consistent styling across email clients.
- Footer: This section wraps up your email, usually containing legal disclaimers, unsubscribe links, and contact information. It’s essential for compliance and maintaining your brand’s professionalism.
Take a look at this sample HTML code. The first half of the code defines the design elements like background color, font, font color, font size, padding and so on. Whereas, the latter half defines the content of the email.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Basic Email</title>
</head>
<body>
<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td align="center">
<table width="600" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f7f7f7" style="padding: 20px 0;">
<h1>Your Company Name</h1>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="padding: 20px;">
<p>Hello [Recipient's Name],</p>
<p>This is a basic email template without any CSS styling. You can use it to send plain text emails.</p>
<p>Best regards,<br>Your Name</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f7f7f7" style="padding: 20px;">
<p>Your Company Address</p>
<p><a href="mailto:your-email@example.com">your-email@example.com</a></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
Here’s what this code translates to in the form of an email:
How to code emails?
HTML and CSS are your primary tools for coding emails, defining both structure and style. HTML sets up the layout, while CSS handles the visual design. For an in-depth guide on how to use HTML and CSS to code effective emails, check out our detailed article below:
Using email libraries
Email libraries are specialized tools that simplify the process of creating emails and setting up SMTP servers. They provide pre-built functions and methods to handle common tasks like formatting, sending, and managing email content. This further makes your job easier and more efficient.
Take a look at some top email libraries that make creating emails easier.
MJML
MJML is a powerful email library that converts simple tags into responsive HTML. It's designed to make email coding accessible. It allows you to create emails that look great on any device without writing complex HTML from scratch.
Step 1: Install MJML and Create Your First File
Start by installing MJML via npm (npm install -g mjml). Once installed, create a new “.mjml” file where you’ll write your code.
Step 2: Compile MJML to HTML
After writing your MJML code, compile it into HTML using the command “mjml yourfile.mjml -o output.html”. This generates the HTML code you’ll use in your email.
Step 3: Customize Your Email
Edit the generated HTML to customize the content, images, and layout to your specific needs. MJML’s great feature, its simple syntax makes this straightforward.
Step 4: Adding Basic Styling with CSS
Incorporate CSS directly into your HTML using inline styles for consistent rendering across email clients. Keep styles simple and focused on essential elements like font, color, and spacing.
Step 5: Testing and Sending Your Email
Before sending, test your email across different email clients using various online tools. Once confirmed, your email is ready to be sent to your audience.
AMP Project
AMP Project is an advanced library designed for creating AMP emails. You can simply import the library with the following HTML script:
<script async src="https://cdn.ampproject.org/v0.js"></script>
Once added, you can use AMP elements and components, such as multi-step forms, interactive games, carousels, and more. This makes your emails more dynamic and engaging.
Check out some other email libraries below. They can help you with other essentials of creating and sending an email.
smtplib
The “smtplib” is a built-in Python library that lets you send emails via the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). It integrates seamlessly with other Python applications, making it a reliable choice for email handling.
Nodemailer
“Nodemailer” is a widely-used Node.js library for sending emails. It supports multiple transport methods, including SMTP and OAuth2. It is known for its ease of use and flexibility.
PHPMailer
“PHPMailer” is a robust library for sending emails in PHP. It supports various protocols such as SMTP and POP3. It offers comprehensive authentication options.
“Mail” is a versatile Ruby library for email sending. It supports SMTP and integrates smoothly with Rails applications. It provides a straightforward approach to email management.
Java
“JavaMail” is a great library for email operations in Java. It supports SMTP, POP3, and IMAP protocols. It is suitable for a wide range of email functionalities.
Best practices for coding an email
Ensuring that your emails look polished and perform well across all platforms is key. You can follow these practices to optimize your email design and functionality in different ways:
1. Make your emails compatible across all email clients
Email clients don’t all play by the same rules when it comes to rendering HTML and CSS. To keep your design consistent, stick to basic HTML, use inline CSS, and always test your emails across different clients to ensure they render correctly. If you’re including mailto links in your email, consider using a Mailto Link Generator to keep your code and links error-free.
2. Optimize load time and performance
No one likes waiting for an email to load. Compress your images, keep your code clean, and skip unnecessary scripts. Fast-loading emails not only improves the user experience but also reduces the chance of landing in the spam folder.
3. Ensure your emails are responsive
Your emails should look great on any device. Use fluid grids, flexible images, and media queries to make sure your design adapts to different screen sizes. Don’t forget to test on both desktop and mobile to ensure everything looks sharp.
4. Prepare your emails for dark mode
Dark mode is becoming more popular, and your emails need to keep up. Use transparent images, avoid solid black backgrounds, and test how your emails look in dark mode to make sure they’re still readable and visually appealing.
How can you enhance your emails with advanced techniques?
Using media queries for device-specific styles
Media queries let you adapt your email’s design for different devices. For instance, add @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) to adjust font sizes and layout for mobile screens. This helps in ensuring a clean and readable format no matter the device.
Using AMP for email for interactive elements
AMP for Email lets you add interactive features like carousels, forms, and real-time content updates directly within your emails. This can make your emails more engaging by allowing users to interact without leaving their inboxes. Just remember to test your AMP emails with clients that support it so that everything functions smoothly.
Create and send AMP emails without coding in minutes
Future-proofing your email codes
Email coding is evolving rapidly, and staying ahead means focusing on a few key areas:
- Prioritize Accessibility: Start with semantic HTML to make your emails accessible to all users. This not only improves usability but also makes your code more future-proof. Regularly test your emails with accessibility tools to check if they meet the necessary standards.
- Rethink Outlook Compatibility: Instead of building your emails around Outlook, start with clean, semantic code and add specific fixes for Outlook only when necessary. Keep in mind that by 2026, Outlook will stop using Microsoft Word as its rendering engine. So, plan your strategy to minimize future adjustments.
- Embrace AI with Caution: AI tools like GitHub’s Copilot can assist with error detection and idea generation, but they shouldn’t be your sole reliance. To future-proof your emails, always validate AI-generated code with comprehensive human quality assurance to ensure accuracy and effectiveness.
Parting notes
Coding emails can seem daunting, but with the right tools and techniques, it becomes manageable and even enjoyable. Now that you’re familiar with the essentials of email coding, you are ready to try it yourself.
However, if the thought of writing code feels overwhelming, a no-code email builder like Mailmodo might be your best bet. Mailmodo lets you create interactive, AMP-powered emails without any hassle. You don't even have to write a single line of code.
