Node Gmail API

We will be building a simple Gmail API for easy notification use. Please note this is not the most secure method.

Requirements

Node Js
Small Linux Server
Throw Away Gmail Account

Check Out My Example Node Notify

Gmail Account

DO NOT Use your daily Gmail Account. Create a Throw Away as we will need to enable less secure apps.

Create a New Gmail Account.

When creating your account note your password.

If you will not be responding to inbound emails you can enable a Vacation Response.

1. In the top right, click Settings.
2. Scroll down to the "Vacation responder" section.
3. Select Vacation responder on.
4. Fill in the date range, subject, and message.
5. Under your message, check the box if you only want your contacts to see your vacation reply.
6. At the bottom of the page, click Save Changes.

~ Google Support

Less Secure Apps

Click the link below.

Enable Less Secure Apps.

Copy The Template

>$ git clone https://github.com/clarkhacks/Gmail-API
>$ cd Gmail-API
>$ npm install

You now have a blank app.js, completed code (for example/copy-paste), and node_modules installed.

The Code

Add your details to credentials.json. This file will not be open to the public however, this is why our code is less secure.

// ./credentials.json

{
  "user": "user@gmail.com", // your email
  "pass": "AbCdEf!" // your password
}

Include your variables.

// ./app.js

var
  express = require('express'),
  app = express(),
  credentials = require('./credentials.json' // email & pass

Set up routes.

// ./app.js

app.get('/send', function(req, res) {
// ...

Send email from localhost/send

// ./app.js > In 'send' route.

var send = require('gmail-send')({
  user: credentials.user, // credentials.json - email
  pass: credentials.pass, // credentials.json - password
  to: "name@domain.tld", // Send To Email
  subject: "Hello!", // Subject
  text: "Sent from my Gmail API!", // Message
})({});

return res.send("To: " + sendTo + "<br>" + "Subject: " + subject + "<br>" + sendWhat

Using queries to get email, subject, and message.

// ./app.js > In 'send' route.

  var sendTo = req.query.sendTo,
    subject = req.query.subject,
    sendWhat = req.query.sendWhat
  if (sendTo && sendWhat && sendWhat) {
    var send = require('gmail-send')({
      user: credentials.user,
      pass: credentials.pass,
      to: sendTo,
      subject: subject,
      text: sendWhat,
    })({});

    return res.send("To: " + sendTo + "<br>" + "Subject: " + subject + "<br>" + sendWhat
  }
   else {
    return res.send('No Email Specified.'
  }

In Use

In your browser visit http://localhost/send?sendTo=user@domain.tld&subject=Hello&sendWhat=Greetings%21.

You should get a response that looks like this:

To: user@domain.tld
Subject: Hello
Greetings!

What Can I Do With This?

I have a service like this one running (I have secured it with json web tokens) that I use to notify my phone when x happens.

You could use this on the front-end by sending requests with javascript. I recommend securing the API itself.

Sending a text message to your phone can be costly (depending how often you do it). One way around this is with email! Send an email to YouNumber@smsgateway.tld and your phone should receive a text message.

Here are some of the SMS Gateway:

Verizon number@vtext.com
ATT number@txt.att.net
Cricket number@sms.mycricket.
T-Mobile    number@@tmomail.net

For more just Google :)

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Clark Weckmann