I need a 'simple' email server solution for testing membership/registration

[OrganizedFellow]

My development environment is PopOS with a full LAMP stack (PHP 7.4.16 and Apache/2.4.46 if that matters).

I have my registration form all set with proper validation and sanitization.

I'm guessing I need some type of email server for this development portion to send out the test emails as I configure things?!

User 'Registers' on the site > email server sends email with validation link > member clicks link and POOF, they're a registered member of the site.

What do you all recommend?

Do I have to jump through some crazy flaming hoops and thorny hurdles to install something locally? Or is there some new dazzling webapp or service that can provide me what I need?

[horst]

The minimum you would need is not a local emailserver but an email account somewhere by a hoster. Then you can setup one of the WireMail modules to connect and send through your (online) account.

[elabx]

I normally have  either Mailgun or Sendgrid help me do this even while on dev. Or there is probably a linux equivalent to something like Mailhog??

[teppo]

If you're just looking for a solution for the "email server sends email" part: Mailgun. Or any other API based service, really.

Personally I've just about had it with local servers or SMTP setups. Obviously just my opinion, but I find email sending services way easier to work with, especially if you ever need to work with email related webhooks, check out from the email server/service logs what's actually happening/happened, etc. ?

(Mailgun used to provide a free plan, but now it's 5000 messages for 3 months and after that a small cost. I'm still using it on my own projects because $0.80 / 1000 emails is, in my opinion, a pretty good deal.)

[3fingers]

I've used Mailjet (from the same company of Mailgun) and it worked fine for me.
6.000 emails per month for free are more than enough for testing purpose I think ?

[Robin S]

8 hours ago, OrganizedFellow said:

I'm guessing I need some type of email server for this development portion to send out the test emails as I configure things?!

It depends who needs to see these test emails. If only you, the developer, needs to see them you can use Tracy Debugger's Mail Interceptor panel and then (I think) you won't need an email server.

[OrganizedFellow]

3 minutes ago, Robin S said:

It depends who needs to see these test emails. If only you, the developer, needs to see them you can use Tracy Debugger's Mail Interceptor panel and then (I think) you won't need an email server.

YUP, only I will need this for debugging and testing.

So I can do without any WireSMTP or any other related module? Just Tracy Debugger?

[Robin S]

Just now, OrganizedFellow said:

So I can do without any WireSMTP or any other related module? Just Tracy Debugger?

I believe so, give it a try. I can't test easily because my WAMP package has a mail sender built in.

[OrganizedFellow]

Just now, Robin S said:

I believe so, give it a try. I can't test easily because my WAMP package has a mail sender built in.

Thanks amigo.

I will give it a shot this weekend ?

[Jonathan Lahijani]

Wire Mail SMTP + Mailgun works well for me.

Settings

SMTP Server

• Local Hostname: example.com (or whatever the default is)
• SMTP Hostname: smtp.example.com
• SMTP Port: 587
• Allow Connection without Authentication: unchecked
• SMTP User: postmaster@mg.example.com
• SMTP Password: (from mailgun)
• Use START-TLS: checked
• Select a crypto method for TLS: (blank)
• Use SSL: (unchecked)

Sender

• Send Email Address: postmaster@mg.example.com
• Send Name: (website name)
• Send Sender Signature: only when explicitly called via API

[OrganizedFellow]

13 minutes ago, Jonathan Lahijani said:

Wire Mail SMTP + Mailgun works well for me.

ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS!!!

I signed up on Mailgun. Followed your directions. At the bottom of the 'Wire Mail SMTP' settings page, I ticked the box for "Test" and successfully sent myself a test email.

BRILLIANT!

Now I just gotta test it with a dummy email. I stumbled upon this service at maildrop.cc ? ? ?

Just now, OrganizedFellow said:

Now I just gotta test it with a dummy email. I stumbled upon this service at maildrop.cc ? ? ?

hhmm ... still waiting. shouldn't take this long.

Where can I see PW logs to see what the problem is?!

[kp52]

I use WireMail Mailgun for contact forms. Simpler to set up than Wire Mail SMTP, and it has a useful test mode that checks things get through to the Mailgun servers, without delivering to the final email address. The Mailgun logs are very useful once the site is live to check Microsoft hasn't taken a dislike to the mail server, though they're only available for a few days on a free account.