Sending email via gmail & python

Question

What is the recommended way of sending emails with gmail and python?

There are a lot of SO threads, but most are old and also smtp with username & password is n

Answer 1

I was stuck with the same question some time ago.

Before you read the code - please go to-https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/quickstart/python

Also, When going to the site listed above, enable the Gmail API, so that the code can be used.

I had to google a lot and modify the already existing google Gmail API code to find make it something like this :-

from __future__ import print_function
import pickle
import os.path
from googleapiclient.discovery import build
from google_auth_oauthlib.flow import InstalledAppFlow
from google.auth.transport.requests import Request
from email.mime.text import MIMEText
import base64

subject = "Subject_Goes_Here"
msg = "Your_Message_Text_Goes_Here"
sender = "senders_email@email.com"
receiver = "recievers_email@email.com"

SCOPES = ['https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.modify']
creds = None
if os.path.exists('token.pickle'):
    with open('token.pickle', 'rb') as token:
        creds = pickle.load(token)
# If there are no (valid) credentials available, let the user log in.
if not creds or not creds.valid:
    if creds and creds.expired and creds.refresh_token:
        creds.refresh(Request())
    else:
        flow = InstalledAppFlow.from_client_secrets_file(
            'credentials.json', SCOPES)
        creds = flow.run_local_server(port=0)
    # Save the credentials for the next run
    with open('token.pickle', 'wb') as token:
        pickle.dump(creds, token)
service = build('gmail', 'v1', credentials=creds)
message = MIMEText(msg)
message['to'] = receiver
message['from'] = sender
message['subject'] = subject
raw = base64.urlsafe_b64encode(message.as_bytes())
raw = raw.decode()
body = {'raw' : raw}
message = (service.users().messages().send(userId='me', body=body).execute())

This code might seem long, but you only have to change the values in the variables, - subject , message , sender and receiver.

I had modified the code according to my needs and it might not work for yours. Yet, there are many other examples online. For example, to make a mail with attachments, you can go here - https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/guides/uploads

For this example, you have to downgrade your security, by enabling less-secure apps to access your Gmail account. But as this is a Google API, you need not worry. This code will also ask for your Gmail Password, but that is only as a security measure and is controlled and stored locally by the Google Servers.

This code worked like a charm for me and I do hope that it does for you too.

Thanks,