nodemailer + convex?

Hi team! sorry it's me again. im running into some bugs when i try to use nodemailer for my app.

# case 1
.
convex/
email/
├── react-email
│   └── templates
│       └── welcome.tsx
├── send-email.ts
└── transports
    └── nodemailerApp.ts

# case 2
.
convex/
├── email
│   ├── react-email
│   │   └── templates
│   │       └── welcome.tsx
│   ├── send-email.ts
│   └── transports
│       └── nodemailerApp.ts

# case 1
.
convex/
email/
├── react-email
│   └── templates
│       └── welcome.tsx
├── send-email.ts
└── transports
    └── nodemailerApp.ts

# case 2
.
convex/
├── email
│   ├── react-email
│   │   └── templates
│   │       └── welcome.tsx
│   ├── send-email.ts
│   └── transports
│       └── nodemailerApp.ts

in scenario 1, i've been running into

⠙ Preparing Convex functions...
✘ [ERROR] Could not resolve "child_process"

    node_modules/nodemailer/lib/sendmail-transport/index.js:3:22:
      3 │ const spawn = require('child_process').spawn;
        ╵                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The package "child_process" wasn't found on the file system but is built into node. Are you trying
  to bundle for node? You can use "platform: 'node'" to do that, which will remove this error.
...

⠙ Preparing Convex functions...
✘ [ERROR] Could not resolve "child_process"

    node_modules/nodemailer/lib/sendmail-transport/index.js:3:22:
      3 │ const spawn = require('child_process').spawn;
        ╵                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The package "child_process" wasn't found on the file system but is built into node. Are you trying
  to bundle for node? You can use "platform: 'node'" to do that, which will remove this error.
...

in scenario 2, i've been running into

⠋ Preparing Convex functions...
Unexpected Error: SyntaxError: 'from' expected. (17:49)
> 17 | import type * as email_react_email_node_modules_@babel_code_frame_LICENSE from "../email/react-email/node_modules/@babel/code-frame/LICENSE";
     |                                                 ^
  18 | import type * as email_react_email_node_modules_@babel_code_frame_lib_index from "../email/react-email/node_modules/@babel/code-frame/lib/index";
...

⠋ Preparing Convex functions...
Unexpected Error: SyntaxError: 'from' expected. (17:49)
> 17 | import type * as email_react_email_node_modules_@babel_code_frame_LICENSE from "../email/react-email/node_modules/@babel/code-frame/LICENSE";
     |                                                 ^
  18 | import type * as email_react_email_node_modules_@babel_code_frame_lib_index from "../email/react-email/node_modules/@babel/code-frame/lib/index";
...

does anyone know what did i do wrong? i also have "jsx": "react", set in my convex/tsconfig.ts. thanks! 🙏

18 Replies

ballingt•16mo ago

In scenario 2 it looks like you have a node_modules directory inside of the convex directory. You should delete that add these dependencies to the package.json outside of the convex directory. For scenario 1, it looks like you're trying to use nodemailer, which is a Node.js library. You can use Node.js libraries by adding "use node"; to the top of a file in the Convex directory, but you can only declare actions in that file.

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

thanks! i will go with scenario 2. looks like im still getting scenario 1's error after deleting the node_modules. do i need to clear cache or something?

./convex
    ├── README.md
    ├── _generated
    │   ├── api.d.ts
    │   ├── api.js
    │   ├── dataModel.d.ts
    │   ├── server.d.ts
    │   └── server.js
    ├── _schema.ts
    ├── auth.config.js
    ├── email
    │   ├── sendEmail.ts
    │   └── templates
    │       └── welcome.tsx
    ├── tsconfig.json
    └── vendorFuncs.ts

./convex
    ├── README.md
    ├── _generated
    │   ├── api.d.ts
    │   ├── api.js
    │   ├── dataModel.d.ts
    │   ├── server.d.ts
    │   └── server.js
    ├── _schema.ts
    ├── auth.config.js
    ├── email
    │   ├── sendEmail.ts
    │   └── templates
    │       └── welcome.tsx
    ├── tsconfig.json
    └── vendorFuncs.ts

⠦ Preparing Convex functions...
✘ [ERROR] Could not resolve "url"

    node_modules/nodemailer/lib/shared/index.js:5:23:
      5 │ const urllib = require('url');
        ╵                        ~~~~~

  The package "url" wasn't found on the file system but is built into node. Are you trying to bundle
  for node? You can use "platform: 'node'" to do that, which will remove this error.

⠦ Preparing Convex functions...
✘ [ERROR] Could not resolve "url"

    node_modules/nodemailer/lib/shared/index.js:5:23:
      5 │ const urllib = require('url');
        ╵                        ~~~~~

  The package "url" wasn't found on the file system but is built into node. Are you trying to bundle
  for node? You can use "platform: 'node'" to do that, which will remove this error.

still this error for the dir above

// sendEmail.ts
...
if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "development") {
  const html = render(emailTemplate)
  const nodemailerAppTransport = nodemailer.createTransport({
    host: "localhost",
    port: 1025,
    auth: {
      user: process.env.NODEMAILER_LOCAL_USER,
      pass: process.env.NODEMAILER_LOCAL_PASS,
    },
  })

  return nodemailerAppTransport.sendMail({
    ...message,
    html,
  })
}

const resend = new Resend(process.env.RESEND_API_KEY)
return resend.emails.send({ ...message, react: emailTemplate })

// sendEmail.ts
...
if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "development") {
  const html = render(emailTemplate)
  const nodemailerAppTransport = nodemailer.createTransport({
    host: "localhost",
    port: 1025,
    auth: {
      user: process.env.NODEMAILER_LOCAL_USER,
      pass: process.env.NODEMAILER_LOCAL_PASS,
    },
  })

  return nodemailerAppTransport.sendMail({
    ...message,
    html,
  })
}

const resend = new Resend(process.env.RESEND_API_KEY)
return resend.emails.send({ ...message, react: emailTemplate })

ballingt•16mo ago

What does the top of sendEmail.ts look like, are you using "use node";? see https://docs.convex.dev/functions/actions#calling-third-party-apis-and-using-npm-packages, in order to use a Node.js package like this you'll need to add this line.

Actions | Convex Developer Hub

Actions can call third party services to do things such as processing a payment

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

yea, i have that above. i didnt wrap an internalAction and just did it

"use node"

import { render } from "@react-email/render"
import { v } from "convex/values"
import nodemailer from "nodemailer"
import { Resend } from "resend"

import { internalAction } from "../_generated/server"

export const sendEmail = internalAction({
  args: {
    to: v.string(),
    subject: v.string(),
    emailTemplate: v.any(),
  },
  handler: async (ctx, { to, subject, emailTemplate }) => {
    // const subject = "Welcome to Resend"
    // const to = "hello@email.com"
    // const emailTemplate = createElement(EmailTemplateResetPassword, {
    //   name: "",
    //   resetPasswordLink: "www.google.com",
    // })

    let message = {
      from: "onboarding@resend.dev",
      subject,
      to,
    }

    if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "development") {
      const html = render(emailTemplate)
      const nodemailerAppTransport = nodemailer.createTransport({
        host: "localhost",
        port: 1025,
        auth: {
          user: process.env.NODEMAILER_LOCAL_USER,
          pass: process.env.NODEMAILER_LOCAL_PASS,
        },
      })

      return nodemailerAppTransport.sendMail({
        ...message,
        html,
      })
    }

    const resend = new Resend(process.env.RESEND_API_KEY)
    return resend.emails.send({ ...message, react: emailTemplate })
  },
})

"use node"

import { render } from "@react-email/render"
import { v } from "convex/values"
import nodemailer from "nodemailer"
import { Resend } from "resend"

import { internalAction } from "../_generated/server"

export const sendEmail = internalAction({
  args: {
    to: v.string(),
    subject: v.string(),
    emailTemplate: v.any(),
  },
  handler: async (ctx, { to, subject, emailTemplate }) => {
    // const subject = "Welcome to Resend"
    // const to = "hello@email.com"
    // const emailTemplate = createElement(EmailTemplateResetPassword, {
    //   name: "",
    //   resetPasswordLink: "www.google.com",
    // })

    let message = {
      from: "onboarding@resend.dev",
      subject,
      to,
    }

    if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "development") {
      const html = render(emailTemplate)
      const nodemailerAppTransport = nodemailer.createTransport({
        host: "localhost",
        port: 1025,
        auth: {
          user: process.env.NODEMAILER_LOCAL_USER,
          pass: process.env.NODEMAILER_LOCAL_PASS,
        },
      })

      return nodemailerAppTransport.sendMail({
        ...message,
        html,
      })
    }

    const resend = new Resend(process.env.RESEND_API_KEY)
    return resend.emails.send({ ...message, react: emailTemplate })
  },
})

calling it like that

export const myFunc = action({
  args: {
    id: v.id(DB),
  },
  handler: async (ctx, args) => {
    await sendEmail(ctx, {
      to: "hello@email.com",
      subject: "hello",
      emailTemplate: "hello",
    })

    await ctx.runMutation(internal.myFuncs.doFunc, {
      id: args.id,
    })
  },
})

export const myFunc = action({
  args: {
    id: v.id(DB),
  },
  handler: async (ctx, args) => {
    await sendEmail(ctx, {
      to: "hello@email.com",
      subject: "hello",
      emailTemplate: "hello",
    })

    await ctx.runMutation(internal.myFuncs.doFunc, {
      id: args.id,
    })
  },
})

is giving the node error doing

await ctx.runAction(internal.email.sendEmail, {
  to: "hello@email.com",
  subject: "hello",
  emailTemplate: "hello",
})

await ctx.runAction(internal.email.sendEmail, {
  to: "hello@email.com",
  subject: "hello",
  emailTemplate: "hello",
})

is giving me

Argument of type '{ sendEmail: FunctionReference<"action", "internal", { to: string; subject: string; emailTemplate: any; }, SentMessageInfo | CreateEmailResponse>; }' is not assignable to parameter of type 'FunctionReference<"action", "internal" | "public">'.
  Type '{ sendEmail: FunctionReference<"action", "internal", { to: string; subject: string; emailTemplate: any; }, SentMessageInfo | CreateEmailResponse>; }' is missing the following properties from type 'FunctionReference<"action", "internal" | "public">': _type, _visibility, _args, _returnType

Argument of type '{ sendEmail: FunctionReference<"action", "internal", { to: string; subject: string; emailTemplate: any; }, SentMessageInfo | CreateEmailResponse>; }' is not assignable to parameter of type 'FunctionReference<"action", "internal" | "public">'.
  Type '{ sendEmail: FunctionReference<"action", "internal", { to: string; subject: string; emailTemplate: any; }, SentMessageInfo | CreateEmailResponse>; }' is missing the following properties from type 'FunctionReference<"action", "internal" | "public">': _type, _visibility, _args, _returnType

ballingt•16mo ago

this type error is what you'd get if you use module as a function reference, e.g. internal.email instead of internal.email.sendEmail Right now you're calling the actions like sendEmail(ctx, ...) which means it's going to run in whatever environment myFunc is in. Does that file have "use node"; at the top? I'd suggest ctx.runAction(api.emails.sendEmail, {...}) instead when you just call the function it's as though it's not an action at all, it's just a helper function

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

nope! i only have use node at the email/sendEmail.ts which means i should wrap sendEmail in action, add "use node" at the top of the file and from the myFunc, do ctx.runAction(api.email.sendEmail. {...})? should myFunc be wrapped in action?

ballingt•16mo ago

I would not add "use node" to the file containing myFunc and just sendEmail with the other syntax, but to back up a bit - "use node"; is a bundler directive; every module (file) in convex/ gets bundled separately, and if it has "use node"; at the top it will be bundled for Node.js instead of the Convex JS Runtime. - ctx.runAction() means "run that action as RPC;" this means the called function could be in a different runtime. Just calling a function, even if it's had a internalAction or action wrapper applied to it, is just a function call. It doesn't even have to be async if the function wasn't async.

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

yes, that's what im doing i only have "use node" in the sendEmail.ts. myFunc is in a diff file from sendEmail.ts

ballingt•16mo ago

so I'd say use the RPC syntax (ctx.runAction(internal.email.sendEmail, ...)) and you should be set and generally I try to use Node.js only for what I have to, because it's a bit slower

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

yea i think im only using it for nodemailer :/

ballingt•16mo ago

Another note, process.env.NODE_ENV === "development" doesn't work in Convex: it's always "development" for now. So better to set something manually in the Convex deployment dashboard with different values for dev and prod.

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

ok i just did what you recommended

"use node"

import { render } from "@react-email/render"
import { v } from "convex/values"
import nodemailer from "nodemailer"
import { Resend } from "resend"

import { internalAction } from "../_generated/server"

export const sendEmail = internalAction({
  args: {
    to: v.string(),
    subject: v.string(),
    emailTemplate: v.any(),
  },
  handler: async (ctx, { to, subject, emailTemplate }) => {

"use node"

import { render } from "@react-email/render"
import { v } from "convex/values"
import nodemailer from "nodemailer"
import { Resend } from "resend"

import { internalAction } from "../_generated/server"

export const sendEmail = internalAction({
  args: {
    to: v.string(),
    subject: v.string(),
    emailTemplate: v.any(),
  },
  handler: async (ctx, { to, subject, emailTemplate }) => {

// myFunc.ts
    ctx.runAction(internal.email.sendEmail, {
      to: "hello",
      subject: "hello",
      emailTemplate: "hello",
    })

// myFunc.ts
    ctx.runAction(internal.email.sendEmail, {
      to: "hello",
      subject: "hello",
      emailTemplate: "hello",
    })

still getting

Argument of type '{ sendEmail: FunctionReference<"action", "internal", { to: string; subject: string; emailTemplate: any; }, SentMessageInfo | CreateEmailResponse>; }' is not assignable to parameter of type 'FunctionReference<"action", "internal" | "public">'.
  Type '{ sendEmail: FunctionReference<"action", "internal", { to: string; subject: string; emailTemplate: any; }, SentMessageInfo | CreateEmailResponse>; }' is missing the following properties from type 'FunctionReference<"action", "internal" | "public">': _type, _visibility, _args, _returnType

Argument of type '{ sendEmail: FunctionReference<"action", "internal", { to: string; subject: string; emailTemplate: any; }, SentMessageInfo | CreateEmailResponse>; }' is not assignable to parameter of type 'FunctionReference<"action", "internal" | "public">'.
  Type '{ sendEmail: FunctionReference<"action", "internal", { to: string; subject: string; emailTemplate: any; }, SentMessageInfo | CreateEmailResponse>; }' is missing the following properties from type 'FunctionReference<"action", "internal" | "public">': _type, _visibility, _args, _returnType

there's no "use node" in myFunc.ts

ballingt•16mo ago

huh, what does replacing internal.email.sendEmail with internal.email.sendEmail.sendEmail do?

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

lol this worked!!!

ballingt•16mo ago

that type error looks like there's an extra level of nesting Do you have a file called sendEmail or is there something weird going on

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

ugh right! i forgot i have a file name called sendEmail... 🤦‍♂️ right... sorry i forgot i needed to camelCase filenames and confused myself lol

ballingt•16mo ago

np! One way to get rid of this level of nesting is to make the sendEmail function the default export, they you're allowed to drop it

winsoroaksOP•16mo ago

thanks so much tom! im all set 🙂

nodemailer + convex?

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