imap-simple
This library is no longer maintained and has been archived.
A library providing a simpler interface for common use cases of node-imap, a robust imap client for node.js.
Warning: This library is missing a great deal of functionality from node-imap. If you have functionality you would like to see, we're accepting pull requests!
Examples
Retrieve the subject lines of all unread email
var imaps = require('imap-simple');
var config = {
imap: {
user: '[email protected]',
password: 'yourpassword',
host: 'imap.gmail.com',
port: 993,
tls: true,
authTimeout: 3000
}
};
imaps.connect(config).then(function (connection) {
return connection.openBox('INBOX').then(function () {
var searchCriteria = [
'UNSEEN'
];
var fetchOptions = {
bodies: ['HEADER', 'TEXT'],
markSeen: false
};
return connection.search(searchCriteria, fetchOptions).then(function (results) {
var subjects = results.map(function (res) {
return res.parts.filter(function (part) {
return part.which === 'HEADER';
})[0].body.subject[0];
});
console.log(subjects);
// =>
// [ 'Hey Chad, long time no see!',
// 'Your amazon.com monthly statement',
// 'Hacker Newsletter Issue #445' ]
});
});
});Retrieve Body Content
var imaps = require('imap-simple');
const _ = require('lodash');
var config = {
imap: {
user: '[email protected]',
password: 'yourpassword',
host: 'imap.gmail.com',
port: 993,
tls: true,
authTimeout: 3000
}
};
imaps.connect(config).then(function (connection) {
return connection.openBox('INBOX').then(function () {
var searchCriteria = ['1:5'];
var fetchOptions = {
bodies: ['HEADER', 'TEXT'],
};
return connection.search(searchCriteria, fetchOptions).then(function (messages) {
messages.forEach(function (item) {
var all = _.find(item.parts, { "which": "TEXT" })
var html = (Buffer.from(all.body, 'base64').toString('ascii'));
console.log(html)
});
});
});
});Usage of Mailparser in combination with imap-simple
var imaps = require('imap-simple');
const simpleParser = require('mailparser').simpleParser;
const _ = require('lodash');
var config = {
imap: {
user: '[email protected]',
password: 'yourpassword',
host: 'imap.gmail.com',
port: 993,
tls: true,
authTimeout: 3000
}
};
imaps.connect(config).then(function (connection) {
return connection.openBox('INBOX').then(function () {
var searchCriteria = ['1:5'];
var fetchOptions = {
bodies: ['HEADER', 'TEXT', ''],
};
return connection.search(searchCriteria, fetchOptions).then(function (messages) {
messages.forEach(function (item) {
var all = _.find(item.parts, { "which": "" })
var id = item.attributes.uid;
var idHeader = "Imap-Id: "+id+"\r\n";
simpleParser(idHeader+all.body, (err, mail) => {
// access to the whole mail object
console.log(mail.subject)
console.log(mail.html)
});
});
});
});
});Download all attachments from all unread email since yesterday
var imaps = require('imap-simple');
var config = {
imap: {
user: '[email protected]',
password: 'yourpassword',
host: 'imap.gmail.com',
port: 993,
tls: true,
authTimeout: 3000
}
};
imaps.connect(config).then(function (connection) {
connection.openBox('INBOX').then(function () {
// Fetch emails from the last 24h
var delay = 24 * 3600 * 1000;
var yesterday = new Date();
yesterday.setTime(Date.now() - delay);
yesterday = yesterday.toISOString();
var searchCriteria = ['UNSEEN', ['SINCE', yesterday]];
var fetchOptions = { bodies: ['HEADER.FIELDS (FROM TO SUBJECT DATE)'], struct: true };
// retrieve only the headers of the messages
return connection.search(searchCriteria, fetchOptions);
}).then(function (messages) {
var attachments = [];
messages.forEach(function (message) {
var parts = imaps.getParts(message.attributes.struct);
attachments = attachments.concat(parts.filter(function (part) {
return part.disposition && part.disposition.type.toUpperCase() === 'ATTACHMENT';
}).map(function (part) {
// retrieve the attachments only of the messages with attachments
return connection.getPartData(message, part)
.then(function (partData) {
return {
filename: part.disposition.params.filename,
data: partData
};
});
}));
});
return Promise.all(attachments);
}).then(function (attachments) {
console.log(attachments);
// =>
// [ { filename: 'cats.jpg', data: Buffer() },
// { filename: 'pay-stub.pdf', data: Buffer() } ]
});
});Append a message to your drafts folder
var imaps = require('imap-simple');
var config = {
imap: {
user: '[email protected]',
password: 'yourpassword',
host: 'imap.gmail.com',
port: 993,
tls: true,
authTimeout: 3000
}
};
imaps.connect(config).then(function (connection) {
const message = `Content-Type: text/plain
To: [email protected]
Subject: Hello world
Hi
This is a test message
`;
connection.append(message.toString(), {mailbox: 'Drafts', flags: '\\Draft'});
});Open messages and delete them
imaps.connect(config).then(function (connection) {
connection.openBox('INBOX').then(function () {
var searchCriteria = ['ALL'];
var fetchOptions = { bodies: ['TEXT'], struct: true };
return connection.search(searchCriteria, fetchOptions);
//Loop over each message
}).then(function (messages) {
let taskList = messages.map(function (message) {
return new Promise((res, rej) => {
var parts = imaps.getParts(message.attributes.struct);
parts.map(function (part) {
return connection.getPartData(message, part)
.then(function (partData) {
//Display e-mail body
if (part.disposition == null && part.encoding != "base64"){
console.log(partData);
}
//Mark message for deletion
connection.addFlags(message.attributes.uid, "\Deleted", (err) => {
if (err){
console.log('Problem marking message for deletion');
rej(err);
}
res(); //Final resolve
})
});
});
});
})
return Promise.all(taskList).then(() => {
connection.imap.closeBox(true, (err) => { //Pass in false to avoid delete-flagged messages being removed
if (err){
console.log(err);
}
});
connection.end();
});
});
});delete messages by uid
imaps.connect(config).then(connection => {
return connection.openBox('INBOX')
.then(() => connection.search(['ALL'], {bodies: ['HEADER']}))
.then( messages => {
// select messages from bob
const uidsToDelete = messages
.filter( message => {
return message.parts
.filter( part => part.which === 'HEADER')[0].body.to[0] === '[email protected]';
})
.map(message => message.attributes.uid);
return connection.deleteMessage(uidsToDelete);
});
});API
Exported module
-
connect(<object> options, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Main entry point. Connect to an Imap server. Upon successfully connecting to the Imap server, either calls the provided callback with signature
(err, connection), or resolves the returned promise withconnection, whereconnectionis an instance of ImapSimple. If the connection times out, either the callback will be called with theerrproperty set to an instance of ConnectionTimeoutError, or the returned promise will be rejected with the same. Validoptionsproperties are:- imap: Options to pass to node-imap constructor 1:1
- connectTimeout: Time in milliseconds to wait before giving up on a connection attempt. (Deprecated: please
use
options.imap.authTimeoutinstead)
-
errors.ConnectionTimeoutError(<number> timeout) - ConnectionTimeoutError - Error thrown when a connection attempt has timed out.
-
getParts(<Array> struct) - Array - Given the
message.attributes.struct, retrieve a flattened array ofpartsobjects that describe the structure of the different parts of the message's body. Useful for getting a simple list to iterate for the purposes of, for example, finding all attachments. -
ImapSimple(<object> imap) - ImapSimple - constructor for creating an instance of ImapSimple. Mostly used for testing.
ImapSimple class
-
addFlags(<mixed> uid, <string> flag, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Adds the provided flag(s) to the specified message(s).
uidis the uid of the message you want to add the flag to or an array of uids.flagis either a string or array of strings indicating the flags to add. When completed, either calls the provided callback with signature(err), or resolves the returned promise. -
addMessageLabel(<mixed> source, <mixed> label, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Adds the provided label(s) to the specified message(s).
sourcecorresponds to a node-imap MessageSource which specifies the messages to be moved.labelis either a string or array of strings indicating the labels to add. When completed, either calls the provided callback with signature(err), or resolves the returned promise. -
removeMessageLabel(<mixed> source, <mixed> label, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Removes the provided label(s) from the specified message(s).
sourcecorresponds to a node-imap MessageSource which specifies the messages to be removed.labelis either a string or array of strings indicating the labels to remove. When completed, either calls the provided callback with signature(err), or resolves the returned promise. -
append(<mixed> message, [<object> options], [<function> callback]) - Promise - Appends the argument message to the currently open mailbox or another mailbox.
messageis a RFC-822 compatible MIME message. Validoptionsare mailbox, flags and date. When completed, either calls the provided callback with signature(err), or resolves the returned promise. -
delFlags(<mixed> uid, <string> flag, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Removes the provided flag(s) from the specified message(s).
uidis the uid of the message you want to remove the flag from or an array of uids.flagis either a string or array of strings indicating the flags to remove. When completed, either calls the provided callback with signature(err), or resolves the returned promise. -
end() - undefined - Close the connection to the imap server.
-
getBoxes([<function> callback]) - Promise - Returns the full list of mailboxes (folders). Upon success, either the provided callback will be called with signature
(err, boxes), or the returned promise will be resolved withboxes.boxesis the exact object returned from the node-imap getBoxes() result. -
getPartData(<object> message, <object> part, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Downloads part data (which is either part of the message body, or an attachment). Upon success, either the provided callback will be called with signature
(err, data), or the returned promise will be resolved withdata. The data will be automatically decoded based on its encoding. If the encoding of the part is not supported, an error will occur. -
deleteMessage(<mixed> uid, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Deletes the specified message(s).
uidis the uid of the message you want to add the flag to or an array of uids. When completed, either calls the provided callback with signature(err), or resolves the returned promise. -
moveMessage(<mixed> source, <string> boxName, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Moves the specified message(s) in the currently open mailbox to another mailbox.
sourcecorresponds to a node-imap MessageSource which specifies the messages to be moved. When completed, either calls the provided callback with signature(err), or resolves the returned promise. -
openBox(<string> boxName, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Open a mailbox, calling the provided callback with signature
(err, boxName), or resolves the returned promise withboxName. -
closeBox(<boolean> [autoExpunge = true], [<function> callback]) - Promise - Close a mailbox, calling the provided callback with signature
(err), or resolves the returned promise. If autoExpunge is true, any messages marked as Deleted in the currently open mailbox will be removed. -
addBox(<string> boxName, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Create a mailbox, calling the provided callback with signature
(err, boxName), or resolves the returned promise withboxName. -
delBox(<string> boxName, [<function> callback]) - Promise - Delete a mailbox, calling the provided callback with signature
(err, boxName), or resolves the returned promise withboxName. -
search(<object> searchCriteria, [<object> fetchOptions], [<function> callback]) - Promise - Search for and retrieve mail in the currently open mailbox. The search is performed based on the provided
searchCriteria, which is the exact same format as node-imap requires. All results will be subsequently downloaded, according to the options provided byfetchOptions, which are also identical to those passed tofetchof node-imap. Upon a successful search+fetch operation, either the provided callback will be called with signature(err, results), or the returned promise will be resolved withresults. The format ofresultsis detailed below. See node-imap's ImapMessage signature for information aboutattributes,which,size, andbody. For any message part that is aHEADER, the body is automatically parsed into an object.// [{ // attributes: object, // parts: [ { which: string, size: number, body: string }, ... ] // }, ...]
Server events
Functions to listen to server events are configured in the configuration object that is passed to the connect function.
ImapSimple only implements a subset of the server event functions that node-imap supports, see here,
which are mail, expunge and update. Add them to the configuration object as follows:
var config = {
imap: {
...
},
onmail: function (numNewMail) {
...
},
onexpunge: function (seqno) {
...
},
onupdate: function (seqno, info) {
...
}
};
For more information see here.
Contributing
Pull requests welcome! This project really needs tests, so those would be very welcome. If you have a use case you want supported, please feel free to add, but be sure to follow the patterns established thus far, mostly:
- support promises AND callbacks
- make your api as simple as possible
- don't worry about exposing implementation details of node-imap when needed
This project is OPEN open source. See CONTRIBUTING.md for more details about contributing.
Semver
This project follows semver. Namely:
- new MAJOR versions when incompatible API changes are made,
- new MINOR versions for backwards-compatible feature additions,
- new PATCH versions for backwards-compatible bug fixes