Writing · Nº 041065 essays
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Ideas from inside the work. Explore technology, entrepreneurship, and the practice of building things that last.
18 essays found · Page 1 of 2
Clear filtersEngineeringHow to Handle Merge Variables in Email Templates SafelyA null merge variable sends 'Hi ,' to a real customer. Here is how to handle merge variables in email templates safely with defaults, guards, and escaping.EngineeringShould Your App Emails Have a Real Reply-To?A no-reply address on your app emails throws away your best support channel. Here is why a real reply-to beats no-reply and how to handle inbound replies.StrategyWhat to Put in an Artist Newsletter Fans Actually OpenAn artist newsletter is the core of your content engine, but only if fans open it. Here is what to put in a music newsletter so it builds real fans, not unsubscribes.EngineeringDo Transactional Emails Need an Unsubscribe Link?Do transactional emails need an unsubscribe link? True transactional mail does not, but most app email is not purely transactional. Here is where the line is.EngineeringMagic Link Login vs Password Reset EmailsMagic link login and password reset emails share machinery but solve different problems. Here is when to use each and why magic links are not always the win.EngineeringHow to Rate Limit Notification Emails Per UserWithout per-user rate limits, one busy event storm floods inboxes and your reputation. Here is how to rate limit notification emails without dropping the urgent ones.EngineeringHow to Localize Transactional Emails ProperlyLocalizing transactional emails is more than translating strings. Here is how to handle locale, formatting, dates, and right-to-left text so email works everywhere.EngineeringHow to Build Responsive Email Templates That Don't BreakResponsive email templates fail because email HTML is not web HTML. Here is how to build templates with tables, inline CSS, and MJML that render everywhere.EngineeringWhy Transactional Email Needs Idempotency KeysRetries and duplicate triggers cause double sends unless your transactional email is idempotent. Here is how idempotency keys stop the duplicate receipt problem.EngineeringHow to Batch Notification Emails Into a DigestSending one notification email per event burns out users and your reputation. Here is how to batch notification emails into a digest that people keep reading.EngineeringHow to Monitor Transactional Email Sends in ProductionMonitoring transactional email sends means treating a failed send like a production incident. Here is what to watch, what to alert on, and why.EngineeringHow to Test Transactional Emails Before You ShipTesting transactional emails means checking rendering, real data, and delivery, not just that the send fired. Here is a testing process that catches breakage.