Everything You Need to Know about Email Code

Mashkoor Alam
ByMashkoor Alam

8 mins read

Coding an email is like constructing a well-designed home.

Let me explain. A builder carefully crafts a house with a solid foundation, appealing layout, and all the necessary amenities. Similarly, coding an email involves constructing a message that’s visually appealing, functional across platforms, and engaging for the reader. Every element, from the HTML structure to the final call-to-action needs to be carefully designed to create an experience that’s both inviting and effective.

In this article, we’ll explore what an email code is, its different parts and the best practices to follow while coding an email.

What is an email code?

An email code is the HTML code and CSS code that shapes the structure and design of your emails. It’s what ensures your email looks the way you intend, whether it's opened on a phone or desktop. Unlike web code, email code is streamlined to work across different email clients. It is essential for consistent, polished communication.

What does an email code look like?

An email code is like the blueprint of your email. It’s built with key components: the header, body, and footer.

  • Header: This part houses metadata, the subject line and preheader text, that helps guide how the email is displayed. It also includes links to external CSS files for styling.
  • Body: The main content lives here. The body contains everything your recipient sees, from text and images to buttons and links. Inline CSS is often used here to maintain consistent styling across email clients.
  • Footer: This section wraps up your email, usually containing legal disclaimers, unsubscribe links, and contact information. It’s essential for compliance and maintaining your brand’s professionalism.

Take a look at this sample HTML code. The first half of the code defines the design elements like background color, font, font color, font size, padding and so on. Whereas, the latter half defines the content of the email.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Basic Email</title>
</head>
<body>
<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td align="center">
<table width="600" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f7f7f7" style="padding: 20px 0;">
<h1>Your Company Name</h1>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="padding: 20px;">
<p>Hello [Recipient's Name],</p>
<p>This is a basic email template without any CSS styling. You can use it to send plain text emails.</p>
<p>Best regards,<br>Your Name</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#f7f7f7" style="padding: 20px;">
<p>Your Company Address</p>
<p><a href="mailto:your-email@example.com">your-email@example.com</a></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>

Here’s what this code translates to in the form of an email: 1-2.png

How to code emails?

HTML and CSS are your primary tools for coding emails, defining both structure and style. HTML sets up the layout, while CSS handles the visual design. For an in-depth guide on how to use HTML and CSS to code effective emails, check out our detailed article below:

Using email libraries

Email libraries are specialized tools that simplify the process of creating emails and setting up SMTP servers. They provide pre-built functions and methods to handle common tasks like formatting, sending, and managing email content. This further makes your job easier and more efficient.

Take a look at some top email libraries that make creating emails easier.

MJML

MJML is a powerful email library that converts simple tags into responsive HTML. It's designed to make email coding accessible. It allows you to create emails that look great on any device without writing complex HTML from scratch.

Step 1: Install MJML and Create Your First File

Start by installing MJML via npm (npm install -g mjml). Once installed, create a new “.mjml” file where you’ll write your code.

Step 2: Compile MJML to HTML

After writing your MJML code, compile it into HTML using the command “mjml yourfile.mjml -o output.html”. This generates the HTML code you’ll use in your email.

Step 3: Customize Your Email

Edit the generated HTML to customize the content, images, and layout to your specific needs. MJML’s great feature, its simple syntax makes this straightforward.

Step 4: Adding Basic Styling with CSS

Incorporate CSS directly into your HTML using inline styles for consistent rendering across email clients. Keep styles simple and focused on essential elements like font, color, and spacing.

Step 5: Testing and Sending Your Email

Before sending, test your email across different email clients using various online tools. Once confirmed, your email is ready to be sent to your audience.

AMP Project

AMP Project is an advanced library designed for creating AMP emails. You can simply import the library with the following HTML script:


<script async src="https://cdn.ampproject.org/v0.js"></script>

Once added, you can use AMP elements and components, such as multi-step forms, interactive games, carousels, and more. This makes your emails more dynamic and engaging.

Check out some other email libraries below. They can help you with other essentials of creating and sending an email.

smtplib

The “smtplib” is a built-in Python library that lets you send emails via the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). It integrates seamlessly with other Python applications, making it a reliable choice for email handling.

Nodemailer

“Nodemailer” is a widely-used Node.js library for sending emails. It supports multiple transport methods, including SMTP and OAuth2. It is known for its ease of use and flexibility.

PHPMailer

“PHPMailer” is a robust library for sending emails in PHP. It supports various protocols such as SMTP and POP3. It offers comprehensive authentication options.

Mail

“Mail” is a versatile Ruby library for email sending. It supports SMTP and integrates smoothly with Rails applications. It provides a straightforward approach to email management.

Java

“JavaMail” is a great library for email operations in Java. It supports SMTP, POP3, and IMAP protocols. It is suitable for a wide range of email functionalities.

Best practices for coding an email

Ensuring that your emails look polished and perform well across all platforms is key. You can follow these practices to optimize your email design and functionality in different ways:

1. Make your emails compatible across all email clients

Email clients don’t all play by the same rules when it comes to rendering HTML and CSS. To keep your design consistent, stick to basic HTML, use inline CSS, and always test your emails across different clients to ensure they render correctly.

2. Optimize load time and performance

No one likes waiting for an email to load. Compress your images, keep your code clean, and skip unnecessary scripts. Fast-loading emails not only improves the user experience but also reduces the chance of landing in the spam folder.

3. Ensure your emails are responsive

Your emails should look great on any device. Use fluid grids, flexible images, and media queries to make sure your design adapts to different screen sizes. Don’t forget to test on both desktop and mobile to ensure everything looks sharp.

4. Prepare your emails for dark mode

Dark mode is becoming more popular, and your emails need to keep up. Use transparent images, avoid solid black backgrounds, and test how your emails look in dark mode to make sure they’re still readable and visually appealing.

How can you enhance your emails with advanced techniques?

Using media queries for device-specific styles

Media queries let you adapt your email’s design for different devices. For instance, add @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) to adjust font sizes and layout for mobile screens. This helps in ensuring a clean and readable format no matter the device.

Using AMP for email for interactive elements

AMP for Email lets you add interactive features like carousels, forms, and real-time content updates directly within your emails. This can make your emails more engaging by allowing users to interact without leaving their inboxes. Just remember to test your AMP emails with clients that support it so that everything functions smoothly.

Create and send AMP emails without coding in minutes

cta-img

Future-proofing your email codes

Email coding is evolving rapidly, and staying ahead means focusing on a few key areas:

  • Prioritize Accessibility: Start with semantic HTML to make your emails accessible to all users. This not only improves usability but also makes your code more future-proof. Regularly test your emails with accessibility tools to check if they meet the necessary standards.
  • Rethink Outlook Compatibility: Instead of building your emails around Outlook, start with clean, semantic code and add specific fixes for Outlook only when necessary. Keep in mind that by 2026, Outlook will stop using Microsoft Word as its rendering engine. So, plan your strategy to minimize future adjustments.
  • Embrace AI with Caution: AI tools like GitHub’s Copilot can assist with error detection and idea generation, but they shouldn’t be your sole reliance. To future-proof your emails, always validate AI-generated code with comprehensive human quality assurance to ensure accuracy and effectiveness.

Parting notes

Coding emails can seem daunting, but with the right tools and techniques, it becomes manageable and even enjoyable. Now that you’re familiar with the essentials of email coding, you are ready to try it yourself.

However, if the thought of writing code feels overwhelming, a no-code email builder like Mailmodo might be your best bet. Mailmodo lets you create interactive, AMP-powered emails without any hassle. You don't even have to write a single line of code.

FAQs

JavaScript is generally unsupported in most email clients due to security reasons. Instead, focus on using HTML and CSS to create visually appealing and interactive elements within your emails.

Avoid common mistakes like using unsupported CSS properties, neglecting mobile responsiveness, and overloading emails with heavy images. The general idea is to ensure cross-client compatibility and thorough testing.

Improve email load times by optimizing image sizes through compression and using inline CSS. Minimizing external file requests and streamlining your email’s HTML and CSS for better performance is the best way.

For email coding, use tools like HTML and CSS frameworks or libraries such as MJML for a great coding experience. For a no-code option, try Mailmodo for interactive, AMP-powered email creation.

Test your emails by using platforms that offer previews and debugging tools for various email clients and devices. This makes your emails look consistent and perform well everywhere.

You can view the source code of an email without much effort. Just right-click within the email client and select options like “View Source” or “Show Original.” This will display the underlying HTML and CSS used.

Create responsive emails by incorporating media queries that adjust the layout based on different screen sizes. Your design should be adaptable for both desktop and mobile devices to maintain consistency.

AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) improves emails by allowing email marketers to use interactive elements like carousels and forms. It supports real-time content updates and engaging user experiences within emails.

Use inline CSS to style your emails, as many email clients don’t support external stylesheets. Inline CSS allows consistent rendering across various email clients and improves overall email design compatibility.

Update your email templates every few months to avoid inconsistencies. Regular updates help align with current design trends and maintain engagement with your audience. Mailmodo’s templates make it easy to quickly refresh your design and stay current.

What should you do next?

You made it till the end! Here's what you can do next to grow your business:

2_1_27027d2b7d
Get smarter with email resources

Free guides, ebooks, and other resources to master email marketing.

1_2_69505430ad
Do interactive email marketing with Mailmodo

Send forms, carts, calendars, games and more within your emails to boost ROI.

3_1_3e1f82b05a
Consult an email expert

30-min free email consultation with an expert to fix your email marketing.

Table of contents

chevron-down
What is an email code?
What does an email code look like?
How to code emails?
Using email libraries
Best practices for coding an email
How can you enhance your emails with advanced techniques?
Future-proofing your email codes
Parting notes

Fresh Marketing Ideas, Every Week.

Get the latest marketing roundup & news

Get 3X conversions
with interactive emails

Check.svg

Create & send interactive emails without coding

Check.svg

Put revenue on auto-pilot with pre-built journeys

Check.svg

Save time with AI-powered email content creation

1000+ businesses grew with Mailmodo, including

Frame_1110165681_3_b26b1a7573
Group_1110165532_1_bf39ce18b3
Ellipse_Gradientbottom_Bg
Ellipse_Gradientbottom_Top
gradient_Right