n8n SMTP Server Node

A custom n8n node that starts an SMTP server and triggers workflows when emails are received. This node allows you to receive emails directly into your n8n workflows, enabling powerful email automation scenarios.

Features

- 🚀 SMTP Server: Starts a lightweight SMTP server to receive emails
- 📧 Email Parsing: Automatically parses incoming emails with full metadata
- 🔐 Authentication: Optional SMTP authentication support
- 📎 Attachment Support: Handles email attachments with metadata
- 🔄 Workflow Triggers: Triggers n8n workflows with parsed email data
- 🛡️ Security: Configurable security options for production use

Installation

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``bash
npm install n8n-nodes-smtp-server
`

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`bash
git clone https://github.com/alexrster/n8n-nodes-smtp-server.git
cd n8n-nodes-smtp-server
npm install
npm run build
`

Usage

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1. Add the node to your n8n instance:
- If installed via npm: The node will appear automatically in the trigger nodes list
- If built from source: Copy the dist folder to your n8n custom nodes directory

2. Configure the SMTP Server:
- Set the port (default: 2525)
- Set the host (default: 0.0.0.0)
- Configure authentication if needed
- Set security options

3. Connect to your workflow:
- The node will trigger your workflow whenever an email is received
- Email data is available in the workflow execution

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| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|---------|-------------|
| Port | Number | 2525 | Port to listen on for SMTP connections |
| Host | String | 0.0.0.0 | Host to bind the SMTP server to |
| Enable Authentication | Boolean | false | Whether to enable SMTP authentication |
| Username | String | - | Username for SMTP authentication |
| Password | String | - | Password for SMTP authentication |
| Allow Insecure | Boolean | true | Whether to allow insecure connections (no TLS) |

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When an email is received, the workflow is triggered with the following data structure:

`json
{
"subject": "Email Subject",
"to": "recipient@example.com",
"from": "sender@example.com",
"body": "Email body text",
"html": "Email HTML content",
"text": "Plain text email content",
"date": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
"messageId": "",
"attachments": [
{
"filename": "document.pdf",
"contentType": "application/pdf",
"size": 1024
}
],
"headers": {
"received": "...",
"date": "...",
"from": "...",
"to": "...",
"subject": "..."
},
"raw": "Raw email content"
}
`

Use Cases

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- Receive support emails and automatically create tickets
- Route emails to different teams based on content
- Auto-respond with confirmation messages

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- Receive form submissions via email
- Process and store form data
- Send confirmation emails

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- Monitor specific email addresses for keywords
- Trigger alerts based on email content
- Archive important emails automatically

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- Bridge email systems with other services
- Convert emails to tasks, events, or notifications
- Sync email data with databases or CRMs

Example Workflows

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`
SMTP Server → Email Parser → Database → Notification
`

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`
SMTP Server → Extract Email Data → Create Ticket → Send Confirmation
`

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`
SMTP Server → Filter by Subject → Route to Different Teams → Archive
`

Security Considerations

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1. Use Authentication: Enable SMTP authentication in production
2. Configure Firewall: Only allow connections from trusted sources
3. Use TLS: Consider implementing TLS for encrypted connections
4. Monitor Logs: Keep an eye on server logs for suspicious activity
5. Regular Updates: Keep the node and dependencies updated

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- Internal Use: Bind to localhost (127.0.0.1) for internal use only
- External Access: Use proper firewall rules when exposing to the internet
- Port Selection: Choose non-standard ports to avoid conflicts

Development

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- Node.js 20.x or higher
- npm or yarn
- n8n instance for testing

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`bash


Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/alexrster/n8n-nodes-smtp-server.git
cd n8n-nodes-smtp-server

Install dependencies

npm install

Build the project

npm run build

Run linting

npm run lint

Format code

npm run format
`

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`bash


Test the build

npm run build

Test with n8n (requires n8n to be installed)

npm install -g n8n
npx n8n --help
`

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guide for details.

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1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Run linting and build
6. Submit a pull request

Troubleshooting

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Node not appearing in n8n:
- Ensure the node is properly built (npm run build)
- Check that the dist folder is in the correct location
- Restart n8n after adding the node

SMTP Server not starting:
- Check if the port is already in use
- Verify firewall settings
- Ensure proper permissions

Authentication issues:
- Verify username and password are correct
- Check that authentication is enabled
- Test with a simple SMTP client

Email parsing errors:
- Check the email format
- Verify the email content is valid
- Review server logs for details

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Dependencies

This node uses external dependencies (smtp-server and mailparser`) that are essential for its core functionality. These dependencies are:

- Well-maintained by the Nodemailer team
- Widely used in production environments
- Security audited with no known critical vulnerabilities
- Industry standard for SMTP and email parsing

For detailed information about these dependencies and why they are necessary, see DEPENDENCIES.md.

Support

- Issues: GitHub Issues
- Discussions: GitHub Discussions
- Email: a@qx.zone

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for a list of changes and version history.

Acknowledgments

- Built for the n8n community
- Uses smtp-server for SMTP functionality
- Uses mailparser for email parsing