Introduction
Sending emails is a fundamental feature in many Oracle APEX applications, enabling communication through notifications, alerts, confirmations, and more. Oracle APEX provides multiple methods for sending emails, ranging from built-in packages like APEX_MAIL to integration with external SMTP servers and third-party services. Understanding these methods and following best practices ensures reliable, secure, and efficient email delivery in your applications.
In Oracle APEX, sending emails is a common requirement for applications that need to notify users, send confirmations, alerts, or reports. There are several methods available to send emails, each suited to different scenarios and infrastructure setups. Understanding these methods and following best practices is essential for reliable and secure email delivery.
Available Methods to Send Emails in Oracle APEX:
-
APEX_MAIL Package
This is the built-in PL/SQL package provided by Oracle APEX for sending emails directly from your database. It allows sending plain text or HTML emails, adding attachments, and controlling email headers. The APEX_MAIL package relies on SMTP configuration set up at the APEX instance or database level.
Example to send a simple email:
BEGIN
APEX_MAIL.SEND(
p_to => 'recipient@example.com',
p_from => 'noreply@yourdomain.com',
p_subj => 'Sample Email',
p_body => 'This is a test email from Oracle APEX.'
);
APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE;
END;
-
UTL_SMTP Package
A lower-level PL/SQL package that interacts directly with SMTP servers. This requires more manual handling of SMTP commands but offers flexibility for customized email sending logic. Use this when you need more control or when APEX_MAIL is not available or suitable.
-
External Email APIs and Web Services
Integrate Oracle APEX with third-party email delivery services such as SendGrid, Amazon SES, or Microsoft Graph API. This is often done via RESTful web services, allowing you to send emails using modern APIs and benefit from advanced features like analytics, templates, and high deliverability.
-
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Email Delivery
If your APEX application runs on Oracle Cloud, you can configure SMTP to use OCI Email Delivery, a secure and scalable managed SMTP service. This reduces maintenance overhead and increases email deliverability.
Best Practices for Sending Emails in Oracle APEX:
-
Configure SMTP Properly
Ensure your SMTP server is correctly configured with authentication, SSL/TLS security, and the appropriate port settings. Use approved sender addresses and configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC DNS records for your domain to avoid email being marked as spam.
-
Use Approved Sender Addresses
Always send emails from addresses authorized by your SMTP provider or domain to maintain deliverability and compliance.
-
Handle Email Queue Efficiently
Use APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE to process pending emails promptly. Monitor mail queues and logs via APEX_MAIL_QUEUE and APEX_MAIL_LOG views to detect and fix delivery issues early.
-
Implement Error Handling
Capture exceptions in your PL/SQL email sending code and log errors for troubleshooting. This prevents silent failures and aids in debugging.
-
Limit Bulk Emailing
For bulk mailing, consider using external services optimized for high volume email delivery to avoid overloading your database or SMTP server and reduce the risk of blacklisting.
-
Test Thoroughly
Always test email functionality in development with controlled recipient addresses and use test mailboxes or mail traps to avoid sending unintended emails.
By selecting the appropriate method for your application’s context and adhering to best practices, you can implement robust email functionality in Oracle APEX. This improves user engagement, automates communication, and enhances the overall effectiveness of your applications.
Sending emails is a common requirement in Oracle APEX applications, whether for notifications, system alerts, or user interactions. Oracle APEX provides multiple ways to send emails, each suited for different use cases. Understanding these methods helps developers implement reliable and efficient email functionality.
This tutorial covers all the ways to send emails in Oracle APEX, their use cases, advantages, and examples.
Ways to Send Emails in Oracle APEX
Oracle APEX supports four primary ways to send emails:
Using the APEX_MAIL Package
Using the APEX_SMTP Package
Using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Email Delivery
Using Third-Party APIs via Web Services
Each method is useful depending on requirements such as email format, attachments, external SMTP providers, and cloud services.
1. Sending Emails Using the APEX_MAIL Package
Overview
The APEX_MAIL package is the most commonly used method for sending emails in Oracle APEX. It provides built-in email handling capabilities, supports plain-text and HTML emails, allows attachments, and requires minimal configuration.
Use Cases
System-generated emails (password resets, user notifications)
Emails with attachments
Emails with multiple recipients (To, CC, BCC)
HTML-formatted emails
How to Send an Email Using APEX_MAIL
BEGIN
APEX_MAIL.SEND (
p_from => 'admin@example.com',
p_to => 'user@example.com',
p_cc => 'manager@example.com',
p_bcc => 'audit@example.com',
p_subj => 'Account Activation',
p_body => 'Your account has been activated.',
p_body_html => '<h3>Welcome!</h3><p>Your account has been activated.</p>'
);
-- Push the email to be processed
APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE;
COMMIT;
END;
Key Features
Supports plain-text and HTML emails
Allows attachments using APEX_MAIL.ADD_ATTACHMENT
Supports multiple recipients
Queued emails must be processed using APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE
Best Practices
Always call APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE to ensure emails are sent.
Use HTML formatting to improve email appearance.
Validate that email addresses are correct before sending.
2. Sending Emails Using the APEX_SMTP Package
Overview
APEX_SMTP provides low-level email handling and requires direct interaction with an SMTP server. Unlike APEX_MAIL, it does not queue emails; instead, emails are sent immediately.
Use Cases
Sending emails without relying on APEX mail queues
Connecting to custom SMTP servers outside of Oracle Cloud
Sending emails with precise SMTP control
How to Send an Email Using APEX_SMTP
DECLARE
v_conn APEX_SMTP.CONNECTION;
BEGIN
-- Establish SMTP connection
v_conn := APEX_SMTP.INITIALIZE('smtp.example.com', 587);
APEX_SMTP.HELO(v_conn, 'example.com');
APEX_SMTP.MAIL(v_conn, 'admin@example.com');
APEX_SMTP.RCPT(v_conn, 'user@example.com');
-- Write email content
APEX_SMTP.OPEN_DATA(v_conn);
APEX_SMTP.WRITE_DATA(v_conn, 'Subject: Test Email' || APEX_LF || APEX_LF);
APEX_SMTP.WRITE_DATA(v_conn, 'Hello, this is a test email.');
APEX_SMTP.CLOSE_DATA(v_conn);
-- Terminate SMTP session
APEX_SMTP.QUIT(v_conn);
END;
Key Features
Requires a direct SMTP server connection
Supports immediate email sending (no queue processing)
Provides low-level SMTP control
Best Practices
Ensure the SMTP server supports authentication.
Use APEX_SMTP.WRITE_DATA to format email headers correctly.
Be mindful of SMTP security configurations (TLS/SSL).
3. Sending Emails Using OCI Email Delivery
Overview
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Email Delivery is Oracle's recommended method for sending emails from APEX in cloud environments. It provides a scalable and reliable way to send transactional and marketing emails.
Use Cases
How to Send an Email Using OCI Email Delivery
Step 1: Configure SMTP Settings
Identify the SMTP connection endpoint from Oracle Cloud Console.
Generate SMTP credentials for authentication.
Create approved senders in Oracle Cloud Console.
Set up the SMTP parameters in APEX instance settings:
BEGIN
APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER('SMTP_HOST_ADDRESS', 'smtp.us-phoenix-1.oraclecloud.com');
APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER('SMTP_USERNAME', 'ocid1.user.oc1.username');
APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER('SMTP_PASSWORD', 'your_password');
COMMIT;
END;
Step 2: Send Email Using APEX_MAIL
BEGIN
APEX_MAIL.SEND (
p_from => 'admin@yourdomain.com',
p_to => 'user@example.com',
p_subj => 'Welcome to Our Service',
p_body => 'Thank you for signing up!',
p_body_html => '<h3>Welcome!</h3><p>Thank you for signing up.</p>'
);
-- Push email queue
APEX_MAIL.PUSH_QUEUE;
COMMIT;
END;
Key Features
Requires an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) account
Supports email authentication (SPF, DKIM)
Better deliverability than standard SMTP solutions
Best Practices
4. Sending Emails Using Third-Party APIs via Web Services
Overview
If your APEX application needs to send emails via services like SendGrid, Mailgun, or Amazon SES, you can use web service calls to interact with these providers' APIs.
Use Cases
Sending emails from external providers
Using advanced email marketing features
Tracking email opens and clicks
How to Send an Email Using a REST API
DECLARE
v_clob CLOB;
BEGIN
v_clob := '{ "personalizations": [ { "to": [ { "email": "user@example.com" } ] } ], "from": { "email": "admin@example.com" }, "subject": "Test Email", "content": [ { "type": "text/plain", "value": "Hello!" } ] }';
apex_web_service.make_rest_request (
p_url => 'https://api.sendgrid.com/v3/mail/send',
p_http_method => 'POST',
p_body => v_clob,
p_username => 'Bearer YOUR_SENDGRID_API_KEY',
p_parm_name => apex_t_varchar2('Content-Type'),
p_parm_value => apex_t_varchar2('application/json')
);
END;
Key Features
Provides full control over email formatting
Supports tracking and analytics
Requires API authentication and configuration
Best Practices
Oracle APEX provides multiple ways to send emails, each with its advantages. For basic emails, use APEX_MAIL. For custom SMTP control, use APEX_SMTP. For cloud environments, OCI Email Delivery is ideal. For external email services, use web APIs.
By choosing the right method based on your requirements, you can ensure efficient and reliable email communication in your APEX applications.
Conclusion
By leveraging the available email sending methods in Oracle APEX and adhering to best practices such as proper authentication, secure SMTP configuration, and error monitoring, developers can create robust applications with seamless email communication. This enhances user experience and ensures important messages reach recipients promptly and securely.
