Send Email From a PHP Script Using SMTP Authentication

Today, sending emails programmatically is the standard requirement for many web applications and server-side scripts. Whether it is account notifications, newsletters, or transactional emails, you should definitely make sure to implement email functionality into your PHP scripts. One of the most common techniques is to use the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. 

In this post, we will demonstrate how to send emails from a PHP script utilizing SMTP authentication.

Let’s get started!

An Overview: SMTP Authentication

SMTP authentication is a technique that authenticates the identity of the sender. This ensures that the email server allows them to send messages. In addition to preventing unauthorized use from spoofing and some other techniques, captchas like this are used to obviate unauthorized uses. You can go for SMTP authentication by simply providing the server’s credentials. Thus allowing you to send emails to either your domain or account.

Setting Up SMTP Authentication

Before sending emails from a PHP script using SMTP authentication, the SMTP server must be configured. This approach often entails acquiring the SMTP server address, port number, and authentication information from your email service provider. After acquiring this information, continue with the installation procedure.

Step-by-Step Handbook

Follow these steps to send emails from a PHP script using SMTP authentication:

1. Install PHPMailer Library

PHPMailer is a popular library that simplifies the process of sending emails from PHP scripts. Start by downloading the PHPMailer library. You can download it from its official GitHub repository or use Composer to install it as a dependency in your project.

2. Include PHPMailer in Your Script

Next, include the PHPMailer autoload file in your PHP script to gain access to its functionality. This autoload file automatically loads all the necessary classes and functions required for sending emails using PHPMailer.

3. Configure SMTP Settings

The next step is to configure the SMTP settings in your PHP script. It includes specifying the SMTP server address, port number, authentication method, username, and password. Ensure that you use the correct settings provided by your email service provider or hosting provider.

4. Create Email Message

Create the email message you wish to send with PHPMailer. This comprises the recipient's email address, subject line, body text, and any extra headers or attachments. You may personalize the email message to meet your individual needs.

5. Send Email

After configuring the SMTP settings and creating the email message. Then use PHPMailer's send() function to send the email. This method establishes an SMTP connection and authenticates with the server using the credentials supplied.

Benefits of Using SMTP Authentication

Incorporating SMTP authentication into your PHP scripts offers several benefits: 

#1 Improved Deliverability: Through SMTP authentication, which is more reliable and efficient, your emails will mostly reach the recipients.

#2 Enhanced Security: SMTP authentication is used to prevent security violations where the email server is not compromised by unauthorized access. In other words, all emails are signed off by trusted machines, which means that they come from your domain.

#3 Greater Control: Complete oversight of the email-sending process is yours, with capacity to track the email delivery status, respond to bounce backs, and manage the email queues well.

Final Words

Using SMTP authentication to send emails from a PHP script is a simple process that helps your web applications and server-side scripts work with greater efficiency. This article has provided you with a simple guide that you can use to implement email functionality into your cloud-based servers and applications, thus helping you to communicate with your users and clients smoothly. With SMTP authentication, you have the opportunity to deliver emails reliably and, at the same time, protect the security and control the process of sending emails.